By the Stats: Increase in DIY Home Improvement an Opportunity for Marketers

Fifty-six percent of adults who are planning a home improvement project are the main decision makers and do the work themselves, according to the Customer Focus Home Improvement study conducted by marketing consultancy Vertis. Interior painting is one of the most popular projects with 48 percent of adults surveyed planning to pain in the next 12 months.

Other data revealed by the study:

* When planning a home improvement project, 71 percent of men 34 to 49 years old make the decision and do the work themselves, up from 64 percent in 2004.
* 51 percent of women 18 to 34 years old make the decision and do the work themselves, up from 40 percent in 2004.
* 60 percent of men and 39 percent of women over 50 make the decision and do the work themselves, up from 52 percent and 30 percent respectively in 2004.
* Among women ages 18 to 34, the most popular home improvement projects this year are installing new windows and doors (21 percent) remodeling a kitchen or bathroom (28 percent) and interior painting (55 percent).

Source: Vertis Customer Focus 2006: Home Improvement, http://www.vertis.com.