Women Increasingly Drive Home Improvement Industry

Women Increasingly Drive Home Improvement Industry

(ARA) - Men have traditionally taken the lead on home improvement projects -- in many cases at the insistence of the women in their lives. But today, women are not only involved in the decision-making process of what needs to be done and whether to do-it-yourself or hire it done, but are also making the actual purchases. Women account for more than $70 billion worth of purchases in the home improvement industry, up from approximately $55 billion in 1995.

According to a recent survey by the Home Improvement Research Institute, within the first year of home ownership, women will authorize almost $9,000 on home improvement projects. A growing number of manufacturers and retailers have focused more marketing efforts on women and are capitalizing on this trend.

Women are also looking for women-owned construction companies for their home improvement projects. The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) gets requests from across the country on a regular basis for local women-owned construction companies to do home improvement projects. Women make up about 12 percent of the construction industry according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Women represent 44 percent of do-it-yourselfers and 51 percent of those who usually hire professionals for home improvement projects. Women account for more than half the sales of storage and organization products and almost half the sales of lighting, paint, kitchen/bath, lawn/garden, flooring and safety products.

Men still dominate when it comes to purchasing tools and power equipment, but the number of men who are looking to hire women-owned construction companies for home improvement projects has increased. "The perception is that a woman would be easier to work with on a home improvement project," says Sandy Fite, membership director for NAWIC. "Some feel that women would be more organized and perhaps 'tuned-in' to the way the project should be done." This is especially true when a woman is making the home improvement project decisions.

These projects provide a way for women to express their creativity, as well as their construction skills. According to a study conducted by Yankalovich Partners, a surprising 37 percent of women said they would rather work on a home improvement project than hit the malls, while 28 percent said they would rather work on their home than cook.

"I find," says Jodi Bagwell, a member of the Simi-Conejo, Calif. chapter of NAWIC and co-owner of Bagwell Construction Services Inc., "that women tend to be a little more sympathetic to the concerns another woman might have when inviting a stranger into her home." Ms. Bagwell has participated three times in the very popular "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" television show by helping people with special needs make improvements to their homes.

She adds, "Home remodeling can sometimes be painful to the homeowner. I enjoy a special camaraderie when I have the opportunity to work with another woman. They also appear to appreciate being able to talk to me a little easier about the technical terms and aspects of the project."

Founded in 1953 by 16 women working in the construction industry, NAWIC's sole purpose is to be a support network for, and to develop the success of women in the construction industry. With membership numbers at more than 5,500 in 179 chapters in nearly every U.S. state, NAWIC continues to grow internationally and has affiliation agreements with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

To learn more about NAWIC, visit www.nawic.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent