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Contacts:
Raina Grossman/Kurt Rossler
M Booth & Associates
212.481.7000 Exts. 545/534

Desiree Fish
American Express
212.640.4761

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JUST THE FACTS …

THE HOME IMPROVEMENT FRONT: MEN VS. WOMEN
ACCORDING TO THE 2003 AMERICAN EXPRESS HOME IMPROVEMENT INDEX

Men Will Set Bigger Budgets for Home Improvement Projects

  • On average, the home improvement projects men are planning will be slightly more costly than those planned by women ($3,870 vs. $3,706).
  • Men will be less willing than women to buy generic brands to balance the budget (18% vs. 25%). They are also more likely to be planning to set aside additional funding because the project might go over budget (24% vs. 18%).
  • Men are planning more renovation or remodeling projects than women (50% vs. 30%).
  • More men than women will shop at home improvement stores (80% vs. 66%).
  • More men than women will shop at a particular store if it offers a how-to workshop (21% vs. 18%).

Women: More Promotion-Minded

  • Women will be more price-conscious than men when it comes to selecting a store (72% vs. 66%).
  • Women are more likely than men to be planning interior decorating projects (47% vs. 41%). More women than men are planning to refurbish or redecorate the master bedroom (46% vs. 31%) and bathroom (40% vs. 21%). Women are also more likely than men to be planning to renovate the living room (26% vs. 18%) and bathroom (27% vs. 20%).
  • More women than men will "try to figure it out as (they) go along" (32% vs. 28%).
  • More women than men will come up with their own home improvement concepts (56% vs. 49%), or get ideas from magazines (60% vs. 39%), television shows (57% vs. 38%), store displays (39% vs. 28%), or store catalogs (30% vs. 19%).
  • More women than men say it will be "very important" or "important" to shop where they can earn credit card rewards for everyday purchases (28% vs. 18%). More women will also choose a store because it awards incentives or rewards for purchases (20% vs. 16%).
  • Many more women report that they will be inspired to shop at a certain story because of retailers' special in-house design services (21% vs. 10%).

Though More Do-It-Yourselfers Are Male, Female DIYs Will Exude More Confidence in Their Skills

  • More men than women describe themselves as a "Do-It-Yourselfer" (76% vs. 67%).
  • Female DIYs, however, are more confident in their ability to do home improvement work "better and cheaper" than a professional (29% vs. 18%). Slightly more women than men say they will enjoy working with their hands (17% vs. 15%).
  • Female DIYs are more likely than their male counterparts to be planning to do interior/exterior finishing such as painting (68% vs. 60%), landscaping or gardening (65% vs. 45%), and interior decorating (58% vs. 46%).
  • Male DIYs are much more apt than their female counterparts to be planning to do carpentry (53% vs. 31%), electrical work (38% vs. 15%), plumbing (33% vs. 17%), and roofing or siding (30% vs. 10%).

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