A national survey released Monday showed that Americans prefer aesthetic home improvements such as refinished kitchens or bathrooms over money-saving improvements like energy-efficient windows or a high-efficiency furnaces.
The survey, the fifth annual Energy Pulse survey conducted by Shelton Group, found that consumers are reverting to their old priorities as the recession wanes — perhaps at the expense of the environment.
The survey polled 504 Americans by telephone in September, asking consumers: “Assuming you were suddenly given $10,000 to make home improvements, which two of the following would you choose?”
The top answers were:
• Refinish the kitchen or bathroom, 37 percent
• Replace carpet or add hardwood or tile, 33 percent
• Replace windows, 31 percent
• Replace HVAC/furnace, 23 percent
Last year, replacing windows and HVAC/furnace were the priority.
Consumers are willing to watch their energy bills go up more than 70 percent, on average, before feeling forced to make energy-efficient home improvements, according to the survey. Respondents said their bills would need to go up an average of $129 a month to make them undertake renovations.
Margaret Jackson, The Denver Post
