How we help homeowners avoid home remodeling regret
How do we help homeowners avoid making decisions they’ll regret when it comes to their new home construction or home remodeling project?
A survey from Erie Insurance ironically tapped into some questions that we at Palmer Custom Builders have been asking ourselves for quite some time: How do we help homeowners avoid making decisions they’ll regret when it comes to their new home construction or home remodeling project?
The national survey of 500 homeowners commissioned by Erie Insurance found that more than half of respondents – 53% – were happy with the features they chose for their homes, but 47% had at least some regrets about one or more of the features they selected. The survey went several steps further by asking homeowners about features they wanted and got when they bought their home, but wouldn’t get again if they were buying a home today. It also asked about features homeowners did not get but now wish they had.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the homeowners in this survey were more likely to regret not getting certain features than getting something they didn’t want. For example, when asked what feature they got but wouldn’t choose again, about 9% said wouldn’t get hardwood floors if they had to do it over again. When asked a separate question about features they didn’t get but wish they had, nearly twice as many (16%) say they wished they had gotten hardwood floors.
What would make a homeowner wish they had not gotten something? Reasons ranged from feeling the item was not worth the money to being tired of it, or feeling as if it is was already outdated. Maintenance was another issue, with some respondents volunteered that certain features, such as stainless steel appliances, white kitchen cabinets, and whirlpool tubs, were hard to keep clean.
So overall, what were the things homeowners most regretted not getting? A walk-in pantry (30.2%), granite countertops (17.8%), a kitchen island (16.8%), a tankless water heater (16.4%) and a finished basement (16.2%).
At Palmer Custom Builders, we strive to prevent our homeowners from regretting the features they choose – and from not choosing to include those that they really love. We do so by sharing our experience and through close communication that empowers and advises our homeowners at every step. While we can help our own clients avoid common pitfalls, we can’t help everyone personally – which is why we wrote a book about the subject! Look for more details and the chance to purchase it coming soon on our website and social media pages. We can’t wait to share it with you!
