Everyone knows a chronic remodeler. You may be one yourself. Or perhaps you're married to one. They're  the folks whose homes are in a constant state of, shall we say, evolution. Once a project is done the next one is in the works. Whether it's the downstairs bathroom or the guest bedroom, they're always re-ing something, redoing, redecorating, refinishing.

Many do-it-yourselfers educate themselves by reading home magazines, which provide project tips, ideas and guidance on product choices. Two years ago, one company that publishes many such magazines decided it was time for readers to educate it.

After a survey of ad agency people and marketers in the building and remodeling industry uncovered a dearth of knowledge about the readers of its publications, Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications (BH&G SIPs) established the Home Enthusiast Panel, an ongoing research effort that tracks the opinions and habits of over 8,600 readers of its quarterly publications like Building Ideas, Do-It-Yourself and Kitchen & Bath Ideas.

The main goal was to show the industry why BH&G SIPs should be part of the media buy, but the panel also fills an information void, says Stephen Levinson, publisher, BH&G SIPs.

"There seemed to be a lack of any kind of consumer research within the category beyond subscriber studies. Plus, because our magazines are not measured in syndicated studies, and all the publications are newsstanddriven, the panel made a lot of sense to us," Levinson says.

"With the uncertainty of syndicated research as it is now, publishers should be looking at viable alternatives that help solidify their magazine's position. I think panels do that. Another thing panels can do is provide you with a moving picture of consumer habits over time, which is something that we can't get out of syndicated services like MRI and Simmons."

Overwhelming response

The panel was recruited through a one-page questionnaire inserted in the spring and fall 1994 issues of Building Ideas, Decorating, Do-It-Yourself, Kitchen & Bath Ideas, and Remodeling Ideas. Respondents were sent a four-page follow-up questionnaire on their recent home project activity.

Levinson says the panel's original target size was 5,000 respondents, but the response was so overwhelming that it was expanded to over 8,600. "We wanted to address the problems of low, unweighted respondent counts that currently are inherent within MRI. So we made sure that the panel has a large enough base of consumers."

BH&G SIPs looked to the panel to help it define who the readers were, how they used the magazines and how involved they were with home enhancement. "We wanted to gain a clearer understanding of the importance of home enthusiasts as brand specifiers," Levinson says. "We also wanted information on what home enthusiasts plan to do and purchase, which is not available in the syndicated studies.

"It's been very satisfying to share information with manufacturers about their customers and potential customers. Prior to this research, no one had been able to clearly define the core of the home enthusiast marketplace, those people that are most actively involved in the process. We've done that and we also have data on what they are planning to do tomorrow, within what time frame and how much they plan to spend."

Here's a quick sketch of the panelists:

  • 86 percent are female, 14 percent male;
  • the average age is 40;
  • the median household income is $58,600;
  • 85 percent own their own home and they've lived there for an average of 6.3 years;
  • the average home is 21.5 years old and its average market value is $136,600;
  • 59 percent of respondents used the publications for brand recommendations, 68 percent for project planning information and 45 percent as a guide to product purchasing.

Actively involved

The home enthusiasts are passionate about their "hobby." Nearly two-thirds have done three or more projects in the past 12 months, and 22 percent did six or more projects in the last 12 months, spending an average of $15,000. Nearly 75 percent plan to start a new project within three months. Thirty-six percent plan to start a project within 30 days of reading a BH&G SIP.

They are take-charge people: 77 percent say that they or their spouse make brand decisions - only one in five consults a builder or designer on brands; 60 percent did not hire a contractor to do the work on their last project.

They are also influencers: three-quarters said they are frequently asked by friends for advice about home enhancement projects. Eighty-eight percent of the respondents viewed themselves as skilled at decorating, and 57 percent viewed themselves as skilled at remodeling. No doubt their skill comes from all that practice!