6 Top Home Improvements Projects

Last Updated Apr 26, 2011 9:17 PM EDT

In a tough housing market, it makes sense to stay put in your house and just make the best of it. Andthat's what many homeowners are doing.

http://www.careerbuilder.com/jobs/keyword/home-improvement/

According to the latest home remodeling and home improvement survey from ServiceMagic, awebsite that connects consumers with home improvement professionals, homeowners are staying intheir homes longer and making their own updates instead of moving.

ServiceMagic released its quarterly Home Remodeling and Repair Index, covering service requestsfrom May to July 2010.

Of more than 1,200 consumers, 77 percent said they are making improvements to their home toincrease their quality of life. Another 17 percent are making changes because they want to increasetheir home's value--even though they have no plans to sell.

Of all the possible home improvement requests, kitchen remodeling is still the top homeimprovement, the survey concludes. Service requests nationally for kitchen remodeling were up 93percent this quarter following a 191 percent gain in the first quarter.

http://www.tv.com/shows/home-improvement/episodes/

Bathroom remodeling is circling the drain however. For the first time in a year there's been adecrease in bathroom remodeling requests and the drop is a pretty big one--17 percent.

Here are the highlights for what homeowners are doing without when it comes to homeimprovement and remodeling and what they're are shelling out for:

Top Home Improvement Projects

Kitchen Remodeling +93%

Windows +81%

Air Conditioning +55%

Cleaning Maid Services +53%

Cabinets +20%

Handyman Services +19%

It's interesting to see what people will sacrifice when times get tough. It's also interesting to seewhat they can't live without. Maid service anyone? (And, do people still use the phrase "maidservice" anymore?)

Least Requested Home Improvement Projects

On the other hand, demand for some of these big-ticket home improvement projects has droppedprecipitously:

Paving -45%

Garage Garage Doors -33%

Foundations -26%

Designers Decorators -25%

Countertops -20%

Heating Furnace Systems -18%

Flooring Carpet -15%

Are you thinking about starting a home improvement project this fall? How much are you thinkingabout spending?

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Ilyce R. Glink is the author of several books, including 100 Questions Every First-Time Home BuyerShould Ask and Buy, Close, Move In!. She blogs about money and real estate at ThinkGlink.com andThe Equifax Personal Finance Blog, and is Chief Content Strategist at RealtyJoin.com, a communityfor real estate investors.

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