What Do Homeowners Really Want?
Homeowners today are increasingly discerning when it comes to selecting window & door products for their homes. In July's Glass Times magazine, from their latest Consumer Fenestration Trends Report, Keystone Market Research’s Director, Charlotte Hawkes, uncovers what is truly driving their decisions.
Understanding the behaviour of people, with their diverse backgrounds and competing priorities, can sometimes seem impossible. But getting to the bottom of why our customers buy is key to being able to sell effectively in a competitive market. In our latest report on homeowner priorities for fenestration products, a clear picture emerged of what really matters when selecting windows and doors.
It’s not all about price!
Among the 12 different purchase considerations given in the survey, homeowners ranked quality as the most important factor, followed by security and energy efficiency. The preference for quality over price, which ranked fifth, underscores a significant trend: homeowners are willing to invest more upfront for superior products that promise durability and long-term performance. While cost is a consideration, it is not the primary driver, homeowners are instead looking for value.
Security: A Top Concern
Security emerged as the second most important consideration, highlighting a fundamental need to protect their homes. This priority indicates that peace of mind often outweighs cost considerations, and emphasises the value placed on robust, secure fenestration solutions by many homeowners.
Energy Efficiency Over Sustainability
Energy efficiency consistently ranks highly, coming in third. This contrasts with sustainability, which was ranked ninth. This preference reflects homeowners' desire for direct personal benefits such as lower utility bills and enhanced comfort, over broader environmental impacts currently, and indicates that energy-saving features are still a significant draw.
The Value of Trust
Using a trusted installer was ranked fourth, highlighting that homeowners understand that the quality of installation directly impacts the performance and longevity of their windows and doors. Homeowners prefer to work with companies and individuals who have a proven track record, positive reviews, and local recommendations.
Theory vs. Reality
To bridge theory with real behaviour, as well as asking what would drive their decisions, we ask homeowners why they actually replaced their windows and doors during their most recent upgrade. When comparing the reasons for fenestration replacements, “repairing damage from age” remains a significant motivator. However, overall to improve their home accounted for the highest proportion of choices at 38%. This data indicates a shift towards proactive improvements rather than reactive repairs, showing that homeowners are increasingly making fenestration upgrades as a lifestyle choice to enhance their homes, rather than simply responding to issues as they arise.
Homeowners clearly see significant value in the impact that fenestration products can have on their homes. By emphasising quality, security, energy efficiency, and skilled reputable installers, the industry can meet homeowner priorities and continue to drive growth and innovation.
If you would like to read the full research findings, the Spring edition of our quarterly series of Consumer Trends reports is now available to purchase at: www.keystonemr.co.uk/marketreports.
