WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., August 11, 2009 —Overall satisfaction with windows and patio doors has increased slightly among builders and remodelers, as manufacturers have improved on key aspects of customer service, according to the recently released J.D. Power and Associates
2009 Builder and Remodeler Residential Window and Patio Door Satisfaction Study SM.
Satisfaction among builder and remodelers has increased steadily during the past three years, from 780 on a 1,000-point scale in 2007 to 800 in 2009. Compared with 2008, window and patio door manufacturers have made considerable improvement in order accuracy and timeliness of order delivery in 2009. The percentage of builders and remodelers who say their order was received on time and complete increased to 91 percent in 2009, up from 85 percent in 2008.
“Despite the downturn in new-home construction and remodeling industries, window manufacturers have maintained their focus on satisfying new-home builders and remodelers consistently during the past several years,” said Jim Howland, senior director in the real estate industries practice at
J.D. Power and Associates . “Satisfaction levels in 2009 have nearly returned to the high level seen in 2006.”
Now in its fourth year, the study measures satisfaction with residential windows and patio doors based on responses from new-home builders and remodelers by evaluating performance in seven factors (in order of importance): product (22 percent); price (19 percent); warranty and repair service(18 percent); customer service and support (14 percent); delivery (12 percent); credit/billing process (9 percent); and ordering process (7 percent). The study is designed to provide comprehensive information to assist window and patio door manufacturers in their efforts to improve the builder and remodeler experience.
Simonton achieves an index score of 837 and performs particularly well in three of seven factors: ordering process, delivery and price. Milgard and Marvin follow in the rankings—829 and 828—respectively, with both brands improving notably from 2008. Milgard performs particularly well in the warranty and repair service factor, while Marvin performs well in the product, customer service and support and credit/billing factors.
The study finds that, in 2009, builders and remodelers report a shift in the type of window and patio door installation jobs they are performing, with remodeling jobs occurring more frequently than new construction work.
“The shift toward remodeling work suggests that builder and remodeler satisfaction may be increasingly influenced by preferences of homeowners who are commissioning these jobs,” said Howland. “Should this trend continue, it will be interesting to see how end-user preferences affect brand choices made by builders and remodelers.”
The 2009 Builder and Remodeler Residential Window and Patio Door Satisfaction Study is based on more than 4,700 evaluations from more than 3,100 new-home builders and remodelers. Each respondent evaluated up to two manufacturers of residential windows and patio doors. The study was fielded between April and May 2009.
Click here to view the results.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on home building, real estate and home improvement, car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit
JDPower.com . J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
