J.D. Power Scraps its 2011 Homebuilder Ratings

July 21, 2011 — Citing a reduced volume of transactions and a smaller pool of builders eligible to be evaluated, J.D. Power decided to forgo publishing a  builder customer satisfaction survey for 2011. J.D. Power started measuring customer satisfaction in home building in 1997. Although at its peak, it studied customer satisfaction in 34 markets, last year its study was limited to 17 markets, including Denver.

J.D. Power’s 2010 study rated home builders for workmanship/materials, builder’s warranty/customer service staff, price/value, builder’s sales staff, construction manager, home readiness, recreational facilities, builder’s design center, and location.

Classic Homes ranked the highest in overall customer satisfaction in the Denver area. Builders who did not perform as well in the survey included D.R. Horton and Journey (CO).

Overall customer satisfaction improved in 2010 for a third consecutive year to the highest level since the inception of the study in 1997.  New-home quality also increased to a record high. Overall, the most-commonly reported quality problems include issues with landscaping; kitchen cabinet quality and finish; and heating and air conditioning.

The study also found that 61% of new-home buyers perceive their home as environmentally-friendly (up from 31% in 2009 and 28% in 2008) and the proportion of new-home owners who indicate that their builder did not identify the home as green has declined to 48% percent in 2010 (down from 65% in 2009 and 75% in 2008).

A statement from J.D. Power states:  “J.D. Power and Associates values the relationship it has with the residential construction industry. We will continue to monitor industry conditions to assess the appropriate timing and approach for re-introducing our New-Home Builder Customer Satisfaction Study.”  Read the full statement here.

View the 2010 J.D. Power New Home Building Satisfaction Ratings.