Sales of new homes have been slow during the recession, but the customer experience of those who have purchased a home has remained at a high level. Last year's results of the new home construction customer satisfaction survey increased slightly from the previous year.
EPSI Rating has been studying customer satisfaction in new housing construction for nine consecutive years. There have been no dramatic changes in satisfaction over this period. The most recent results concern new homes purchased by consumer customers and received last year.
"The industry's EPSI customer satisfaction index result was now 76,4, while as a rule of thumb, 75 index points can be considered to mean a very high level. The improvement was 0,6 index points compared to the previous one," EPSI Rating Finland Country Director Heidi Laitinen says.
In particular, homebuyers' assessment of value for money improved. The industry index rose by 2,2 points to 81. Customers' assessment of product quality, such as the floor plan of the homes and the materials used, also strengthened further.
"When we look at the customers' experience of the concrete work results, i.e. error-freeness, moisture management and adherence to schedule, it is still positive and almost at the previous year's level. Some companies have been able to clearly improve their quality even in demanding market conditions."
Three companies in a company comparison, with Skanska coming out on top
The quiet market situation and the lower than normal number of completed apartments were reflected in the study, which meant that only three companies participated in the study this time. The largest housing developers in our country, YIT, Skanska and Lujatalo, were included. The study also includes an "Other" group, which combines customer reviews from several other construction companies.
"In our opinion, the smaller number of construction companies and, on the other hand, home buyers in the survey does not weaken the representativeness of the industry index. In the previous survey, the average of the three companies that participated in the separate comparison practically did not differ from the overall industry index. In addition, the previous results of the companies that participated in previous years and are now included in the Other group are, on average, within the margin of error of the result that is now measured jointly for them," Laitinen states.
The inclusion of the Other group in the industry index improves the coverage of the study. The average result for the group was 75 index points, while Skanska, which came in first in the comparison, had a customer satisfaction index of 78,9.
"Skanska, which was in second place last year, clearly improved its results. The company stood out especially in product quality, whether it's the quality of design or construction. YIT, which came in second place, and Lujatalo, which came in third, also improved their results."
According to Laitinen, there had been clear changes in the criteria for choosing a home since the previous survey, which partly reflects the tight economic situation. Consumers' price awareness had increased to some extent, while the importance of environmental friendliness and responsible construction had decreased the most. The location of the home and the functionality of the floor plan remained clearly the most important criteria.
The general population's interest in buying a new home had increased by four percentage points: 70 percent responded that they could imagine buying a new home in the future. In addition, the general population's confidence in the construction industry had increased by over five index points, although it was still at a low level.
The EPSI Rating for New Home Construction industry index covers the results of the companies participating in the public ranking, which this time were three, as well as a separate Other group. The survey interviewed consumers who had purchased a home and who had received their new home in 2024, as well as the general population. In total, approximately 500 consumers were interviewed. EPSI Rating is an independent and non-profit academic organization.
See also
- EPSI Rating New Housing Construction 2024 results summary (pdf)
- EPSI Rating general population's views on housing construction (pdf)
- EPSI Rating basic information and previous years' results
More information
Heidi Laitinen, country director, EPSI Rating Finland, tel. 050 406 8796, heidi.laitinen@epsi-finland.org
Merja Vuoripuro, director of communications, Rakennusteollisuus RT, tel. 040 587 2642