A large share of homeowners got around to making improvements to their home due to an availability of time or money in 2014, according to a recent survey by the home design site Houzz. Many respondents also indicated that they had completed renovations on a home because they had recently purchased one.

The "Houzz & Home Survey" collected responses from site visitors between February and April. A total of 260,000 responses were included in the survey, with 170,000 coming from the United States.

Sixty-three percent of respondents said they had completed a home decorating project in 2014, while 58 percent said they had renovated their home. Forty-seven percent said they had made repairs to their residence.

Renovations were relatively consistent across age groups, including 57 percent of those older than 65 and 62 percent of respondents between the ages of 25 and 34. Decorating became less common with age. Seventy-nine percent of the 25-34 age group completed decorating projects in 2014, and this share shrank to 54 percent of the oldest age group.

Interior renovations were more popular than exterior, with 69 percent of the respondents saying they had done the former work and half saying they had completed the latter. Sixty-two percent did work on outdoor structures or features, 54 percent renovated their systems, and 11 percent completed an addition.

Thirty-nine percent said they did this work because they had achieved the financial means to do so, and 35 percent said they finally had the time. Though only 28 percent said the renovations were meant to customize a recently purchased home, 55 percent of the youngest age group said this was the reason for the work.

Most respondents wanted to improve the design, look, or feel of their home, with 91 percent saying this was very or extremely important to them. Other major considerations included improved functionality (85 percent), increasing the resale value (69 percent), and improving energy efficiency (67 percent).

Fifty-five percent said they plan to continue or begin a renovation in 2015. Forty-six percent said they will continue a decorating project or start a new one.

Painting was the most popular planned work for the next six months, with 39 percent saying they would paint the interior or exterior of their home. Thirty-two percent said they would invest in decorative accessories such as bedding or pillows, 31 percent planned to install new lighting, and 30 percent expect that they will purchase new furniture.

Common improvements

The kitchen was the most popular room for improvement, with 27 percent saying they would remodel it. Other popular rooms for renovation included guest bedrooms (25 percent), a living or family room (22 percent), and the master bathroom (19 percent). Five percent said they were planning to remodel all interior spaces in the home.

The average cost for a kitchen renovation was $11,700 for a minor remodel and $29,400 for a major remodel for kitchens under 201 square feet. Larger kitchens averaged $17,800 for a minor remodel and $42,400 for a major remodel.

Minor renovations to a master bathroom averaged $4,800 for rooms under 101 square feet and $8,300 for larger bathrooms. More extensive improvements resulted in average costs of $10,500 for small bathrooms and $18,800 for large bathrooms.

Older homeowners were more likely to spend more on these improvements. For a small kitchen remodel, homeowners between the ages of 55 and 64 paid the most with an average cost of $38,700 compared to the average of $16,100 paid by the 25-34 age group. Similarly, the 65 and older age group paid $54,500 on average for a large kitchen remodel while the youngest age group paid an average of $26,300.

Twenty-three percent said an interior renovation required three to five months of planning. However, 51 percent said a kitchen upgrade required six months or more of planning, and 10 percent said the planning for this work took two years or longer.

Plumbing led the most popular home system upgrades, with 29 percent saying they had done work on this part of their residence. Twenty-six percent said they had done electrical work, while 23 percent worked on home automation and 19 percent made improvements to their heating systems.

Among those who decorated their home, 48 percent did work on the living or family room. Twenty-three percent focused on a master or guest bedroom, and 22 percent decorated the kitchen or included all interior spaces.

In exterior work, one in five respondents said they had completed painting work. Exterior doors and porch or deck work were each completed by 18 percent of respondents, and 16 percent worked on windows, skylights, gutters, or downspouts.

Beds or borders dominated the work on outdoor structures or grounds, with 41 percent saying they had worked to improve this feature. This was followed by renovations to a patio, terrace, or deck (23 percent); work on a lawn (20 percent); pathways or steps (15 percent); fencing (14 percent); and lighting (14 percent).

Most homeowners—87 percent—used money from savings or their personal finances to pay for the work, while one-quarter used a credit card and 9 percent took out a home equity loan. Credit card use declined with age, with 32 percent of the 25-34 age group using this method of payment and only 21 percent of the 65 and older age group doing so.

Few people opted to complete the renovations on their own, with 84 percent using a professional service. Forty-eight percent hired a specialty service, 44 percent sought a general contractor, and 19 percent used a landscape contractor.

Eighty-three percent relied on reviews or recommendation when choosing a professional service. Fifty-nine percent said they considered a professional's experience with similar projects, and 49 percent took their communications and organizational skills into consideration.

Aging in place

Most older homeowners planned to remain in their home, with 56 percent saying they intend to stay in their home indefinitely rather than move. Of this group, 60 percent renovated in 2014 and 52 percent are planning a renovation for this year.

One out of five homeowners over the age of 60 remodeled or added a kitchen. The most popular features for aging in place were changing the layout or adding easy to operate faucets, each completed in 28 percent of the remodels. Other popular upgrades included easy to open appliances (24 percent), safe appliances (17 percent), and wider hallways or doors (16 percent).

Twenty-three percent of homeowners over the age of 60 added or remodeled a bathroom. A raised toilet was the most common new feature, with 38 percent of bathroom remodels for older homeowners including this feature. Other common upgrades included grab bars (26 percent), a more accessible shower (26 percent), seating in the tub or shower (24 percent), and removing the bathtub (22 percent).

Thirty-two percent of the 60 and older age group completed interior renovations to other rooms in the home. Sixteen percent changed the layout, 12 percent added more accessible storage, 9 percent changed the location of rooms, and 8 percent removed tripping hazards.

Custom builds

Only 4 percent of respondents said they had gotten a custom-built home. Three percent said they plan to continue or begin a custom build this year.

About three out of every four custom homes built in 2014 was multilevel, including 48 percent with two stories. Eighty-nine percent had three or more bedrooms, while 77 percent had three or more bathrooms. Eighty-two percent were 2,000 square feet or larger.

Almost all of the homeowners who got a custom build—95 percent—used professional help. Sixty-five percent hired a general contractor, and 46 percent used an architect.

These homes cost a good deal of money, with an average of $639,800 spent on one. Seventy-seven percent put their personal savings or financing toward the home, but 60 percent needed to take out a loan. Only 13 percent used a credit card in financing the construction.

More than half—52 percent—said staying on budget was the most challenging part of building a custom home. Thirty-four percent said it was difficult to stay on schedule, and 28 percent said it was a challenge to find the right materials or products.