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Though most of the respondents named products from top manufacturers, our survey showed that the appeal's not all in the name. Our survey found quality (43.4 percent) was overwhelmingly named as most important with remodelers when it came to choosing a product. Second on the list: customer service (17 percent). The category includes product support and knowledgeable sales people. Excellent product selections came in a close third, with 15.6 percent of the responses. Rounding out the top five are all related to elements of customer service, such as product availability (14.2 percent) and, at number five, prices (12.5 percent).
Our survey also revealed some interesting regional differences about the remodeling industry. The Northeast, for example, installs slightly more skylights than in the sun-drenched Western states or in the South. However, less than half of the remodelers (44.6 precent) surveyed in the chilly Northeast report installing fireplaces. And the survey showed remodelers in the Midwest are more likely to work on small-scale jobs than any other region in the country.
Remodelers surveyed ran the gamut of company sizes and specialties. We used their responses to compile a list of the products most often mentioned, and out of that list emerged the winners of the 2006 Best in Class Survey.
| Exterior Products | Winner |
| Decking | Trex |
| Entry Doors | Therma-Tru |
| Exterior Moulding and Trim | Fypon |
| Garage Doors | Overhead |
| Manufactured Stone | Cultured Stone |
| Patio Doors | Andersen |
| Roofing | CertainTeed |
| Fiber Cement Siding | James Hardie |
| Vinyl Siding | CertainTeed |
| Skylights | Velux |
| Composite Windows | Andersen |
| Vinyl Windows | Andersen |
| Wood Windows | Andersen |
| Waterproofing | Thompson |
| Interior Products | Winner |
| Appliances - Kitchen | General Electric |
| Appliances - Laundry | Maytag |
| Bathroom Faucets | Moen |
| Cabinets | KraftMaid |
| Caulk/Sealants | DAP |
| Countertops | Corian |
| Fireplaces | Heatilator |
| Glass Block | PPG |
| HVAC Systems | Trane |
| Interior Doors | Masonite |
| Kitchen Faucets | Moen |
| Lighting Fixtures | Halo |
| Locksets & Hardware | Schlage |
| Paints/Stains/Finishes | Sherwin-Williams |
| Plumbing Fixtures (sinks, tubs) | Kohler |
| Toilets | Kohler |
| Water Heaters | A.O. Smith |
| Behind The Wall | Winner |
| Housewrap | Tyvek |
| Insulation: Fiberglass | Owens Corning |
| Insulation: Foam | Owens Corning |
| Insulation: Rigid | Owens Corning |
| Nails | Paslode |
| OSB | Georgia-Pacific |
| Plywood | Georgia-Pacific |
| Radiant Floor Heating | Wirsbo |
| Gypsum Wallboard | U.S. Gypsum |
| Wet Area Wallboard | U.S. Gypsum |
| Wiring Devices | Leviton/Decora |
| Miscellaneous | Winner |
| Hand Tools | Stanley |
| Power Tools | DeWalt |
| Trucks | Ford |
| Vans | Ford |
| National Lending Firm | Wells Fargo |
Best in Class Statistics — Professional Remodeler
We asked remodelers to rate the qualities that make manufacturers Best overall. Here's how they ranked the top 20 attributes:
| Rank | Quality | % Response |
| 1. | Quality Products | 43.4% |
| 2. | Customer Service | 17.0% |
| 3. | Wide/Great Selection/Product Line | 15.6% |
| 4. | Product Availability | 14.2% |
| 5. | Great/Good Prices | 12.5% |
| 6. | Great Product Support | 8.7% |
| 7. | Good Advertising | 7.3% |
| 8. | Excellent Warranty Service | 7.3% |
| 9. | Good Service | 6.2% |
| 10. | No Problems | 5.9% |
| 11. | Consistency | 5.9% |
| 12. | Dependable/Reliable | 4.9% |
| 13. | Name Recognition | 4.9% |
| 14. | Well Built Products | 4.5% |
| 15. | Timely Shipping/Delivery | 4.5% |
| 16. | Appearance | 4.2% |
| 17. | Good Literature | 3.8% |
| 18. | Durable/Long Lasting | 3.5% |
| 19. | Great Follow-Up | 3.1% |
| 20. | Easy To Install Products | 3.1% |