Are you a Do-It-Yourselfer? Do you like walking around with a handyman’s belt around your waist laden with tools? Enjoy dabbling in any kind of home improvement project? Feel right at home with a paintbrush or chain saw? You’re not alone, apparently.
Homeowners looking to add personality and individuality to their home are more likely to undertake a Do-It-Yourself remodel than hire a professional, according to the National Association of Realtors’ 2019 Remodeling Impact Report: DIY.
The organization’s recent report also shows cash-strapped Millennials are surprisingly most likely of any generation to take on a new D-I-Y project at any time.
The report explores the differences between remodeling when hiring a professional compared to homeowners who pursue “Do-It-Yourself” projects. The report also helps to differentiate between projects that were undertaken to benefit the homes of consumers. and those that benefit consumers’ pets.
According to the report, homeowners reported a “Joy Score” of 9.9 for projects done themselves (Joy Scores range from 1 and 10, and higher figures indicate greater joy from the project). That is compared to a score of 9.6 for projects completed by professionals. D-I-Y’ers also expressed a greater sense of accomplishment with a finished project, with 97 percent of respondents indicating a major or minor sense of accomplishment, compared to 93 percent of those who hired a professional.
Why all the D-I-Y love and/or interest? Respondents indicated that the number one reason for undertaking a project was to increase functionality and/or livability of their home (35 percent for D-I-Y’ers and 41 percent for those hiring a professional). That is followed by increasing the home’s beauty and aesthetics (19 percent and 18 percent, respectively) and adding durable and long lasting materials and appliances (15 percent and 18 percent). Projects which were designed to add personality to a home were twice as popular among D-I-Y’ers than among those hiring a professional (10 percent and 5 percent).
“One of the pleasures of home ownership is the ability to take on projects to customize a house that truly make it your own. With plenty of owners taking on renovation projects as New Year’s resolutions, this report is a great place to search for projects others have undertaken successfully,” said John Smaby, a second-generation Realtor and broker from Edina, Minn. “Specifically, those taking on remodeling projects to get the most bang for their buck on resale should speak to a local Realtor, as they have unique and instrumental insights into which projects and upgrades bring the most value to homes in your area.”
Nearly three-fourths of Generation Y and Millennial consumers (73 percent,) over half of Generation X (51 percent) and 50 percent of Younger Boomers choose to D-I-Y home projects. Seventy percent of the Silent Generation indicated that they hired a professional to complete their project – the highest of any generation, the NAR report said.
D-I-Y furbaby projects
The same report found when it comes to D-I-Y projects for the benefit of the consumer’s pet, marginally more respondents indicated complete satisfaction when they opted to hire a professional, 65 percent compared to 61 percent. However, consumers are more likely to D-I-Y a project for a pet (56 percent) than a general home project (47 percent).
Respondents who hired a professional to complete a remodeling project for their pet indicated a Joy Score of 9.3, while D-I-Yer’s reported a Joy Score of 9.4. The most popular furbaby renovations were fence and laminate floor installation, as well as the additions of dog doors, with fences earning the highest Joy Score (9.4 for professional, 9.5 for D-I-Y).
