Of course, committing to making a change might feel daunting. A survey of 2,000 Gen Z and Millennial homeowners and renters found that the most intimidating DIY projects Americans are worried about taking on themselves include installing flooring or carpeting (41%), caulking or sealing a tub (41%), or repairing drywall (38%).
The average respondent has completed eight DIY projects in their current home, with homeowners averaging twice as many completed tasks as renters (10 vs. 5, respectively).
People’s confidence is shaken when they come across projects that feel outside their skill set — ones they see on social media completed by interior design professionals (28%) or AI suggestions (27%).
Even if their confidence ebbs and flows, respondents come across home DIY projects they’re inspired by or want to take on themselves, on average, once a week.
Over half of the people who took the survey (55%) have posts saved for projects they’d like to complete one day but don’t yet feel capable, citing concerns about messing it up (27%) and not having the necessary tools (27%) as barriers holding them back.
Despite their great interest in DIY, one in six respondents doesn’t own a tool kit, citing cost (18%), having lent them to someone else (16%), or enlisting someone else’s help for their tool needs (13%) as the top reasons why.
So if you don’t have any experience, it’s probably best to start small. Walking down memory lane, respondents recalled their first DIY projects: putting up a fresh coat of paint (21%), mounting a TV (13%), and hanging up a picture frame (10%).
For 63% of people, witnessing a friend succeed at a tricky household task gave them faith in their own abilities to give it a go.
The average respondent had two DIY projects unfinished at home when taking the survey.
The most common incomplete project was found to be painting a wall or room (23%), followed by building furniture (19%) and installing flooring or carpeting (17%).
You need to be sensible about the amount of time and effort you can put into your renovations. On average, respondents had been putting off various home improvement tasks for 4 months. Many had been meaning to mount a TV, to get around to fixing broken or unhinged fixtures, and to add small decorative details around their homes.
Other projects they had been considering included installing flooring or carpeting, starting a garden, or reupholstering furniture.
