Once upon a time, DIY projects and renovations were reserved for the older generations. In particular, the men. For everyone else, calling in a professional was the order of the day.
But things have changed... Nowadays, millennials and Gen Zers are rolling up their sleeves and literally taking matters into their own hands. That's according to research conducted by CRAFTSMAN®, a manufacturer and supplier of tools for DIYers.
For its 2025 Driven to DIY Report, CRAFTSMAN® surveyed 1,000 DIY enthusiasts and homeowners between the ages of 25 and 40. All participants had completed recent renovations or home improvement projects. The results showed that more people are choosing to tackle projects themselves as a primary approach to home improvement.
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Some are driven by a desire for creative freedom or the pride of hands-on accomplishment, while others turn to DIY due to budget restraints. Either way, they're doing it themselves and not looking back. "Resilient and determined" is how CRAFTSMAN describes today's DIYers.
“They power through the messy middle – whatever obstacles come their way – and get the job done," says Eric Bernstein, President and General Manager, CRAFTSMAN. "That grit doesn’t just lead to a better space; it delivers something even more valuable: a real sense of pride and confidence that stays with them long after the project’s done.”
Across the pond, a separate study by the U.K.'s easyfit Garage Doors, found that 3 in 4 homeowners DIY. 67% of new DIYers are female, while about 73% of Millennials are DIYers. An impressive 93% of homeowners were considering taking on another DIY project at the time of the survey, with 43% saying they'd definitely be doing some DIY in the coming months.
In both the United States and Britain, people are increasingly turning to social media to learn new DIY skills. According to the National Association of Realtors, the most-searched home improvement topic in 2024 was "How to build a fire ring." More than 38 million curious and confident netizens viewed such videos on YouTube that year.
More than 35 million people viewed videos on how to build a garden shed, over 33 million tuned into how to build a water feature, and around 24 million DIYers wanted to know how to construct a dog house from scratch.
Among the smaller DIY projects people were learning about were how to replace a wall fixing, how to paint walls and how to paint kitchen cabinets. Millions of DIYers also consulted YouTube on how to replace bathroom tiles, replace a toilet, and build a pergola.
But just because they watched the YouTube videos, doesn't mean all these DIYers hit the nail on the head.
"Eighty percent of survey respondents admit they’ve made mistakes during their DIY project; 45% say they’ve 'completely butchered' their project," notes the National Association of Realtors' site.
Meanwhile, the CRAFTSMAN survey found that more than four in 10 projects stall due to overestimating the skills, time and budget needed to complete a project. 38% of those polled said they drastically underestimated how long a project would take, while 35% found themselves unexpectedly taking on additional work once they'd begun.
"When DIYers need assistance throughout the project, most (84%) enlist the help of family and friends," reveals the CRAFTSMAN site.
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34% of those polled felt that estimating costs is the hardest part of a DIY project. "When trips to the store for another part or tool start stacking up, many homeowners find themselves spending more than anticipated," explains CRAFTSMAN's team.
They advise that you always build in an additional 10-20% of the total project budget to account for unexpected costs.
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While it's been said that a good worker never blames their tools, that's not necessarily correct. According to the experts over at Tuff Home Inspections, a common DIY mistake is using the wrong tools for the job.
"Improvising with your existing tools might seem convenient, but it often leads to poor-quality work," explains the site. "For instance, using a screwdriver to pry something open could damage the tool and the object, while using a saw that’s not designed for cutting the specific material could create uneven cuts."
