How do homeowners use the products they are purchasing is telling in how they are planning to improve their home? This report analyzes the differences in the actions, attitudes and demographics of those that elect to do home improvement projects and product installs themselves versus those that hire a Pro.
While some homeowners are DIYers, others prefer to hire a contractor for any major home improvement projects. How do the numbers compare, and what factors drive homeowners’ decisions to tackle the work or hire professional help? Luckily, HIRI has conducted various surveys that can help answer these questions.
What we have found from our surveys, DIY remains the most common project method, as 68% of respondents said they are completing projects themselves. Furthermore, the decision to take on a home improvement project over hiring a professional often depends on the overall cost of hiring a pro, with 65% of respondents reporting they chose the DIY route in order to save money. On the other hand, professionals are most often utilized when projects require either a specific skill set or are too large or complicated to do on their own.
Project-doers reported that when utilizing a pro, price tends to increase, regardless of the level of the pro’s level of involvement. This is probably due to the cost of labor, which was reported as being higher than expected even when splitting the project with a professional. Homeowners also indicated that splitting a project or purchasing the materials themselves does not save much money.
The most common form of payment among project planners is paying out of pocket or using savings. Respondents reported higher levels of pro involvement when extra money is available, for example, from a tax refund or insurance proceeds.