Why Are DIY Home Improvements on the Rise in the US?

Everywhere you look, you see advice and tips on DIY projects for anything from home improvement to auto repair and everything in between. In fact, in the past few years, economists have been taking a serious look at just why DIY home improvements are on the rise in the US as well as throughout Europe. There are several conjectures, and it appears that all may have a point.

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Is It the Economy?

After the market crashed just about a decade ago, many consumers suddenly found themselves without the funds they were used to enjoying. As a result, they turned to making home improvements and other related repairs and renovations simply because they didn’t have the money to bring in professionals.

Do We Have More Free Time on Our Hands?

Even though the economy is on the mend and many Americans have gone back to work, there are growing numbers of professionals who have begun freelancing from home. Home-based businesses are exploding and often this means we have more time on our hands. It’s not that freelancers work any less, but rather they can pick and choose the hours they want to work, giving them more ‘free time’ at home. Also, the nation has more retirees than ever before because Boomers are coming of retirement age and with nothing but time on their hands, why not take up a DIY hobby?

Is There a Lack of Qualified or Reputable Professionals?

If you have an active Facebook or other social media account, the one complaint you will often hear people making is about how hard it is to find repairmen and other professionals such as plumbers, electricians and painters in their neck of the woods. It isn’t yet clear why this would be other than the fact that perhaps technology is of more interest to today’s youth studying for a career. As Boomers (mentioned above) are beginning retirement by the droves, fewer ‘real’ tradesmen are available to do the work that this generation was famous for. It seems like quality craftsmanship has gone down with a shift in generational priorities!

A New Focus on Hobbies

For any and all of the above reasons why DIY home renovations are on the rise, it appears that there is a new focus on hobbies around the house. As opposed to taking up golf or joining civic groups, today’s homemakers are setting their minds on hobbies around the house. For more than a generation, consumers simply picked up the phone to call a local craftsman, but now they are visiting YouTube by the millions to learn hobbies like gardening, carpentry, auto mechanics and everything you can imagine which they can do from home.

Whether today’s consumer is just trying to save a buck or is having a hard time finding a qualified professional to get the job done – and get it done right, more and more homeowners are pursuing DIY repairs and renovations. Take a few moments to browse the Internet and you’ll see just how much advice on DIY tasks are out there. That’s all the proof you’ll need to say, without a doubt, DIYers are on the rise.