NATION – As a homeowner, all those tasks your landlord used to do- and your parents did before them – are now on your shoulders. You’ve either got to figure out how to do them yourself or pay someone else to do them. Either way, it would help if you knew how to do a few things around the house. But do you?
The truth is, many homeowners don’t have a clue about how to fix household issues themselves, even if it’s something as simple as draining a water heater or restoring power after blowing a fuse. If you don’t know your way around a toolbox, well, at least you’re not alone. In fact, we surveyed Americans to find out how handy they are when it comes to things around the house and got the following answers.
Millennials think they’re the handiest generation, rating themselves a 3.8 out of 5. Nearly 3 in 4 said they’ve had to either abandon a project or call in a professional. Millennials were the most likely to abandon a project or call a professional (77%), while baby boomers (63%) were least likely.
Americans consider themselves pretty handy. Of those we surveyed, 19% reported that they were extremely handy. On average, Americans gave themselves a 3.7 out of 5 handiness rating, with men (3.8) considering themselves to be slightly handier than women (3.6). Millennials think they’re the handiest generation, checking in at 3.8, while baby boomers think they’re the least at 3.5.
Most respondents (43%) picked up their home improvement knowledge from their parents. Their partners were a distant second at 18%, followed by the Internet at 16%. Others looked for help elsewhere, including how-to books, trial and error and even their first boss. But even though most Americans trusted their parents to show them the ropes, they tend to get their home improvement inspiration elsewhere. More than three in four turn to social media and 82% even said they were satisfied with the result of a project they tried after seeing it on social media. In our survey, 85% said they enjoy home improvement shows on TV.
Even when Americans don’t consider themselves handy, it doesn’t stop them from trying and succeeding: 85% said they enjoy doing home improvement projects, and more than one in four have never had to abandon a project or ask for professional help. Moreover, nine in 10 say they’re comfortable in home improvement stores.
Despite the confidence level of our respondents, they were willing to admit there were times when DIY tasks got the better of them. In fact, nearly three in four said they’ve had to either abandon a project or call in a local handyperson.
Men are more likely to throw in the towel than women (77% vs. 68%, respectively). Millennials were the most likely to give up at 77%, while baby boomers were least likely at 63%.
