Seven in 10 Americans who attempt a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) project hire a professional to finish the job, out of fear of screwing it up. One quarter of those asked by Better Homes and Gardens in their first ever DIY Trend Report say they don't trust themselves to do it correctly. Another 23% worry about costly mistakes, and another 22% believe there could be dangerous consequences — like an electrical fire or flood if they try and do a home project by themselves.

Despite these very real fears, the do-it-yourself home improvement market continues to grow as more property owners embrace opportunities to personalize their living spaces. Or try to save money in the process.

The magazine surveyed 1,000 Americans responsible for home improvement decisions who completed a home project in the last 12 months. Respondents spanned multiple demographics — age, race, income, and geographic location — to flesh out DIYers' attitudes and home improvement behaviors.

About 70% of respondents admit they avoid DIY projects due to “FOMU” or “fear of messing up.”

Another DIY obstacle is “mid-project regret syndrome,” or MPRS. When diving into labor-intensive or complex tasks, renovators fear losing momentum halfway through. Fears in this area include projects taking longer than expected, sudden unexpected costs, or flat out exhaustion. 89% reported experiencing MPRS — especially Gen Z (95%) and millennials (94%).

“FOMU definitely has crept in on all my DIY projects, making me procrastinate for months,” said Jules Yap, DIYer at IKEAhackers.net. “But it is also a good thing as it makes me do more research and practice to be sure of my technique and skill. Ultimately the fear of clutter and being wasteful wins over and I usually do finish the project. I realize that I didn't have anything to fear in the first place.”

The fear of messing up doesn't just extend to renovation and home improvement projects. In 2023, Brisk It Labs, in a survey on grilling sentiment, found 47% of Americans under the age of 50 felt ill equipped to fire up a charcoal grill and cook their favorite meat treats.

Things are slightly better in the kitchen, although a study from Chicago's Home Run Inn Pizza found between one third and one half of millennials and Gen Z were nervous about cooking food for others, even though an almost equal number wanted to impress others with their cooking skills. Probably because roughly half of the 1000 respondents from each generation polled consider themselves to be foodies.

When asked, 62% of women said they feared screwing up when using an outdoor grill or smoker. About 58% of millennials own an outdoor grill of some sort. One fifth of Gen Z have attempted to grill pizza outdoors.

Different generations and genders think about DIY projects, motivations, and challenges in unique ways.

Zoomers say the worst part about DIYing is the financial strain, followed by the concern they may lack the necessary skills. Despite economic concerns and impostor syndrome, Gen Z’ers say DIY projects provide a welcome creative outlet.

Young Americans aren’t the only ones troubled by home maintenance. Nearly 85% of baby boomers also report relief when handing a project over to a professional.

Men are significantly more likely than women to complete a DIY project “to make other people I live with happy.” Conversely, women cite “making their home a wonderful place to live” as their primary motivator.

The rooms people are most interested in renovating are the bathroom, living room, main bedroom, yard or garden, and kitchen.

“It is always the kitchen followed by the bathrooms,” said John Dealbreuin, who invests in real estate. “The kitchen is the heart of the home, and a well-designed kitchen can significantly boost property value. Fear of messing up has stalled a few DIY projects, but I've learned that mistakes are part of the process. Embrace them. For complex projects, I always rely on licensed contractors. Their expertise ensures quality work and peace of mind.”

The intricate home improvement projects people secretly wish they could handle include whole-room renovations, mounting televisions on walls, installing new flooring, and retiling a bathroom. Respondents' favorite tasks were creating holiday décor, crafting wall art, replacing doorknobs, painting, and upgrading furniture.

Some tasks, however, should almost always require an expert hand: electrical rewiring, replacing windows, and installing a new toilet. Though many craftspeople wish to tackle flooring and retiling, most prefer to hire professionals.

For many, regardless of preferences, DIYing shifted from an elective decision to a routine aspect of homeownership. While helming practical tasks provides a creative outlet and a sense of accomplishment, many rely on their own handiwork to maintain affordability.

Pandemic lockdowns also appear to have kickstarted a DIY craze, but today's inflated living costs and housing market woes spell dismal sales for home repair retailers like Lowe's and Home Depot.

Despite suboptimal reports from major retailers, experts at Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies expect consumer spending on home repair and remodeling to trend upward through mid-2025.