On women’s to-do list: Do it yourself

Women have been traditionally perceived as home decor enthusiasts, but the survey indicates they are exhibiting more of an interest in such projects as carpentry, plumbing and electrical work. While slightly more than half of women ages 25 to 49 would like to learn more about choosing paint, wallpaper and window treatments, a larger percentage of this same group - 69 per cent - expressed an interest in improving their general home maintenance skills.
More than 80 per cent of all women surveyed said they prefer to do projects themselves because it gives them a sense of accomplishment, pride and expression, and helps them save money while improving the value of their home. Additionally, 73 per cent said doing home improvement projects is just plain fun.
Among women ages 25 to 49, the survey found that one out of every four said they do all or most home improvement projects themselves, and 35 per cent said they tackle such projects jointly with a spouse or partner. Nearly 60 per cent of respondents named landscaping as an area of interest, while 50 per cent cited working with power tools. Both subjects will be covered in Home Depot's national Do-it-Herself Workshops.
On women’s "to-do" list in the coming months, the Roper ASW survey indicated that eight out of ten women plan at least one home improvement project in the next twelve months. Of those ages 25 to 49, 65 per cent said they plan to paint or wallpaper and 39 per cent said they plan to replace old doors or windows, with the same number planning to install new light fixtures or ceiling fans. Rounding out the top-five planned home improvement projects are women who plan to install landscape pavers or outdoor lighting (35 per cent) and add new carpet or wood flooring (30 per cent).