Millennials are lacking confidence in basic domestic tasks, according to new research.
From installing new fixtures and fittings to wallpapering, changing a fuse or fixing a leak, research into the capabilities of 2,000 millennials saw six in ten confess they struggle to get to grips with even the most basic of DIY tasks.
The study by market researchers, OnePoll, on behalf of Moen, the number one faucet brand in North America, identified a lack of confidence in young people when it comes to undertaking physical tasks more easily mastered by earlier generations.
Many millennial attempts at putting up shelves, building flatpack furniture and even jump starting a car end in failure – in fact 41 percent report a DIY disaster has cost them an average of $363 more than if they’d just ask for help in the first place.
It also emerged that a quarter have called in a contractor when a DIY task was too hard to complete, or when they believe they will simply never get the hang of it, while 49 percent of millennial men and 66 percent of women have felt intimidation in a hardware store.
At least one in five young Americans would call a private contractor for tasks such as patching up a hole in a drywall, installing a smoke detector, replacing a showerhead and fixing peeling wallpaper.
The survey of young Americans also revealed one in seven could not identify common household tools such as a Phillips head screwdriver.
Perhaps it's no surprise then that 30 percent have experienced a catastrophic DIY experience - with almost half of those catastrophic experiences have resulted in an injury.
Andrea Maher, senior marketing communications specialist for Moen said, "It’s not surprising to learn that so many people feel intimidated when it comes to DIY. Regarding faucets specifically, our internal research has shown that this age group is conflicted and stressed when making a purchase.”
“As a manufacturer, we seek to help educate consumers when it comes to home improvement and we thoughtfully design our products to alleviate some of the pressure that comes with DIYing. We offer several resources, articles and videos that show how easy fixing a leak, or installing a faucet or showerhead can be,” said Maher. “At Moen, our products are designed with both the installer and end user in mind and feature innovations that help make installation quick and easy. You’ll typically find the hardest part of updating a faucet is removing the old one.”
Getting advice or help for DIY tasks is common, after all, only five percent would consider themselves a DIY expert. But the results show at least one in five completely rely on either their parents or their significant other to get a DIY task done.
Nearly a third say they lack the confidence to put up a shelf on their own, and a surprising 15 percent say they don’t even feel comfortable changing a lightbulb or door handle without any help.
Bathrooms and kitchens are the most difficult rooms to attempt a DIY task or repairs in - nearly half (47 percent) of the survey respondents said they don’t have access to the appropriate tools to attempt certain tasks.
"When it comes to kitchen and bath repairs, you don’t need to have a full arsenal of tools at your disposal, a few key items such as an adjustable wrench, screwdriver and basin wrench can work in most repair or replace projects,” added Maher. “With a few minutes of research, or a visit to Moen.com, you’ll be able to find several step-by-step installation videos that can help guide you through your project.”
However, even though more than a third of young Americans rate their DIY skills as minimal to non-existent, results show age 27 is where millennials are most likely to be capable of performing DIY tasks.
YouTube tutorial videos are the main source of help and advice for DIY tasks, followed by parents and DIY websites.
Top 5 reasons people avoid DIY Tasks
Lack of confidence in skill level
Don’t have the right tools
The amount of time it takes
Won’t do a good job
It will be too messy
Ranking DIY confidence levels
19% Lay decking in the garden
19% Turf a lawn
24% Building a flatpack furniture
27% Install a faucet
33% Change a fuse
41% Put up some wallpaper
47% Seed a lawn
56% Jump start a car
56% Install a new showerhead
57% Fix a door lock
57% Tune a television
63% Change a door handle
66% Put up a tent
66% Put up a shelf
71% Setup Wi-Fi
86% Change a light bulb
87% Hang a picture
Top 10 home improvement tasks people would rather have a contractor complete
Title a bathroom floor
Fix a leaking pipe
Install a lighting fixture
Replace a ceiling fan
Change a fuse
Repair a leaky faucet
Fix clogged or bent gutters
Replace a light switch
Patch a hole in drywall
Install a smoke detector
***This random double-opt-in survey was conducted by OnePoll, a market research company and corporate member of ESOMAR and adheres to the MRS code of conduct. For more information about OnePoll’s research in the media, navigate to their portfolio here: http://www.onepoll.com/in-the-media/. This survey of 2000 US adults between the ages of 18 and 35 was conducted between March 24, 2017, and April 04, 2017, by Market Researchers OnePoll and commissioned by Moen.
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