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Millennials value home ownership, but home maintenance? Ehh, not so much. A recent survey of more than 1,300 Millennial homeowners between the ages of 18 and 34 reveals that this generational cohort feels pressure to live up to HGTV standards, but lacks the chutzpah to take on DIY repair projects themselves. Commissioned by Puls, an on-demand repair service, and conducted by The Harris Poll, the survey shines a light on Millennial home repair habits. Here we break down six truths gleaned from the results.
1. Millennials are embarrassed by their lack of home maintenance knowledge.
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Previous generations have prided themselves on their can-do attitudes. Whether it was a leaky faucet, a creaky door or a broken window, those homeowners were prepared to roll up their sleeves and fix it. As Millennials come into homeownership much later in life, they’re ill prepared to deal with inevitable repairs. In fact, a whopping 42 percent said they feel embarrassed by their lack of home maintenance knowledge.
2. They want to impress their peers with a stylish home.
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Millennials, particularly those between the ages of 24 and 31, are fond of staying in — blame it on Netflix, the high price of a craft cocktail, and the convenience of food delivery apps. Instead of going out, we invite our friends over to play board games or binge an entire season of 90 Day Fiancé. For this reason, it makes sense that we would want our surroundings to look as pristine as possible. Roughly 60 percent of respondents admit they “feel pressure to make their home look a certain way in order to impress friends or acquaintances.” We’re trying to keep up with everybody — not just the Joneses!
3. They like to post before and after photos on social media.
Photo: James Bombales
There’s something inherently satisfying about a gallery of before and after photos. It gives us a rush of instant gratification. But some Millennials are taking the ‘do it for the ‘gram’ adage very seriously. According to the survey, “19 percent of Millennial homeowners listed ‘impressing friends’ or ‘sharing the before and after photos on social media’ as some of the main reasons they would DIY a home improvement project instead of hiring someone.”
4. They are ashamed to admit it when they hire a contractor.
Photo: James Bombales
By now, you’re probably well aware that Millennials are insecure about their home repair skills. So who do they turn to for help? A contractor, of course! But as it turns out, nearly 31 percent of Millennial homeowners would be ashamed to admit that they hired someone for the job instead of going the DIY route. If you ask us, it’s better to hire a professional to do it right the first time than wind up with a DIY fail of epic proportions.
5. They lack confidence in their ability to tackle big projects.
Photo: James Bombales
Unsurprisingly, only one in five Millennial homeowners said they would feel confident enough to tackle a drywall repair project or fan installation. I’ve watched enough YouTube tutorials to expertly spackle nail holes, but any damage beyond that and I’m calling a professional. The survey also discovered that less than one in three would feel confident enough to DIY an exterior painting project or light installation in their home. Call me an entitled MIllennial, but I’d rather have an evenly painted house and forego electrocution!
6. …and even some small projects, too.
Photo: Kelsey Pudloski
I have secondhand embarrassment just typing this, but almost a third of my fellow Millennials would not feel confident enough to change a lightbulb in their home. C’mon guys, all you need is a stepladder and your own two hands! Similarly, only about half of survey respondents would be able to successfully mount a TV (51 percent) or assemble furniture (53 percent) on their own. But that’s what platforms like Puls and TaskRabbit are for, right?
