While I’m willing to tackle a lot of small-scale home improvement projects like replacing a light fixture or giving a room a new coat of paint, I don’t think of myself as a handyman. Not when I’m famous for making a 30-minute task somehow last all day.

To be fair to myself, I think part of the blame has to rest with one of our home’s previous owners. This, ahem, gentleman inflicted his “improving” on the place several years ago and each time I tackle some repair or remodeling job in his wake I am amazed anew at his horrible handiwork.

As a result, I spend a lot of time consulting the helpful souls at the local hardware store, desperately trying to find workarounds to the never-seen-it-done-like-that-before puzzlers that Bob Vila’s evil twin has left me.

I’m not the only one who prefers the neighborhood Ace, according to findings from a study by Baltimore-based advertising and marketing firm Vertis. Its Customer Focus 2004: Home Improvement study found that 55 percent of those tackling minor household repairs shop at local hardware stores (such as Ace, True Value or Do it Best Corp.) for convenience, compared to 27 percent who shop large home improvement stores for convenience.

For home improvement or renovation projects, 87 percent of Generation Xers (b. 1965-1976) shop at large home improvement stores (like Home Depot and Lowe’s), compared to 80 percent of what Vertis calls Young/Olds (1930-1945).

For major home repair items, 14 percent of Young/Olds shop at local hardware stores, compared to 6 percent of Generation X.

Seventy-one percent of adults with a household income of $75,000+ shop most often at large home improvement stores when undertaking minor household repairs. Large home improvement stores are also popular among 79 percent of Generation Xers with a household income of $75,000+.

Forty-two percent of adults with a household income of $30,000 or less shop most often at large home improvement stores for minor household repairs, compared to 23 percent who shop most often at a local hardware store, and 22 percent who shop at a discount or department store (such as Kmart, Target or Wal-Mart) for minor household repairs.

A little pride

Despite the frustrations that often come with home projects, more and more people are choosing to do the work themselves. In 2000, 38 percent of adults surveyed stated they were the home improvement decision makers who did the work themselves; this number rose to 47 percent in 2004.

In addition to saving money, homeowners also earn a little pride after the job’s all done. “The increasing number of large home improvement stores that offer products for minor and major repairs are enabling adults across different age groups and incomes to take on home improvement projects,” says Thérèse Mulvey, vice president, marketing research, at Vertis. “This motivates adults to learn new skills and allows them to be in control of their investment.”

Women are also taking a more active role. In 2004, 38 percent of women surveyed reported they are the home improvement decision makers who do the work themselves, compared to 30 percent in 2000.

Not everyone is strapping on the tool belt, however. Some people are content to let the experts do the work for them. Fifty-eight percent of men stated they make the decision to do a home improvement project and do the work themselves, compared to 30 percent of men who make the decision and have a professional do the work.

Of the older Baby Boomers (1946-1955) surveyed, 52 percent make the decision and do the home improvement projects themselves, compared to 37 percent who make the decision and have a professional do the work.

For Generation Y (1977-1994), 42 percent surveyed said they make the decision and do the work themselves, versus 23 percent who make the decision and have a pro do it for them. Almost 40 percent of Generation Y said they are not responsible for the home improvement decision.

Future plans

What kind of projects to people have planned? Fifty-seven percent of those with a household income of $75,000+ are planning on doing a landscaping project within the next 12 months, and 56 percent reported they are planning to do an interior painting project.

Twenty-five percent of younger Baby Boomer (1956-1964) homeowners with a household income of $75,000+ plan to remodel a kitchen or bathroom, compared to 16 percent in 2000.

Twenty-two percent of adults 18-39 with a household income of $75,000+ plan to buy or build a new home, compared to 10 percent in 2000. Similarly, 13 percent of single Generation X adults said they planned to buy or build a new home, compared to 6 percent in 2000.

Being in the newspaper advertising biz, Vertis looked at the impact that ad inserts have on home improvers. Whether they turn to advertising inserts or circulars for price comparison or to decide where to shop, 76 percent of women do-it–yourselfers and 66 percent of men have read advertising inserts in the past seven days, compared to 70 percent of women and 56 percent of men in 2000.

Sixty-one percent of women do-it-yourselfers who are home improvement ad insert readers said they typically make lists and plan their home improvement shopping trips based on items seen in advertising inserts or circulars, compared to 53 percent in 2000.

Thirty-two percent of do-it-yourselfers say that advertising inserts or circulars influence their buying decision the most, compared to 20 percent in 2000.

Of the weekday newspaper readers who plan to build a deck/remodel a kitchen or bath, 71 percent said they have read an advertising insert or circular in the weekday paper in the past seven days. Eighty-three percent of Sunday newspaper readers who shop at large home improvement stores for minor household repairs have read an advertising insert or circular in the past seven days.

Eighty-six percent of home improvement ad insert readers who are do-it-yourselfers with children read home improvement advertising inserts or circulars when comparing for price.