| There seems to be quite a trend for people | | | | year. This gave their city a ranking of 75 |
| doing home improvements themselves in the US. | | | | among those in the survey. |
| It seems that more people than not are taking | | | | |
| on the industry a bit, and doing the do it | | | | They certainly weren't the only ones not |
| yourself projects on their own. | | | | likely to participate in such projects. |
| | | | Additional big metropolitan cities where the |
| A major media service, Arbitron, has recently | | | | residents apparently opted for hiring |
| shown that according to a study by | | | | professionals include Fresno, CA at 40%; Las |
| Scarborough Research, on average, forty-nine | | | | Vegas also at 40%; New York did a little |
| percent of adults in seventy-five cities | | | | better at 48%; Chicago was at 46%; Miami |
| nationwide made some sort of diy home | | | | inched in at 45%; Los Angeles were even worse |
| improvement in the last twelve months. This | | | | at 44%; Washington, D.C. at 44%; San |
| reveals that consumers in smaller markets may | | | | Francisco was at 43%; and San Diego where |
| be more expected to tackle their own home | | | | only 42% of it's residents performed any sort |
| improvements than those living in the larger | | | | of diy project. |
| cities. | | | | |
| | | | Here's what else the study came up with. |
| Receiving the highest ranking at number one | | | | There were certain types of improvements that |
| among the cities surveyed was Harrisburg, | | | | were popular than others. For instance, 25% |
| Penn.; where over half (or fifty nine | | | | or consumers had painted the interior of |
| percent) of the people started a home | | | | their homes and/or wallpapered. The same |
| improvement project in the last year. Coming | | | | amount had done landscaping. |
| in at a close second was the city was Buffalo | | | | |
| NY, where again over half of the cities | | | | Good news for burglars suggests that only 2% |
| residents claimed to doing their own home | | | | had home security systems installed in their |
| improvements. Another close contender was the | | | | homes. Bad news for the neighborhood kids who |
| city of Toledo OH. | | | | are crazy from the heat, only 1% had added a |
| | | | spa or pool to their home. |
| The other cities that found themselves in the | | | | |
| top ten were Detroit and Flint, MI; Syracuse, | | | | The fact is simply that people of all walks |
| N.Y.; Atlanta, GA; Indianapolis; Rochester, | | | | of life are doing their own home improvements |
| N.Y.; and Cincinnati, OH. These were the | | | | and spending the money that it takes to |
| cities in which over half of the residents in | | | | perform these tasks. This is good news for |
| each market had started or recently made home | | | | the centers that sell home improvement |
| improvements. | | | | material, as well as for the economy which |
| | | | benefits from the extra flow of cash. Whether |
| Do you want to know who came in last? Well, | | | | you do your own home improvements or not, |
| the people of Honolulu were the least likely | | | | making your home a more comfortable and |
| to take on a do it yourself project, with | | | | relaxing goes along way for a happy healthier |
| just 37% fixing up their homes in the past | | | | life. |