More homeowners hiring out home-improvement projects

The prevalent notion that the United States is a nation of do-it-yourselfers is taking a hit on the home front.

More homeowners say to heck with the hard work and are hiring project managers to oversee every phase of home-improvement projects, and, according to one industry expert, the trend spans age groups and income brackets.

"People who call us to manage repairs and improvements say they have better things to do with their time or they don't have the skills to do the job right," says Steve Sempell of The Home Service Store, a firm that manages contractors and projects. "Its a shift in homeowner mentality."

Baby Boomers account for much of the demand. Once at the core of self sufficiency, Boomers have had their fill of home projects and are ready to move on to leisure activities. Yet their expectations for polished work are higher than they were willing to accept at a younger age. At the other end of the age spectrum, Boomer children follow their parents' lead, but for different reasons.

"Generation Xers want to protect the investment of their first home," says Sempell. "They may not have the skills for a professional-looking job, and how their home appears is very important to them. It's a way to protect their investment."

The rise in two-income households also plays into the hire-it-out equation. Homeowners stressed for time may be unwilling to work-work-work in addition to managing a growing family.

Home improvement is big business. An estimated 26 million homeowners take on projects every year amounting to more than $135 billion in spending. Some construction industry forecasts show home-improvement expenditures will rival money spent on new-home construction. Indeed some heavyweight improvements involve additional living space, and the skills needed to add a room or two are simply beyond many homeowners.

And the U.S. housing inventory is showing its age. Sempell says the average U.S. home is 30 years old, and more than 25 percent of homes are pre-1950 vintage. "Statistics tell you there's eight years between minor improvements, with major improvements needed every 15 years," according to Sempell. "That sort of work is necessary just to maintain the status quo, and it's an eye opener for homeowners."

Lack of knowledge or skills are other factors behind consumer reluctance to jump into home projects. "The real litmus test is when a home is sold," says Sempell. "Buyers instantly recognize flaws, and they don't care if a homeowner takes pride in installing a new deck or kitchen. They want things to look professional, and they may chalk off a home that looks like it was done by a do-it-yourselfer."

Many homeowners also rue the task to find and manage contractors. "You really need to know how to manage workers because it involves considerably more than giving someone free rein on the job," cautions Sempell. "There are budgets and fiscal accountability, building codes, licenses, reference checks, and that's just part of the list. You have to know what you're doing."

Contractors recognize the trend, too. Sempell says better contractors are aligning their firms with management providers, both for credibility sake and freedom from nonstop self promotion.