The Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI) recently partnered with The Farnsworth Group to track sentiments among homeowners in the midst of continuing supply chain issues, increasing prices and product shortages.
The survey included homeowners who choose to complete projects themselves and homeowners who prefer to hire a professional. The survey found that through February 2022, material prices and a lack of product availability continue to cause project delays for both DIYers and those hiring professionals.
Lumber, treated lumber and plywood were the products most commonly unavailable, with 36.7 percent of DIYers having issues finding these products, up 6.2 percent from January. Nearly 50 percent of DIYers said price increases were also an issue during February. For homeowners working with a professional, material availability delayed projects more than price. Despite the product shortages and price increases, 80 percent of the DIYers surveyed said they would still complete the project themselves to save money.
The tracker survey also asked homeowners about the projects they planned on starting in the upcoming weeks. For DIYers, the most popular projects were painting rooms, general home maintenance, painting or staining items and landscaping and outdoor work.
To take advantage of the projects homeowners plan on doing this spring, create endcaps for painting, home maintenance and gardening and landscaping, including all the tools and supplies a homeowner will need to complete these jobs.
