Gen Z and DiY

[Tris]

I make a living getting Handyman work through an app. I can't honestly say that the proportion of work I get via Gen Z is any higher than other age groups. As a 60 year old who grew up in an era when most people did most things themselves if they could, there definitely seems to be a decrease in the number of folk with entry level competence. My favourite was the guy that hired me to change a toilet seat. He had a really nice house, so I asked what he did. He was a Surgeon. How can someone who cuts open people, fixes them and puts them back together not have the nous to change a bog seat

To be fair, if he's earning 6 figures a year from those hands I don't expect he'd risk it

 

[Amplidyne]

I make a living getting Handyman work through an app. I can't honestly say that the proportion of work I get via Gen Z is any higher than other age groups. As a 60 year old who grew up in an era when most people did most things themselves if they could, there definitely seems to be a decrease in the number of folk with entry level competence. My favourite was the guy that hired me to change a toilet seat. He had a really nice house, so I asked what he did. He was a Surgeon. How can someone who cuts open people, fixes them and puts them back together not have the nous to change a bog seat

To be fair to a person who is a surgeon, a lot of them work very hard, and a lot of hours helping people. They are also well paid.
Perhaps he felt that he'd rather just pay somebody to do it for him. It's a matter of time isn't it. By the very nature of this site we're all handy types, but if you're not interested, just want stuff fixed, and have the money to do so, then why not?

I spent years servicing and repairing my own motors. These days I just take it in and let them get on with it. They even collect it.

 

[paulrbarnard]

I make a living getting Handyman work through an app. I can't honestly say that the proportion of work I get via Gen Z is any higher than other age groups. As a 60 year old who grew up in an era when most people did most things themselves if they could, there definitely seems to be a decrease in the number of folk with entry level competence. My favourite was the guy that hired me to change a toilet seat. He had a really nice house, so I asked what he did. He was a Surgeon. How can someone who cuts open people, fixes them and puts them back together not have the nous to change a bog seat

More likely just didn’t want to do it and had the money to pay someone else. I’ve done that more times than I should myself.
Got to ask yourself what you would like to do with your spare time, change a toilet seat or go to the theatre or whatever.

 

[Chubber]

More likely just didn’t want to do it and had the money to pay someone else. I’ve done that more times than I should myself

Yup. Four years ago I payed to have my hall, stairs and landing redecorated. I have redecorated 6 houses in 3 countries and thought 'Sod it' and for the first time ever, used a tradesman.

Best money I have spent in a long time, for the results and lack of aches and pains!

 

[JSW]

More likely in my mind is that a lot of modern housing doesn't allow the space to devote to the tools and workspace needed to practice

That's a really good point actually. I'm looking at downsizing, not too bothered about the house, it's the potential for a half decent IE bigger than single garage workshop that is the stumbling block.

My lad moved back home at the start of the year, the rent on the open plan flat he and his mate were sharing became exorbitant, cracking flat though, 2 beds obviously, huuuge open plan living/dining/cooking space, but no room for a toolbox never mind workspace.

 

[Chubber]

Good point.

I set up a work space for a chums son, his shared flat was all 'engineered' wood floors and rugs. I used a piece of 15mm ply that fitted under his bed on which he lay a 'workmate'. He kept a few tools in a low lidded under-bed plastic box. We stuck some non-slip mat on the front 12" so once you had pulled it out it didn't slip around when standing on it.

He managed to build a bike trailer on it, and did his bike maintenance on it.

 

[Agent_zed]

It would be interesting to see the results of the survey across all ages groups. I know plenty of people from all generations who don't know how to do basic DIY tasks.

One of my dads tenants, a women in her 70's, called me (as my dad was away) to go and reset the trip switch as she'd tripped it using her toaster. Apparently didn't know how to reset the trip. MCB's have been around for at least 30 years and she still didn't know how to push up a switch.

I have the opposite problem with my young son, he is keen to make things and will happily use his saw and hand drill. I showed him how to use a screwdriver at 4yrs old and he proceeded to undo the door thresholds and anything else with screws he could find! Doh.

 

[Ollie78]

I was thinking about this today and I wonder if there is an element of necessity to learn any diy.
I have always been relatively poor so there was really no question of getting (paying) someone to do any simple diy tasks, you just did it yourself unless it was gas fitting or something.
Even if I can afford to get someone to do work it doesn`t really occur to me, my initial thinking is, where did I put the tool for that ? I have to remind myself that maybe I don`t have to fix it myself.
The other thing is, early access to tools and watching people use them. My Uncle had a workshop building ash car bodies (for old Bentleys mostly ) and my Dad was always tinkering with vintage cars. So all my life I have seen people using tools, it is just normal to me.
So, of course the opposite must be true if your parents/ family all had clerical jobs and non diy hobbies then how would you be exposed to DIY stuff.

 

[Chris152]

It's also worth remembering (maybe someone's written it already and I missed it) that Zs were brought up in an economy that encourages people to replace stuff, not to repair it. We used to do all sorts to our cars as youngsters, these days it's not so easy. Computers? Unless that's your thing, out it goes to be replaced. All quite deliberate on the part of manufacturers, obsolescent and deliberately obstructive to diy repairs, which creates a dependent culture/ mind set. Good for profits.