Do-it-yourselfers still active

Washington, D.C. -- Consumer research on home improvement projects being planned by Americans shows that, compared to last year, there are fewer do-it-yourself projects in the works -- but not much fewer.

Research from the NPD Group presented at the Home Improvement Research Institute's 2009 spring conference held here shows that about 45% of consumers say they are planning home improvement projects, compared to about 49% a year ago. Conversely, consumers who say they are planning no projects increased from 51% to 54%.

According to Mark Delaney, director of NPD Group's home improvement division, there is some room for optimism in these numbers.

"I tend to be a glass half full kind of guy," he said during the HIRI conference. "That still means that 45% of consumers are still planning on doing projects around the home.”

He added that the type of projects are probably not the kind of expensive kitchen or bathroom remodels that were more popular two years ago. "But people are still out there planning projects."