Consumer desire for DIY is strong, but many – particularly Gen Zers and millennials – lack confidence: 70% of American DIYers avoid projects due to FOMU (fear of messing up) (BHG, 2024). Smart brands are reducing reluctance and promoting the satisfaction of self-reliance via in-person workshops and DIY-influencer collabs. In the UK alone, more than two-thirds of DIY projects are completed with social media assistance (B&Q, 2024).

Canny brands are solving a key consumer pain point – home and garden improvement and transformation – via evolved visualisation tech fusing extended reality (XR) and spatial mapping technologies (including lidar, which uses laser pulses to measure distances to objects) and artificial intelligence (AI). All-in-one concepts go beyond pure visual ideation, letting users access step-by-step videos and buy supplies.

While American millennials and Gen Zers are getting on the property ladder (see Key Stats), long-term renting is still a reality for many, especially in Europe, where home ownership is falling – particularly among younger generations – and 31% rent their homes (Eurostat, 2023). Prime candidates for brand partnerships, authors and influencers spotlight how to approach this cohort and get creative despite stricter parameters.

Other brands are establishing sophisticated project support via access to experts. Key tactics include do-it-with-me formats fusing DIY and DIFM (do-it-for-me) approaches to tackle mid-project regret (experienced by 89% of American DIYers, leading 74% to abandon projects (BHG, 2024)), price-tiered garden design and AI tools for diverse purposes, such as marshalling image recognition for replacement parts and PhD-level horticulture expertise.