They Know the Drill: An All Female D.I.Y Group

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WHEN DELORES WILSON decided it was time to remove the late 1980s-era striped wallpaper from her powder room and coat the walls in a textured beige-green paint combo, the project was far more daunting and extensive than any other she had undertaken. But she wasn't worried. That's because she had a dedicated team of three other women to help her out, even as the project hit its low point, when all four were crammed inside the tiny bathroom, scraping at stubborn scraps of paper with putty knives.

"I would never have done it on my own," says Wilson, 46, of Bowie, a safety manager for the government and a member of the Do It Herself Meetup Group of Prince George's County. "It took me years to even get up the nerve [to start the project]. But once I was talking to the ladies, it was, like, power in numbers."

The Do It Herself group, which has about 13 members, gets together a few times per month to work on members' home improvement projects- everything from replacing a vinyl kitchen floor to installing an automatic light switch in a garage. And it seems they are on to something; an Associated Press story published in November noted that DIY clubs have recently begun to spring up across the country as homeowners try to save money amid the recession.

Even online groups and message boards are buzzing as fix-up enthusiasts seek and dispense advice.

"If you go online to any Web site, lots of people are more than willing to help out others," says Carter Oosterhouse, a Denver-based renovation pro who helps homeowners with projects on HGTV's "Red Hot & Green" and "Carter Can," and the DIY Network's "The Inside Job." He'll next be featured on the premiere episode of "HGTV Showdown" (Feb. 8 at 9 p.m.). "It's amazing the amount of feedback you can get on just about anything," Oosterhouse says.

Tips, tricks and techniques are, of course, a hot topic at meetings of the Do It Herself group of Prince George's County, where the members' experience with fix-ups ranges from highly skilled to simply ambitious. Every few weeks, the group meets to select new projects; each member can propose a project at her own home, as long as she's already put in some time working on another's fix-up.

"If it's your house and your project, you're responsible for looking up the instructions on how to do it," says Do It Herself group founder VaLerie Hill, a 40-something Bowie resident who is a Realtor with Century 21 Home Center. "It's your responsibility to have an idea of the project, to get all the materials and to have all the instructions, but you can also ask other group members for help."

The group has divvied up major and minor tasks since December 2007, when Hill decided to create a space for like-minded local women on Meetup.com.

"I started [the group] because I was frustrated with contractors who didn't show up," Hill says. "A contractor who was scheduled to come at 9 a.m. didn't show up until 3:30 p.m. ... and several phone calls from me. He was only putting up some cabinets in my laundry room, and once I saw how easy it was, I thought to myself, 'I could have done that, if I just knew how.'"

Now, Hill knows about everything from power tools to painting to the physics involved in torque.

Connie Kiernan, a self-taught home improvement enthusiast, says she joined the group last year to help teach others about DIY work- and to pick up tips from others. "What's wonderful about the group is that everybody's learning," says Kiernan, 57, a Bowie resident and a senior project manager at the U.S. Mint. "I've enjoyed being able to share with other ladies in the group, with folks that had a problem but didn't know how to solve it. Being able to mentor and give people that self-sufficiency, I've really enjoyed."

By working together often, many of the group members have become close friends. Their meet-ups are all business- they're serious about their projects- but they also hold occasional planning and social gatherings at restaurants.

More bonuses: The Do It Herselfers say they no longer need to rely on family or friends for help with home repairs, and have saved money as the economy has sunk into a recession. Group members pay $15 per year to cover the costs of being organized through Meetup.com, but most think they make back that money by eliminating the need to hire contractors.

Do It Herselfers also save money by learning new skills at free Home Depot clinics. Nearly every weekend, most Home Depot stores offer one-time classes on topics such as ceramic tiling, interior lighting and painting (for details on what's being offered at your neighborhood Home Depot, visit Homedepot.com).

Crysta Norris, the operations assistant store manager at the Home Depot in Bowie, says she's noticed a recent surge in popularity of DIY home repairs as the economy has soured.

"We're getting a lot more foot traffic from the everyday do-it-yourselfers," Norris says. Though she isn't familiar with any local fix-up clubs, Norris says, she thinks it's "the best idea since sliced bread."

"Doing something with a group is sometimes easier and more satisfying because you're working with a team. But there are some projects that I feel everybody can do [without help from others]. A bucket of paint can make of a world of difference in a new room. If you just paint your bathroom, change your light fixture and put up some new shower curtains, it's like you've added $500 of value to your property. And that's a one-person job."

As someone who has worked on home projects for nearly 20 years (he started by helping to build homes as a teen), Oosterhouse, 32, isn't surprised at the DIY phenomenon, whether it's among individuals or in groups. Sharing work saves time, he says, noting that even on his TV shows, extra crew members help out behind the scenes to speed up renovations. "If I have a team around me, it definitely makes sense for other people, too," Oosterhouse says.

And even after an HGTV-worthy renovation, the desire to keep improving the home often sticks, he says. What makes such rehabs so addictive?

"I think it's the sense of empowerment," Oosterhouse says. "When you see a relatively big change in a short period of time, it makes you feel good about yourself; it makes you feel like you've accomplished something."

The Do It Herselfers say they feel that sense of achievement, too. Some members say it's especially nice because the group is limited to women. Hill instituted the females-only rule to make sure everyone felt comfortable and safe in the group, but also to keep the focus on the projects. "It's not a pick-up type thing. We're about getting projects done; we're not trying to meet guys," she says.

Club member Barbara Adam, 42, of Greenbelt says she used to rely on help from male friends or relatives whenever she needed repairs done. Now, she says, those days are over.

"It gives you the confidence to tackle projects that you really don't need to pay someone to do," says Adam, an auto insurance claims representative. "You just need the know-how and the support."

PROJECT PRIMER: GIVE DIY A TRY
Want to start your own home improvement group or just be ready to work on some repairs? We had a few pros nail down some tips.

» Don't bite off more than you can chew: Never used a hammer, but planning a complete makeover of the kitchen? Think again. Even experienced DIYers can get into hot water by taking on projects that are beyond their skill level, leading to botched work or pricey additional fix-ups by contractors. "Know what you're getting into," says HGTV and DIY Network home improvement pro Carter Oosterhouse. "If you're starting off for the first time, try to do some of the easier things around the house." Simple projects, like moving furniture and using new window treatments, are great starters, Oosterhouse says.

» Stock your toolbox: Oosterhouse recommends wannabe Bob Vilas invest in the basics — hammer, nails, screw gun, tape measure, pliers — and that they remember the adage: You get what you pay for. High-quality tools are often more expensive, but they're worth it, Oosterhouse says. TV shows, books, Web sites and home repair stores can be great resources. And talking with other DIY enthusiasts can help spread knowledge and inspiration, says Delores Wilson, a member of the Do It Herself Meetup Group of Prince George's County. "It's funny how creative ideas start flowing if you use a group as a sounding board," Wilson says.

» Be organized: If you're trying to form your own DIY club, lay out some ground rules at the start to keep the group's focus on the tasks at hand (rather than simply socializing), recommends VaLerie Hill, the founder of the Do It Herself Meetup Group of Prince George's County. Hill set up her group through Meetup.com (which charges between $12 and $19 per month per group) to help the group stay in touch and keep track of upcoming events online.

» Keep it local: Limit the membership of your DIY group to a particular region or neighborhood, Hill says. It's often not worth it to make members travel from out of town, if it requires them to set aside extra time (and gas money) to be at every meeting.

Photo by Regan Kireilis for Express