Tired or fed up of paying contractors for doing jobs you can do yourself? At some time most of us will feel like that. Guess what, you really don't have to anymore. We seem to have a never ending access to all the information we need to do these jobs ourselves. Many hardware stores are now giving free instructional classes on the weekends, there are also all those instructional television shows plus countless CD sets that make doing it yourself seem really easy. Not only do we get to save money, in most cases a lot of money but we also get to take great pride in what we have done. Here are some suggestions and statistics about doing it yourself. There has been a do-it-yourself boom in recent years. Statistics show that the age group that relies most on do-it-yourself activities are people between the ages of 30 and mid 40's, (they make up 41 percent of home improvement spending). DIY is now starting to attract more women, about one-fifth of home buyers in this past year were unmarried women, so it makes sense that women are getting more involved, there is a great website ( http://www.BeJane.com) dedicated to incorporating women to the do-it-yourself world. Statistics also show that an average household invests just over $2,000 a year on home improvements. When starting a new home improvement project remember to start off on a small scale and always be prepared. You should estimate how long the project will take, double it and then add two days since you are doing it yourself. Buy extra parts, just in case you under estimated, you can always return the unused items after you're done. You probably should learn how to lay down tile before you replace your carpet with hardwood floor. Or try replacing a faucet before working on your plumbing, just for the record replacing a faucet by yourself can save you up to $400. If you are still leaning towards having the work done by a contractor and want to save money, ask the contractor if there is work you can do on your own, like the demolition or the clean up. You could always start something then get the contractor to finish it. The one thing you should never forget to do is check if the work who wish to do requires a permit. Fines for not having a permit for work done can range between $100 to $25,000 so take the time to check first, a simple phone call is all it will take to stay out of trouble.