All the theories about DIY culture are interesting and maybe contribute some to the conclusion, but I think it's a lot more about material costs. Lots of things

All the theories about DIY culture are interesting and maybe contribute some to the conclusion, but I think it's a lot more about material costs. Lots of things are back down from the crazy prices around COVID, but some things stayed high. A few examples I just dug through my emails for: - 5 gal Drylok waterproofing paint went from $104 in Jan. 2020 to $143 last week - 2x6x12' lumber: $9.57 in May 2019 to $12.22 now - 1/2" 4x8 of drywall was $9.57 in May of '18, $13.98 now Of course prices can be expected to go up in 5 years, but personally we've deferred a bunch of projects waiting for prices to stabilize a bit.