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As twilight hues painted the Chicago skyline, a scene of unexpected empowerment unfolded in a Logan Square parking lot. Twenty individuals, predominantly women and femmes, stood captivated, their gazes fixed on Juliana Masci. Their instructor, a seasoned home repair expert and the founder of Tool School, held aloft a simple wall anchor in one hand, a powerful drill poised in the other. "This will need to be drilled into the drywall," Masci explained, her voice clear and instructive. "Who’s up first?" The question hung in the air, a challenge and an invitation.
A momentary hesitation, then Lauren, one of the volunteers, stepped forward with a nervous smile. "I’ll try, I guess," she ventured, her apprehension palpable. Masci, with encouraging patience, guided Lauren’s hand, demonstrating the precise placement of the anchor against a sheet of drywall mounted securely on a two-by-four frame. The key, Masci emphasized, was to lean into the drill with full bodyweight, harnessing its power rather than fearing it. Lauren pulled the trigger. The drill whirred, but the anchor resisted. It took a few attempts; the initial pressure wasn’t quite enough. Yet, with each try, the collective spirit of the group surged. Cheers of "You got this!" and rhythmic clapping filled the evening air, transforming the utilitarian parking lot into a vibrant arena of support. Finally, with a decisive push, the anchor slid home, perfectly flush. The group erupted in jubilant cheers, a testament not just to a small victory over drywall, but to a shared triumph over self-doubt. Masci beamed, declaring it "perfect."
This spirited gathering was not for a WNBA game, despite the venue being Babe’s, Chicago’s pioneering women’s sports bar. Instead, it was a session of Tool School, a groundbreaking training program dedicated to equipping women and femmes with essential DIY home repair skills. Founded and spearheaded by Masci, Tool School is at the forefront of a burgeoning movement. This initiative aims to demystify and democratize basic construction and renovation techniques for homeowners and renters who, through no fault of their own, were often excluded from learning practical skills like wielding a hammer or operating a power drill during their formative years. In an increasingly digital landscape, Tool School offers a refreshingly tangible approach: eschewing the often-impersonal format of YouTube tutorials or online learning modules from big-box retailers like Home Depot, it champions in-person meetups and group training. This deliberate focus on real-world, hands-on experience not only imparts vital skills—from replacing a light fixture to securely mounting a television—but also fosters a powerful sense of community around abilities traditionally and often unfairly gendered as male domains. During this particular Tuesday evening’s Drywall Mounting course, attendees articulated diverse motivations, ranging from the desire to properly hang cherished artwork in their apartments to the practical need of securing floating shelves capable of bearing the weight of an extensive home library. For these participants, home repair transcends a mere solitary chore; it embodies a broader response to the rising tide of women homeowners and the escalating costs associated with professional renovation services.
The Genesis of Empowerment: From Childhood Curiosity to Community Leadership
Juliana Masci’s journey to founding Tool School is rooted in a deeply personal connection to the trades. Her love for tinkering and building blossomed in childhood, nurtured by her father, who instilled in her an appreciation for hands-on creation. While Masci pursued formal architectural studies, her inherent inclination drew her towards the practical, tangible aspects of construction. After years honing her expertise as a construction project manager within the industry, a profound realization dawned on her: a significant number of home and business owners possessed the inherent capability to undertake many of these projects themselves, if only they were equipped with the necessary skills and, crucially, the confidence. She recognized that individuals who, like herself, had the privilege of growing up with parents who actively taught them practical skills held a distinct advantage. This insight solidified her mission: "I determined that more people need DIY education, specifically women and femme folks," Masci states, highlighting the targeted need for such accessible, inclusive training.
Her vision for Tool School extends beyond mere technical instruction. It is a direct response to a societal gap, aiming to bridge the historical divide where basic household maintenance and repair skills were often implicitly or explicitly gendered. By creating a supportive and empowering learning environment, Masci seeks to dismantle these long-standing barriers, enabling a demographic historically underserved in this area to gain practical independence and self-reliance in managing their homes.
A Shifting Landscape: Women in Homeownership and the DIY Revolution
The timing for initiatives like Tool School could not be more opportune. Recent decades have witnessed a dramatic shift in the housing market, with women emerging as a formidable and increasingly dominant force in homeownership. This represents a significant historical reversal. It was not until 1974, with the passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in the United States, that women were legally permitted to obtain a mortgage without the co-signature of a male relative. Prior to this landmark legislation, financial institutions routinely denied single women credit, effectively barring them from independent homeownership.
Today, the landscape is strikingly different. Women are not merely participating in the housing market; they are increasingly outperforming men in buying homes. A comprehensive 2023 report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) underscores this trend, revealing that single women now account for a substantial 25 percent of first-time home sales. This figure marks a significant 14 percent increase since 1985, demonstrating a consistent upward trajectory. In stark contrast, single men account for a comparatively smaller 10 percent of first-time home purchases. This demographic shift is not isolated; it reflects broader societal changes, including women’s increased participation in the workforce, rising educational attainment, and a growing emphasis on financial independence. As more women achieve the milestone of homeownership, the demand for practical skills to maintain and improve these assets naturally follows. The average cost of professional home repairs has also seen a steady increase, with even minor fixes like a leaky faucet or a damaged section of drywall potentially costing hundreds of dollars in labor and materials when outsourced. This financial pressure further incentivizes homeowners to acquire DIY capabilities.
Beyond the Hammer: Addressing Systemic Barriers and Building Trust
Despite the growing numbers of women homeowners, navigating the realm of home repair often presents unique challenges. Research consistently highlights the disparities and discomfort many women experience when engaging with professional contractors or even shopping at hardware stores. A revealing 2023 survey conducted by Lombardo Homes, which polled American women on their DIY habits and trends, brought these issues to the forefront. The survey found that a significant 27 percent of women reported not feeling safe being alone with a contractor in their homes. Furthermore, a staggering 60 percent felt that they were treated differently from men by contractors, citing instances of condescension, dismissiveness, or attempts to upsell unnecessary services.
These experiences extend beyond direct contractor interactions. The Lombardo survey also indicated that 40 percent of women felt they were treated differently by employees at hardware stores, with one in five reporting feeling outright judged. Such interactions can foster an environment of insecurity and diminish self-confidence, making women hesitant to pursue DIY projects or even ask for advice. Masci articulates this systemic issue succinctly: "It’s a natural progression of what’s happened throughout history; women have to be overprepared, you have to be twice as knowledgeable." This societal expectation places an undue burden on women, demanding exceptional competence merely to be taken seriously in spaces traditionally dominated by men. Programs like Tool School directly address these systemic barriers by creating safe, judgment-free spaces where learning and confidence-building are prioritized.
The Financial Imperative of DIY: Ensuring Long-Term Affordability
While DIY projects are often associated with aesthetic upgrades or large-scale remodels, a critical aspect, particularly for first-time homebuyers, involves addressing the often-unseen, basic maintenance issues that inevitably arise within the first year of purchasing a home. These can range from minor annoyances like a dripping faucet or a drafty window to more significant concerns such as caulking bathtubs, patching cracked drywall, or fixing a running toilet. For lower-income buyers, in particular, neglecting even seemingly minor repairs can have a disproportionate and detrimental impact on their financial stability in the long term.
The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies has consistently highlighted that deferring maintenance can significantly increase a household’s long-term expenses, often leading to more extensive and costly repairs down the line. What might start as a small crack in the drywall, left unaddressed, could lead to larger structural issues or mold if moisture infiltrates. Anthropologist Robin Bartram, through her extensive research, further elucidates this point, noting that "routine dilapidation makes otherwise affordable housing unaffordable." This means that the accumulation of minor, neglected repairs can erode the value of a home, diminish its livability, and ultimately push homeowners into a cycle of increasing debt or even displacement. By acquiring basic repair skills, homeowners can proactively address these issues, preserving their property value, preventing escalation of problems, and ultimately safeguarding their financial investment. The ability to perform simple tasks like patching a hole, replacing a switch, or maintaining appliances can translate into significant savings, freeing up resources for other necessities or investments.
A National Movement Takes Root: Beyond Chicago’s Logan Square
The demand for accessible, empowering DIY education for women and femmes is not confined to Chicago. Across the United States, similar initiatives are gaining traction, reflecting a widespread recognition of this critical need.
In Baltimore, for instance, The ContractHER stands as a pioneering DIY training company specifically tailored for women. Its founder, Tisha Jordan, developed the concept out of personal necessity. Navigating a challenging divorce, Jordan purchased a fixer-upper and, facing financial constraints and a desire for independence, opted to undertake many of the renovations herself. This hands-on experience not only saved her money but also ignited a passion for empowering other women. The ContractHER offers comprehensive, multiday home repair and improvement workshops, covering a spectrum of skills from basic carpentry to more complex tasks. Crucially, their curriculum also extends to essential practical knowledge often overlooked, such as how to accurately bid out projects and how to effectively vet and hire contractors when professional help is indispensable. Jordan’s story, as she shared with Washington’s NBC4, resonates deeply with many women seeking similar paths to self-sufficiency and control over their living spaces.
Further north, in New Hampshire, Mill Hollow Works provides a diverse array of carpentry and woodworking classes, offered in both co-ed and specialized formats. Acknowledging the profound need for peer support and a focused learning environment for women, they have developed a unique "Handy Woman Master Series." This intensive program delves into a broad range of skills, including framing, flooring, basic plumbing, and electrical work. These programs, much like Tool School, are not just about teaching isolated techniques; they are about fostering a holistic understanding of home maintenance and building a robust network of support among participants. The success of these organizations highlights a nationwide yearning for practical knowledge, community, and the empowerment that comes from mastering traditionally inaccessible skills.
Cultivating Confidence, Not Just Skills: The Psychological Impact of Empowerment
Juliana Masci frequently emphasizes that the primary barrier to women undertaking home repairs is rarely a deficit of innate capability. "It’s not a lack of skill," she asserts with conviction. "It’s a hundred percent a lack of confidence—a feeling of ‘I’ve never done that before, so I don’t feel like I could do it.’" This observation aligns perfectly with the findings from the Lombardo survey, which revealed that feelings of inadequacy or intimidation often stem from external interactions. The 40 percent of women who reported being treated differently at hardware stores, and the one in five who felt judged by store employees, attest to an environment that can actively undermine self-assurance rather than foster it.
Masci views these experiences as a historical legacy. Women, she explains, have often been compelled to be "overprepared," to be "twice as knowledgeable" to simply gain respect or credibility in traditionally male-dominated arenas. This psychological burden can manifest as hesitation or self-doubt when confronted with tools or tasks that seem unfamiliar. The supportive, positive group settings offered by Tool School and similar programs are designed precisely to counteract this. By providing a safe space where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities and encouragement is abundant, these workshops help participants shed the weight of societal expectations and cultivate genuine self-assurance. Masci recounts a poignant example from a recent Drywall Repair class, where students were learning to fix holes from art and shelving. "There was one participant who, every time she used the drill, she kind of got scared of the noise and she pulled back," Masci recalls. Her approach was not to dismiss the fear but to address it directly. "I said, let’s work through this, I think you’
