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As the twilight hues embrace Chicago, a gathering of 20 individuals convenes in a Logan Square parking lot, their attention fixed on Juliana Masci. Their home repair instructor, Masci, holds aloft a wall anchor in one hand and a power drill in the other. "This will need to be drilled into the drywall," she states, her voice clear and instructive. "Who’s up first?" A palpable mix of anticipation and trepidation ripples through the group. Lauren, a volunteer, tentatively steps forward, a nervous smile gracing her lips. "I’ll try, I guess," she murmurs. Masci guides her, demonstrating the correct placement of the anchor against a sheet of drywall mounted on a sturdy frame of two-by-fours. She emphasizes the importance of leveraging one’s full body weight to lean into the drill as the trigger is pulled. Lauren attempts the task, but the initial tries lack the necessary pressure to secure the anchor. The group, a supportive chorus, begins to clap and cheer, "You got this!" With renewed determination, Lauren tries again, then again. Finally, with a decisive push, the anchor slides perfectly into place. The parking lot erupts in jubilant cheers, a testament to shared success. "It’s perfect," Masci beams, her pride evident.
This empowering scene unfolds not at a construction site, but at Babe’s, Chicago’s pioneering women’s sports bar. However, these 20 visitors are not here to cheer on the Chicago Sky WNBA team; they are here for Tool School, an innovative training program dedicated to equipping women and femmes with essential DIY home repair skills. Founded and led by Masci, Tool School represents a significant facet of a burgeoning national movement aimed at imparting fundamental construction and renovation knowledge to homeowners and renters who were not typically introduced to tools like hammers or drills during their formative years. In an increasingly digital landscape, the concept of hands-on, in-person instruction for practical skills feels refreshingly novel. Unlike the prevalent DIY guidance found in YouTube tutorials or online learning modules from large retailers like Home Depot, Tool School prioritizes real-life meetups and communal training. This approach fosters a supportive community around what have historically been considered niche and often gendered skills, such as replacing a light fixture or securely mounting a television. During this particular Tuesday evening’s Drywall Mounting course, many students articulated their goals, ranging from properly hanging cherished artwork in their apartments to installing floating shelves capable of supporting their personal libraries. For these attendees, home repair transcends a solitary chore; it reflects the growing demographic of woman homeowners and the escalating costs associated with professional renovations.
The Evolving Landscape of Homeownership and DIY
The genesis of Tool School lies in Juliana Masci’s lifelong passion for tinkering and building, a fascination she cultivated from childhood, inspired by her father. Despite pursuing a formal education in architecture, Masci found herself drawn more intensely to the practical, hands-on aspects of construction. After years navigating the industry as a construction project manager, a profound realization dawned upon her: many home and business owners possessed the latent capability to undertake these projects themselves, provided they had the requisite skills. Those, like Masci, who benefited from parental guidance in practical skills held a distinct advantage. "I determined that more people need DIY education, specifically women and femme folks," Masci explains, highlighting the targeted nature of her initiative.
This need has become particularly pronounced in recent years, as women have emerged as a formidable force within the housing market. Historically, women faced significant systemic barriers; it was not until 1974 that they were legally permitted to obtain a mortgage without a man’s signature. Fast forward to today, and women are not merely participating but are surpassing men in home purchases. A 2023 report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revealed that single women constitute an impressive 25 percent of first-time home sales, marking a substantial 14 percent increase since 1985. In stark contrast, single men account for a mere 10 percent of such sales. This demographic shift underscores a growing demand for independence and self-sufficiency in home management. While some homeowners might opt to outsource even minor projects, a comprehensive 2023 survey conducted by Lombardo Homes sheds light on significant concerns among women: 27 percent reported feeling unsafe being alone with a contractor, and a staggering 60 percent expressed feeling that they were treated differently or patronized by contractors compared to men. These statistics paint a clear picture of the psychological and practical barriers many women face when engaging with the traditional home improvement industry, further solidifying the imperative for accessible DIY education.
Economic and Practical Imperatives for Self-Sufficiency
Beyond aesthetic upgrades like remodels or refreshes, many first-time homebuyers confront an array of unseen, fundamental maintenance issues within the initial year of homeownership. For lower-income buyers especially, neglecting even seemingly minor repairs—such as recaulking bathtubs, patching cracked drywall, or addressing leaky faucets—can lead to disproportionately large financial burdens in the future. The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, in its analyses of housing stability, consistently notes that deferring maintenance significantly increases a household’s long-term expenses, potentially jeopardizing financial security. Echoing this sentiment, a study by anthropologist Robin Bartram compellingly argues that "routine dilapidation makes otherwise affordable housing unaffordable." In an era of escalating labor costs and supply chain volatility, the ability to perform basic home maintenance and repairs oneself is no longer merely a hobby but an essential skill for financial resilience and long-term home stability. The average cost of a minor plumbing repair, for instance, can range from $150 to $450, while professional drywall repair can easily exceed $300 for even small patches. Over time, these costs accumulate, making DIY skills a powerful tool for budget management.
A National Movement: Expanding Beyond Chicago
The phenomenon of women-led DIY training extends far beyond the vibrant streets of Chicago. Across the United States, similar initiatives are flourishing, each with a unique approach but a shared mission to empower.
In Baltimore, Maryland, The ContractHER stands as a testament to this burgeoning movement. This DIY training company, specifically designed for women, offers comprehensive, multi-day home repair and improvement workshops. Beyond teaching hands-on skills like carpentry, tiling, and painting, The ContractHER also educates students on critical aspects of project management, including how to accurately bid out projects and effectively hire contractors when external expertise is necessary. Founder Tisha Jordan’s personal journey profoundly shaped the company’s ethos. Navigating a challenging divorce, Jordan purchased a fixer-upper and, driven by a need to conserve funds, opted to undertake the renovations herself. Her experiences, both empowering and frustrating, ignited her passion to equip other women with the knowledge and confidence she gained, as she recounted to Washington’s NBC4.
Further north, in New Hampshire, Mill Hollow Works offers a diverse curriculum of co-ed carpentry and woodworking classes. However, recognizing the distinct need for peer support and specialized instruction for women, they also host a highly sought-after "Handy Woman Master Series." This intensive program delves into a wide spectrum of advanced skills, including framing, flooring installation, basic plumbing, and electrical work, providing participants with a holistic understanding of home construction and maintenance. These in-person programs, including Tool School, are not merely about transmitting technical skills and techniques. Masci profoundly adds that, more importantly, they cultivate a deep sense of self-assurance in individuals venturing into previously uncharted territory.
The Confidence Gap: Overcoming Historical Barriers
"It’s not a lack of skill," Masci 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 sentiment resonates deeply with findings from the Lombardo survey, which reported that 40 percent of women feel they are treated differently from men at hardware stores, and a significant one in five report feeling explicitly judged or condescended to by store employees. Such experiences can erode self-esteem, not only within these physical retail spaces but also in women’s perception of their own capabilities. Masci attributes this to historical and societal conditioning: "It’s a natural progression of what’s happened throughout history; women have to be overprepared, you have to be twice as knowledgeable." Stepping into a traditionally male-dominated environment like a hardware store as a woman or femme often necessitates an extra layer of confidence, a trait that is powerfully nurtured and reinforced in supportive, positive group settings like these workshops. The societal expectation that men are inherently "handy" and women are not has long permeated cultural norms, leading to a systemic under-education of girls in practical skills and a corresponding overreliance on male counterparts or professionals. This historical context makes the current movement for women’s DIY education not just practical, but profoundly subversive and empowering.
The Unrivaled Value of In-Person Learning
The transformative power of these workshops is vividly illustrated by individual experiences. Masci recounts a poignant moment from a recent Drywall Repair class, where several students aimed to learn how to mend holes left by previous art installations 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 explains. "I said, let’s work through this, I think you’re scared of the drill noise, so put your body into it first, so then you can’t pull away. And then she got it almost immediately." This anecdote highlights the critical role of immediate, personalized feedback and encouragement that only an in-person instructor can provide.
Taylor Frazier-Thompson, a Tool School student, discovered the program through Instagram and quickly became an enthusiastic and vocal participant in the drywall class. Her engagement was infectious: when Masci meticulously explained the distinction between a standard power drill and an impact drill (noting the latter’s suitability for more heavy-duty tasks), Frazier-Thompson initiated a collective chorus of clarified "ohhhh’s" that swept through the audience. She consistently led cheers and applause, celebrating both struggles and successes within the group. Frazier-Thompson continues to enroll in these classes because, as she articulates, it offers the most effective learning environment. "I don’t think I could be vulnerable in another environment," she explains. Being in a space specifically led by a woman teacher and surrounded by fellow women creates an atmosphere where she feels safe to lower her guard, ask "dumb" questions, and learn without judgment. Her goal is to broaden her general knowledge of home maintenance, and she finds that taking in-person classes significantly aids her in troubleshooting issues across various projects. This hands-on, interactive element, Masci emphasizes, lies at the very core of why real-life learning is indispensable.
"You can watch a YouTube video and get the gist of it, but then going into your own project, you have to go into it knowing that there’s going to be some road bumps," Masci observes. "And how you handle those road bumps is where I come in." In a live workshop, the "pause" button manifests as a participant confidently asking a critical question: What if there’s a pipe behind the wall? What exactly is drywall made of? The "replay" function occurs as participants take turns practicing, refining their technique under expert guidance. Crucially, unlike solitary online tutorials, these communal settings provide a built-in support system—a group of peers cheering you on, offering encouragement, regardless of how many times an anchor is dropped or a screw is accidentally stripped. This collective experience transforms potential frustration into shared triumph, building not just skills but also invaluable social bonds and a resilient spirit.
Broader Implications and the Future of DIY Empowerment
The rise of programs like Tool School, The ContractHER, and Mill Hollow Works signifies more than just a trend in adult education; it represents a significant cultural and economic shift. By empowering women and femmes with practical DIY skills, these initiatives are directly addressing issues of financial independence, housing affordability, and personal agency. Women who can confidently tackle home repairs are less vulnerable to contractor exploitation, better equipped to maintain their investments, and more capable of creating living spaces that truly reflect their needs and desires. This movement challenges deeply ingrained gender stereotypes, demonstrating that strength, technical aptitude, and problem-solving skills are not confined by gender. As the number of single female homeowners continues to grow, and as the cost of living and professional services continues its upward trajectory, the demand for accessible, supportive DIY education is only set to increase. These workshops are fostering a new generation of empowered homeowners, capable of taking control of their living environments and, in doing so, reshaping the very definition of domestic self-sufficiency.
