Lowe's, Home Depot's chief big-box rival, does not offer in-store clinics, but does offer an extensive online library of home-improvement topics for customers to tap into.
"Our customers have said they prefer having information online so they can have it easily available as they plan their own DIY projects or do research for projects they plan to hire [for]," spokeswoman Karen Cobb said in an e-mail.
But despite the economic meltdown of the past few months, Cobb said Lowe's hasn't seen a dramatic shift in the types of projects people are undertaking.
"Our research shows that, with the exception of bigger-ticket projects such as kitchen remodels, consumers are interested in the same types of home projects they've been tackling for many years," she said.
Gardening and landscaping, interior painting, replacing lighting fixtures, replacing plumbing fixtures and front-entrance enhancements are the top projects of interest to Lowe's customers, Cobb said.
As for the reasons for taking on such projects, Lowe's research shows that 92 percent of its customers say they're interested in replacing old or worn-out materials, 44 percent want to clean up or freshen the look of their homes and 41 percent plan to decorate or redecorate.
At the Community College of Baltimore County, 14 home-improvement or do-it-yourself classes were offered in the continuing-education program last fall, including cabinetmaking, electricity, woodworking and home maintenance and repair.
This spring, 18 different classes will be offered, including several new classes such as "Power Tool Use" and "Basic Home Systems," "Introduction to Plumbing" and "Choosing Kitchen Products," said Louise D. Slezak, director of community education.
"Since the economy is in a downswing, we are anticipating interest and enrollment in these courses to increase, since residents may be choosing to do the work themselves," she said in an e-mail.
Back at the Home Depot, Sturm wandered away from the clinic to walk up and down Aisle 7 looking at various types of tile.
She sounded optimistic about being able to handle the tiling of her condo bathrooms.
"I think I can do this," she said. "You have to start someplace to see if you have the courage to do it."
Meanwhile, back at the clinic, Janelle Johnson of Parkville watched Kirchner trowel mortar, a tile adhesive, and then demonstrate how to lay the tile.
