Women on Hinge are swapping dinner reservations for power tools, using the dating app to recruit first-date handymen. Dubbed the “Bob the Builder” trend, the phenomenon has first dates assembling furniture and mounting TVs before dessert is even on the table. And, according to the New York Post, the phenomenon is making its way across TikTok.
"Bob the Builder" dating trend: from Hinge match to handyman
Brooklyn photographer Storm Halestrap (@lily_halest) was one of many who embraced the so-called "Bob the Builder" trend, according to an interview with the Post. Earlier this year, she shared a tongue-in-cheek TikTok video showing a man crouched on her floor, drill in hand, assembling furniture. The text overlay read, "POV: You get your Hinge date to build your new TikTok shop furniture."
The man in the video is now her boyfriend, though she said she didn’t lure him in with a tool request. Still, she admitted to past success convincing Hinge matches to help with projects. One date even bought her enough plants to fill her tiny Midtown bedroom after she mentioned wanting more greenery. Another eagerly hung her picture frames and bought a lamp to brighten the room.
"I feel like guys need a little job or mission, and then they feel so happy. They’re like a golden retriever," Halestrap told the Post. "They accomplished something and are happy to help."
Sociologist Dr. Jennifer Gunsaullus suggested the appeal lies in old-school dynamics. "The men get to impress through action — not just words — and show off problem-solving skills right from the jump," she explained to the Post. It also gives women an immediate sense of their match’s problem-solving skills.
TikTok is full of furniture-building dates
Other women have posted on TikTok about the small but growing trend. Some shared a request for building beds in new apartments, while others' roommates are the ones getting guys on Hinge to help out around the house.
While the concept is cute at its core, experts caution that there are risks involved with the Bob the Builder date trend. Dr. Gunsaullus warned against letting strangers into your home to build furniture without building trust first. She recommended several public meetups before tackling an at-home project together. She also noted that men might feel exploited if they’re unknowingly featured in social media posts.
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