One in Three Regret DIYing a Home Improvement Project
Adding a room and refinishing kitchen or bathroom cabinets among biggest regrets, according to new Zillow Digs analysis
SEATTLE, Nov. 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Three quarters of homeowners completed a do-it-yourself ("DIY") project in the past three years. However, nearly 40 percent of them wish they hadn't, according to a new survey from home design site, Zillow Digs®.[i]
Attempting to add or expand a room to a home, such as a bathroom or bedroom, was the biggest DIY regret among homeowners surveyed, with more than half of respondents (53 percent) unhappy with some aspect of the project. Homeowners had fewest regrets around minor projects like replacing light fixtures or cabinet hardware. Less than 20 percent of homeowners regretted taking on those projects.
While many people choose to tackle home improvement projects themselves to save money, nearly a quarter of those surveyed said their DIY project went over budget. This was especially true for larger-scale renovations, like building a new deck or refinishing a basement. Instead, DIYers were more likely to stay within budget on smaller projects such as painting or replacing plumbing fixtures.
"With seemingly endless DIY tips and how-to videos available today, home improvement projects appear easier and more accessible than ever before," says Kerrie Kelly, Zillow Digs home design expert. "While some DIY projects can save you money, involving a professional for larger-scale projects, especially those that require specialized skills, can help eliminate headaches and costly mistakes."
Zillow Digs surveyed homeowners from around the country to find which popular DIY home improvement projects people regretted the most and least. The survey also identified which projects homeowners were most likely to go over budget, with and without professional help.
Top 10 most regretted home improvement projects:
| Home Improvement Project |
% of Homeowners with DIY Regrets |
% of Homeowners Who Went Over Budget When DIYing |
% of Homeowners Who Went Over Budget With a Professional |
| Add a room or expand/alter an existing one |
53% |
42% |
32% |
| Reface or refinish cabinetry (kitchen or bath) |
49% |
20% |
18% |
| Refinish basement or attic |
48% |
23% |
23% |
| Replace or reinstall new carpeting (any room) |
43% |
23% |
13% |
| Refinish or reinstall new hardwood floors (any room) |
42% |
22% |
14% |
| Reinstall new cabinets (kitchen or bath) |
41% |
15% |
22% |
| Retile a floor or shower |
37% |
13% |
19% |
| Add or replace backsplash (kitchen or bath) |
37% |
16% |
7% |
| Build or install a deck |
35% |
22% |
23% |
| Reinstall new countertops (kitchen or bath) |
33% |
12% |
18% |
Top 5 least regretted home improvement projects:
| Home Improvement Project |
% of Homeowners with DIY Regrets |
% of Homeowners Who Went Over Budget When DIYing |
% of Homeowners Who Went Over Budget With a Professional |
| Replace lighting fixtures (any room) |
15% |
7% |
8% |
| Replace cabinet hardware (kitchen or bath) |
18% |
7% |
13% |
| Paint one or more rooms |
18% |
5% |
13% |
| Install new kitchen appliances |
19% |
13% |
14% |
| Replace plumbing fixture(s) (bath, sink or toilet) |
23% |
8% |
13% |
About Zillow Digs
Zillow Digs is a hub for home improvement and design inspiration. Users can browse more than three million photos of interiors and exteriors of real homes, organized by space, style, cost and color. Product tags allow users to easily locate similar products and accessories as seen in their favorite photos, and patent-pending Digs Estimates help people understand what it would cost to recreate the actual bathrooms and kitchens they are viewing. In addition, Zillow Digs users can collect images, share favorites and follow others for inspiration, from the Zillow Digs App for iPhone® and iPad®, or on the Web.
Zillow
Zillow® is the leading real estate and rental marketplace dedicated to empowering consumers with data, inspiration and knowledge around the place they call home, and connecting them with the best local professionals who can help. Zillow serves the full lifecycle of owning and living in a home: buying, selling, renting, financing, remodeling and more. In addition to Zillow.com®, Zillow operates the most popular suite of mobile real estate apps, with more than two dozen apps across all major platforms. Launched in 2006, Zillow is owned and operated by Zillow Group (NASDAQ:Z and ZG) and headquartered in Seattle.
Zillow and Zillow.com are registered trademarks of Zillow, Inc.
[i] These are findings from an Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of Zillow, fielded October 30th – November 2nd, 2015. For the survey, a sample of 2,016 U.S. adults over the age of 18 was interviewed online, in English. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing sample. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2014 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points for all respondents. For more information about Ipsos online polling methodology, please go here http://goo.gl/yJBkuf
SOURCE Zillow, Inc.
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