How to Avoid Regrets Over DIY Home Projects

DIY home projects aren’t as easy as they look on YouTube and HGTV. Homeowners are learning that firsthand after spending more time and money than they planned but ending up with flawed results, say BuzzFeed and Reddit. Thirty-five percent of homeowners who took on a DIY home renovation had to completely redo it, reports a 2024 Clever Real Estate survey. If you’re considering a DIY project, don’t pick up that sledgehammer until you check out these potential problems and tips.

DIY Home Projects That Are Falling Short

Real estate and renovation professionals say they’ve been seeing and fixing bad results in these DIY home projects.

Flooring Replacement

Replacing floors is a common DIY project that goes off the rails because homeowners aren’t aware of the need for all the preparation and the right tools. “Eighty percent to ninety percent of the project is preparation,” says Sarah Abbott, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker and an interior designer at CKD Remodeling in Milton, Fla. She and her husband, a general contractor, had a client who wanted to replace hardwood floors with luxury vinyl planks. “The hardwood was glued down with such strength that the tools they were trying to use either could not chip it up or caused the wood to come off in splinters,” she says. Starting with a clean surface is essential to getting good results with replacement flooring.

Plumbing Fixes

If a DIY project centers on a plumbing, electrical, or HVAC issue, call a professional, advises Chuck Khiel, senior vice president of the Fred division of Case Design, based in Bethesda, Md. A plumbing exception would be “if you’re just changing a kitchen or bathroom faucet, where the connections are relatively simple,” he adds. “But if you’re trying to change the shower faucet and cut the pipes back in the wall, that’s a whole different level.” Mistakes can cause water leaks and significant damage.

Electrical Repairs

Remodeling professionals strongly advise against DIYing electrical problems. Khiel’s team is called in when “an attempt at something electrical goes bad. Hopefully it just blows the breaker. The main problems are fire and death – serious consequences if you make a mistake.”

Kitchen Cabinet Paint Jobs

Homeowners, especially sellers, often think, “I want to paint those oak cabinets a new pretty white or gray,” Abbott says. But the project can be more involved than you imagine, and a prospective home buyer might have different taste than yours and immediately remove your handiwork.

Abbott had a client who painted cabinets with a brand-name but inappropriate paint. Not all paint works for cabinets, which are handled several times a day, she says. The client also didn’t do the priming properly. “Within a short time, the paint started peeling and chipping.”

Wallpaper Application

A lot of clients want to do their own wallpaper, says Elizabeth Lord-Levitt, a residential designer and real estate broker in Denver. “Peel-and-stick is a DIY-specialized wallpaper. You don’t have to have much talent to put this on.” What you may not know, though, is that connecting the seams takes time and effort, and failing to connect them looks unprofessional, she adds.

Patched Drywall or Plaster

DIYers who patch holes in walls may find the patches won’t stay put, Khiel says. The culprit is often the wrong patching product. In addition, homeowners might not know that patching plaster differs from patching drywall. In an older home, patching a plaster wall incorrectly could bring down a whole wall, Khiel explains. Drill down into online search results for specific, detailed information or consult a professional about what you’re dealing with.

What to Consider Before Taking on a DIY Project

Remodeling professionals agree that planning, asking questions, and learning common mistakes are essential. If homeowners call them for information about a project, most professionals will offer a general idea of what’s involved for no charge, Abbott says.

Here are four additional steps to avoid regrets:

1. Learn about warranties and homeowners insurance coverage: Large manufacturers won’t honor warranties if, for example, flooring isn’t put down on the correct surface with the correct underlayment, Abbott says. Lord-Levitt warns that homeowners insurance likely won’t pay claims resulting from DIY-related damage, such as leaks or flooding caused by switching out a toilet in an upstairs bathroom.
2. Manage your expectations: You need to be OK with results that don’t look professional, Lord-Levitt says. You may tolerate imperfect results “if your attitude is, ‘I saved a ton of money, and it’s OK that none of these grout lines line up.’”.
3. Be realistic about time: The biggest challenge DIYers face is not allowing enough time for a project, says Khiel. “A homeowner goes into a project thinking it’s only going to take half an hour. Now it’s half a day, and they still don’t know what to do.”
4. Get the right tools: “If you rent equipment, make sure the rental company is supplying you with the correct tools,” Abbott says. “In addition, make sure you can physically manage the tools, because some are large and heavy.”

DIY home projects can be tougher than they seem. You can avoid hitting a wall with your project if you pick the right project and tools, consult professionals, and have realistic expectations.

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