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
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visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-in-three-regret-diying-a-home-improvement-project-300183684.html
SOURCE Zillow, Inc.