Should you DIY a home renovation or hire a pro?

With real estate and financing costs remaining sky high, it makes sense that many homeowners are choosing to stay put and invest dollars into upgrades and remodeling projects. In fact, a whopping 91% of homeowners surveyed by Houzz say they expect to renovate in 2026, and improvement spending is anticipated to reach $518 billion by the end of this year, per the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. 

Plenty of these folks will try to tackle the work themselves. Recent polling by Angi reveals that 71% of surveyed homeowners attempt DIY projects to save money, with nearly 3 in 4 respondents revealing they have confidence in their ability to manage a home improvement endeavor; yet 70% of homeowners fess up to experiencing problems with their DIY project, with 1 in 4 needing to hire a professional to fix or complete it.

Before attempting to fly solo on a home improvement job, it’s smart to carefully consider the hidden financial and insurance risks that can lead to serious DIY regret. Learn more by reading my newest article for The Zebra, available here.