Angi Reveals America’s “Home Oops” Report: DIY Detours and Uninvited Raccoons

From a "beautiful frozen waterfall" in the freezer to a raccoon dropping through the living room ceiling, almost every homeowner has a go-to home story, and many of them start with, "I can fix that myself."

While many homeowners start DIY home projects hoping to save money, they often result in an unexpected mishap, mistake, or mystery repair—a memorable “home oops” moment. Based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. homeowners, the first-ever Home Oops Report from Angi brings together research that examines the cost impacts and the memorable stories behind this home maintenance trend. 

“Most homeowners have a project that looked simpler before they started—or a surprise their house saved for just the right moment,” said Angie Hicks, co-founder of Angi. “There’s room to laugh about the unexpected, but there’s also something to learn. Understanding what you can comfortably handle yourself, getting help with more complicated work and addressing small problems early can help keep the next chapter shorter—and less expensive.”

The Cost of DIY Mistakes

If you’ve ever had a home project take an unexpected turn, you’re not alone. According to Angi’s Home Oops Report, 78% of homeowners have experienced at least one "home oops" moment, living through more than three of them on average. While many homeowners take on ambitious home projects to save money, the financial reality often tells a different story.

As one anonymous U.S. homeowner put it: “We wanted to save some money on a mini project, but in the end we screwed up big time. We ruined our project on the fence, and we had to hire a professional to salvage our project instead.”

Here is what the "I've got this" decision can cost:

• DIY clean-up bill: Homeowners spent an average of $3,166 over three years fixing DIY project blunders. According to Angi’s survey, homeowners spent an average of $1,171 to fix a DIY mistake, and 43% spent more than $500.

• Pros to the rescue: More than half of DIY mistakes (52%) ultimately needed a professional to jump in and salvage the project.

One anonymous survey respondent described how a DIY leak repair turned into an even bigger mess until a plumber saved the day. “I have no idea what the professional did to fix it, but it still works properly because of them,” the U.S. homeowner said.

Sometimes, the floor isn’t really a floor. One anonymous U.S. homeowner shared, “I was putting in more insulation in the attic when I slipped and crashed through the ceiling. I had to have a professional put in new sheetrock, plaster, and paint.” Pros bring the right gear and plenty of practice for the high-up, high-voltage, and high-water jobs.

Unexpected (and Unforgettable) Homeownership Surprises

DIY detours aren't the only headaches homeowners have to navigate. Sometimes the most expensive and time-consuming problems are the ones left behind by a home's prior occupants.

28% of survey respondents reported finding a previous owner's mistake, shortcut, or downright cover-up. These weren't just quirky paint choices—most involved high-stakes systems that keep a home safe and dry: plumbing (51%), electrical (38%), and water damage or mold (33%).

Take the “removed” swimming pool. One anonymous survey respondent said, “[The previous owner] had a swimming pool in the backyard, and we were told that it was removed, but they didn’t actually remove it at all. They just filled it with dirt, so our backyard is basically a rotten dirt cemetery that smells like mold. We didn’t discover that until we had been in the house for over a year.”

Another homeowner kept feeling under the weather and couldn’t figure out why until a test came back positive for mold. It turns out, “we found out the previous owner painted over it.” If you’re buying a home, scheduling a home inspection before signing on the dotted line is your best line of defense against these unfortunate surprises.

An unexpected but common homeowner experience is finding a problem without an obvious cause. 24% of respondents dealt with baffling mystery issues—like untraceable gas leaks or a broken fridge that turned into a "frozen waterfall." Cue the detective music.

“We were gone for the weekend, and we noticed the living room carpet was wet. We went into the kitchen, and the pantry was wet. We looked all over and discovered a beautiful frozen waterfall in the freezer portion of the refrigerator,” said an anonymous U.S. homeowner.

To top it off, 33% said they’d experienced unexpected weather-related damage, while 20% dealt with damage caused by wildlife, rodents, or insects. “A raccoon actually crashed through my living room ceiling at 5:30 on a Sunday morning, and I opened the front door and chased it outside,” said one anonymous survey respondent. 

The Cost of Procrastination: When Delaying a Repair Backfires

When it comes to home maintenance and repairs, good intentions and a busy schedule can be as expensive as a DIY mistake. Delaying critical maintenance might ease your budget that month, but ignoring active issues almost always comes back to haunt you.

According to Angi’s data, 30% of homeowners knowingly delayed a necessary repair that ended up worsening as a result. Worse yet, 83% of those who postponed ended up paying significantly more than if they had addressed the issue right away—costing homeowners an average of $1,645 in extra repair fees.

Homeowners were most likely to ignore:

• Plumbing leaks: With 40% of homeowners admitting they've put off plumbing issues, it's worth remembering that a minor drip can quietly lead to rotted subflooring, ruined drywall, and mold.

• Roof damage: 33% of homeowners put off roofing issues, but missing shingles or small flashing gaps gives rain immediate access to your attic and structural framing.

Some homeowners get resourceful while they wait. One homeowner found a decorative solution for missing fixtures: “I have hung wreaths where the outside light fixtures are supposed to be.”

Angie’s Tips to Skip the Home Oops Moment

Living through a home mishap changes how you look at weekend DIY projects. After experiencing a home oops moment, 33% of surveyed homeowners said their biggest takeaway was that they should have called in a professional much sooner. For 27% of respondents, the headache and extra expense were enough to make them far more likely to hire a pro for their next home improvement task.

Don’t worry: Angie Hicks has five tips to avoid a home oops moment:

1. Consider your time, tools and talents before starting a DIY project. Do you have the time to complete the work, the right tools and the skills the job requires? If you’re missing any one of the three, hiring a pro is your best bet.

2. Fix small problems while they’re small. Plumbing leaks and roof issues are the repairs homeowners most often put off, and delays cost an average of $1,645 more.

3. Save the DIY for the right jobs. Small cosmetic upgrades and one-step fixes can be satisfying weekend projects. Complex plumbing, electrical, and high-up jobs are best left to someone who does them every day.

4. Get a home inspection when buying or selling. A trained set of eyes on the plumbing, electrical, roof, and moisture situation can catch what a fresh coat of paint might be hiding. 

5. Check the track record. Hiring a licensed, reviewed pro is the fastest and safest way to avoid a potentially expensive home oops.

To read the full 2026 Home Oops Report and explore resources for planning projects and finding local pros, visit Angi.com.