From home to home? It’s the most intimidating room to renovate

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According to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Centers, spending on residential renovation projects increased from $328 billion in 2019 to $472 billion in 2022, with spending estimated at $485 billion in 2024.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents to a recent OnePoll survey conducted on behalf of Bath Fitter say they are confident in their ability to do their own home renovations. In fact, after watching an average of about seven hours of renovation content each week, more than a third of Americans believe they have the skills and know-how to host their own home renovation show.

But before you go tackling this problem with a sledgehammer, it might be worth asking yourself whether you actually have the skills to tackle a home renovation. The survey of 2,000 American homeowners also found that 48% of them admit they wouldn’t want to tackle plumbing or electrical work in their home themselves.

TV inspiration

Is our confidence in renovating our homes the fault of our TVs? All those hours spent in front of the TV seem to make us experts on the subject: 86% of homeowners agree that watching content about renovating and decorating their homes inspires them to make changes to their own space.

Overall, almost seven out of ten respondents have already tried to renovate some aspect of their home themselves. The three rooms most often affected are the bathroom, the kitchen and the living room.

Many homeowners have undertaken renovations themselves simply because rooms were outdated or no longer suited their tastes. However, 13% of them admit to doing the renovations because they were embarrassed by the space.

94% of respondents who renovated part of their home consider their work to have been a success and that the main thing they would have changed would have been to start their renovation project earlier. But despite this, 14% of these people would still have regretted not having called in a professional.

Take the plunge

Of the 31% of those who haven’t attempted to renovate some aspect of their home themselves, nearly half admit that fear has gotten the better of them. They even avoid attempting renovations for fear of ruining their home. Other homeowners think they need more skills than they have, or simply don’t know where to start.

But that doesn’t mean Americans aren’t willing to get their hands dirty. Many respondents are used to using basic tools, like tape measures, drills, levels and even sanders.

“It’s no secret that home renovations can be intimidating, but it’s encouraging to see that so many American homeowners are already attempting to renovate their homes to fit their unique needs and aesthetic,” says Jennifer Dionne, vice president of marketing at Bath Fitter. “The survey results revealed that among respondents who haven’t attempted a renovation, the two rooms they would feel most comfortable tackling are the bathroom and master bedroom (19%). Renovations can seem daunting, but there are updates you can make that are affordable, time-consuming and aesthetically pleasing.”

When asked what their biggest concern is when it comes to home renovations, homeowners considering a project often cite recurring themes like “the time it will take to complete,” “the expense,” or “the cost.” Others worry that “it won’t go well” or even that they’re “too old.”

Perhaps this is why just over half of those surveyed prefer to hire a professional rather than tackle their home renovations themselves, or why 57% of respondents admit that the DIY approach is too intimidating to take.

Kitchens and bathrooms are the two most commonly renovated rooms in homes. According to the Houzz & Home Study 2024 in the United States, about 29% of people are renovating their kitchen, while 25% to 27% are renovating their master and guest bathrooms.

Just over two in five people are dissatisfied with the condition of their bathroom. For these respondents, the bathtub, shower and overall size of the bathroom are the top three areas in need of work.

“There’s a common myth in the renovation world that people think they have to tear everything down to get what they want. That’s not true,” says HGTV star and renovation expert Scott McGillivray. “You don’t have to create a huge upheaval by tearing it down to get what you want, especially in the bathroom. Often, we have the perfect location and size for a tub or shower, but we just need to refinish it.”

This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.