{"id":1010188,"date":"2026-10-14T11:35:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T15:35:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/diy-detours-and-uninvited-raccoons-angi-reveals-americas-home-oops-report\/"},"modified":"2026-10-14T11:35:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T15:35:11","slug":"diy-detours-and-uninvited-raccoons-angi-reveals-americas-home-oops-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/diy-detours-and-uninvited-raccoons-angi-reveals-americas-home-oops-report\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Detours and Uninvited Raccoons: Angi Reveals America\u2019s \u201cHome Oops\u201d Report"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nNew report finds 78% of homeowners have experienced a home mishap, with an average of $3,166 spent correcting mistakes over three years
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DENVER, Oct. 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A cabinet installation that took the counter down with it. A \u201cbeautiful frozen waterfall\u201d inside a refrigerator. A raccoon making an unscheduled entrance through the living room ceiling. Homeownership comes with plenty of stories. Angi<\/u><\/a>, a leading digital home services marketplace, today launches its first-ever Home Oops Report,<\/u><\/a> exploring DIY mistakes, delayed repairs, hidden surprises inherited from previous owners and the lessons that prompt homeowners to hire a pro.<\/p>\n

The survey of 1,000 U.S. homeowners finds that 78% have experienced a \u201chome oops,\u201d spending an average of $3,166 over the past three years correcting mishaps. The average homeowner has experienced more than 3 mishaps, and 22% have had five or more.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost homeowners have a project that looked simpler before they started\u2014or a surprise their house saved for just the right moment,\u201d said Angie Hicks, co-founder of Angi. \u201cThere\u2019s room to laugh about the unexpected, but there\u2019s 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\u2014and less expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n DIY confidence sometimes needs a second opinion<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n

Saving money drove 40% of respondents to DIY or postpone repairs, while 32% believed they could do the work themselves. But a smaller upfront bill doesn\u2019t always mean a cheaper project: Homeowners spent an average of $1,171 correcting a DIY mistake, and a professional ultimately fixed DIY projects gone wrong 52% of the time.<\/p>\n

One homeowner\u2019s cabinet installation became an unexpected two-for-one repair: \u201cI was trying to put up a cabinet and wound up breaking the counter and the cabinet itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before starting, consider whether your tools, time and talent match the job\u2014especially when a mistake could damage more than the project itself.<\/p>\n

\n Some homes come with bonus plot twists<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n

Not every oops begins with a DIY attempt. Some home oops moments come with the keys. More than one-quarter of homeowners (28%) discovered a mistake, shortcut or hidden issue left by a previous occupant. Among those homeowners, 51% encountered plumbing issues, 38% electrical issues and 33% water damage or mold.<\/p>\n

Another 24% faced a mystery repair. One homeowner followed a trail of wet carpet and pantry flooring to an unlikely source: \u201cLooked all over and discovered a beautiful frozen waterfall in the freezer portion of the refrigerator.\u201d<\/p>\n

Weather brought unexpected damage for 33% of homeowners, while wildlife, rodents or insects caused damage for 20%. One respondent got a particularly memorable wake-up call: \u201cA 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n \u201cI\u2019ll get to it\u201d can come with an extra bill<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n

Putting off a repair can add another line to the bill. Thirty percent of homeowners knowingly delayed a repair that got worse. Among those who delayed, 83% paid more than they would have by addressing it promptly, with an average additional cost of $1,645.<\/p>\n

The silver lining: 33% of homeowners said their biggest lesson was to call a pro sooner, and 30% said they should have addressed the issue immediately. Another 27% said their mishap made them more likely to hire a pro next time.<\/p>\n

\n Home Oops by the Numbers<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n