Delay repairs or DIY? Homeowners who can't afford repairs worry their homes are less safe

USA Today

10-07-2025

In today's housing market, just buying a home can feel like crossing a finish line, but homeowners know it's only the beginning of a long, expensive, and complicated journey.
Once homeowners are in the door, the down payment is spent, and focus shifts toward mortgage payments, it's not uncommon for repairs or upgrades to fall to the wayside. Between rising labor costs, material prices, and inflation, it's no secret home maintenance is expensive. This year, 71% of homeowners postponed renovations due to economic uncertainty, according to a survey by Guardian Service, which helps consumers shop insurance policies.
That's usually where home insurance comes in. However, nearly 1 in 4 homeowners admit they've skipped filing a home insurance claim because they worried their home would not pass inspection. It's an even more common fear among young homeowners, with 1 in 3 Gen Z reporting they've been afraid to file.
Close to a third of homeowners said they may wait a year or two before committing to major upgrades, and 15% said they're putting them off indefinitely. But the decision to live with a leaky ceiling or make peace with other problems in your home can have long-term consequences.
Jon Ruggiero, Guardian Service's vice president of sales, compared home repairs to going to the doctor for a checkup, getting your car's oil changed, or its tires rotated. Without proper maintenance, homeowners could face more costly problems down the line.
"Your home really is no different. It is the biggest investment you're ever going to make in your life. You want to make sure you're regularly checking in,' Ruggiero said. 'If you don't, you're more likely to put yourself in a situation where you have one of those extreme costs creep up.'
Beyond risking rising premiums or getting dropped by insurers, nearly half of homeowners said they are concerned delaying maintenance in 2025 has made their house less safe.
What repairs are homeowners postponing?
It's little surprise homeowners prioritize necessary upgrades, with 69% saying they're most likely to invest in safety or structural improvements first.
But home improvement budgets fell by an average of 42% this year, and two-thirds of homeowners said they eliminated theirs entirely, the survey found.
Aesthetic upgrades, like repainting or installing new flooring, are the first to go, with 48% saying they're postponing those projects. Homeowners most often delay bathroom and kitchen remodels next. Less than a quarter of homeowners said they are also postponing window upgrades, electrical or plumbing repairs, and roof replacements this year.
Even with summer heat waves and unusually high temperatures, 14% of homeowners said they're delaying an HVAC replacement.
Delay or DIY?
Homeowners are holding out for a time when making upgrades would be cheaper.
At 69%, most say they are waiting for inflation to decline. Some are delaying in hopes of lower material and labor costs. Some are watching to see if potential tax credits or reduced tariffs will make their projects less expensive in the future.
Others aren't willing to wait. While they may not have money to hire a contractor, 62% of homeowners surveyed are tackling critical repairs themselves. Young people are most inclined to DIY, with about 2 in 3 Gen Z and Millennial homeowners skipping professional help to save money.
'Gen Z has grown up in a world where they can go online and YouTube fixes,' Ruggiero said. 'They're more prone to trying to make themselves the expert and try to DIY a fix.'
Anthony Scheirer, a public insurance adjuster known as the @insuranceclaimguy online, reminded homeowners that if they make any significant improvements, they need to let their insurance company know.
Otherwise, those upgrades won't be covered and the homeowner would be left with gaps in their insurance policy. That often means it's on the homeowner to pay the entire cost of rebuilding an undisclosed addition if it's lost in a fire, for example.
Some projects, like installing a wood stove, may increase liability or risk. If an insurer is kept in the dark about them until the next time a homeowner files a claim, especially if the wood stove caused a fire for instance, it could affect the overall payout.
'If you have a situation where you didn't tell them of the improvement, you could literally lose hundreds of thousands of dollars because you didn't make them aware,' Scheirer said.
Tips to lower home insurance premiums
Some home improvement projects can actually lower the owner's insurance premiums.
While nearly half of homeowners say they would complete a delayed upgrade if that was the case, 71% said their insurer has not educated them about which upgrades could lower their monthly payment.
Some common projects to lower premiums include storm-resistant windows, a new roof, and fireproofing, according to Guardian Service. Ruggiero told USA TODAY that installing a smart thermostat or central security system are some of the easiest upgrades homeowners can make that may bring their insurance costs down.
But every policy is different. Ruggiero and Scheirer recommend reviewing yours with a qualified professional to see what changes could bring down your premiums.
Reach Rachel Barber at [e-mail] and follow her on X @rachelbarber_