What r/HomeImprovement keeps coming back to
Complaints raised here by more than one person. One-off posts are not included.
547 recurring problems · 2317 threads read · read since September 2026 · Reddit
Raised more than once here
Most people first.
- 178Why is my overseeding failing to grow?“realizing I had put the seed ON TOP of the straw.”
- 128How do I identify if these bugs are bed bugs?“I just bought a house and of course, the weekend we move in, we see - during the day - a huge skunk that was falling over every time it tried to take a step.”
- 126How to fix a leaking water pipe in a tight space“The tub faucets leaks. And if I pull up the diverter(which is attached to the top of faucet) so that the water goes to the shower head, then the showerhead starts leaking.”
- 114Should I pay for appliance repair or fix it myself?“Every time the water heater kicks on, I hear this popping and crackling sound from the basement.”
- 113How do I know if a contractor quote is fair?“Does this quote seem fair for replacing a concrete driveway in Southeast Michigan?”
- 111How to handle a bad contractor who won't fix poor work“We hired a guy three weeks ago to tile our bathroom shower.”
- 94Landlord built a fence around the AC and it broke“our ac had been acting a little off for a while, but the house was still cool so i figured it could wait.”
- 89What are these tiny red beads in my house?“Any idea what insects these are? Should I get a professional or can I handle this solo? Or am I being nervous about nothing and should just clean things off with a swiffer or something?”
- 79How to find reliable contractors who actually show up“The day comes and he doesn't show. When I call him he claims has no idea who I am, but can send someone over right away.”
- 69Why are contractor and window replacement quotes so absurdly high?“I was just quoted $146,000 for 2 12' sliders, 1 6' slider, 2 small windows and 8 large windows including installation.”
- 63How to get stubborn makeup out of white clothes“I have tried everything to get quite dark prominent make up stains out of my white work blouse (dishwashing liquid, expensive stain remover, expensive all white stain remover, soaking over night etc) and nothing worked.”
- 57How do I know if I can DIY a repair or need a pro?“Should I hire a electrician or handy man.”
- 57How to remove a stripped recessed retaining screw“I’m trying to remove this very rusty screw, but it’s completely stuck, WD-40 didnt do anything,”
- 55How to choose between different HVAC replacement quotes“Is anyone familiar with Goodman brand hvac equipment? We have to replace a 25 yr old Trane unit. One of the bids was for this brand and the price is attractive.”
- 50How to fix a leaky plumbing valve that doesn't fit a new faucet“I asked Ikea if they could sell me a replacement part and they told me I would need to buy a whole new sink.”
- 48Water keeps getting in the house during heavy rain“Water coming up between our first floor slab and outer brick wall... No idea where to turn at this point”
- 45How to get dried paint stripper off hardwood floors“Ive been trying to scrape this off, someone told me to hold off and check for asbestos. Does this look like it’s asbestos to anyone ? Additionally , any tips to get this shit off efficiently i’d love to hear.”
- 44How to get rid of tiny flying bugs coming out of wooden furniture“My kitchen and basement are filled with fruit flies and IDK where they are coming from.”
- 43How to find replacement parts for discontinued hardware“In the process 24 tiles were destroyed. We are now 3 tiles short.”
- 42How to get a stuck bathtub stopper cap off“I have an older and stubborn shower arm in my new home I'm trying to remove.”
What this forum worries about more than the rest
How much more often a topic shows up here than across every forum we read.
permits11×soundproofing11×moisture11×renovation planning11×