A room with wooden floors and a door to the outside has an exposed, unfinished stairwell with no railing, creating a sudden drop next to the door. Part of the floor is missing, revealing stairs below.

Home improvement projects are usually meant to make a space feel more comfortable and functional. Yet every now and then, a plan goes wrong in a way that leaves everyone wondering how it ever passed inspection. Some of these mishaps are the result of bold but misguided creativity, while others seem to come from people who forgot the importance of a tape measure. The result is a collection of mistakes that are equally confusing and funny.

A few of these blunders are mildly inconvenient, while others could pose a serious safety concern. Some are so strange that they feel like scenes from a comedy sketch rather than anything you’d expect to find in a real home. After seeing these, you may just gain a new appreciation for something as simple as a correctly painted living room. Let’s take a look at 20 home improvement fails that people need a refund for.

1. What a beautiful fence they built for their house

A short green wooden gate stands alone without a fence, in front of a green house with a curved sidewalk and garden plants around it.
agencylogic/via reddit.com

2. They wanted an interior designer to redo their bathroom; let’s just say the husband wasn’t so pleased

A unique bathroom features a bathtub shaped like a high-heeled shoe, with brown and beige mosaic patterns. The room is softly lit, with white curtains, folded towels, and a floral wall art in the background.
wills2003/via reddit.com

3. “I told my wife all doors were the same size.”

A white six-panel door is installed incorrectly, hanging sideways so it does not fully close within the door frame. The door handle and hinges are misaligned. The walls are painted grey.
bossdt/via reddit.com

4. I’ve heard of painting yourself into a corner, but never this

A person in a purple shirt kneels on a wooden floor, cleaning or refinishing a section of it. The room is empty, with light gray walls, white trim, and framed artwork on the walls.
bossdt/via reddit.com

5. “I felt artsy while installing this door.”

A wooden door is open beneath a doorway with an unusual zigzag cutout in the wall to fit the door frame. The room inside has a window, a table, and beige carpet.
userdeleted/via reddit.com

6. “3 hours just for this.”

A photo showing a failed DIY kitty door: on the left, a circular hole is cut in the floor; on the right, a door with a circular hole at the top instead of the bottom. Text reads “kitty door install,” “LOL,” and “i hate myself.”
bossdt/via reddit.com

7. This is what happens when you remove a load-bearing wall during renovations

A brick house with a green roof is heavily damaged and leaning to one side. The front porch and steps are collapsed, debris is scattered, and a blue recycle bin sits at the curb. Trees and a flower bed are visible nearby.
bossdt/via reddit.com

8. “My parents didn’t think we needed a paint roller, but they were wrong.”

A room with partially painted green walls, a wooden door frame, a white ceiling pull switch, a white wall control panel, a round mirror, and a shelf holding various items. Some original beige wall is still visible.
kiddiespread/via reddit.com

9. They probably should have put the cat out before pouring the new steps

Fresh concrete stairs with multiple animal paw prints and footprints scattered across the wet surface, indicating that animals walked on the stairs before the concrete dried. White walls frame the staircase.
userdeleted/via reddit.com

10. The classic landlord paint job

An electrical outlet covered by a thick layer of beige paint, making the outlet barely visible and blending it into the wall.
bossdt/via reddit.com

11. In case you didn’t know, a carpet toilet seat is an awful idea

A toilet with an open lid has a blue fuzzy toilet seat cover that appears dirty and stained. The bathroom floor has beige tiles and a brown and beige bath mat nearby.
ubui/via reddit.com

12. Wow, neat fan installation

A ceiling fan is spinning with one of its blades wedged into a vertical support beam, showing poor placement and resulting in the fan being unable to rotate freely.
userdeleted/via reddit.com

13. They wanted a new showerhead

Side-by-side photos of a bathroom shower show a showerhead awkwardly positioned above a towel rod, making it unusable for showering. Towels hang on the rod, and beige tiles cover the wall.
bossdt/via reddit.com

14. Ah, yes, the kitchen counter/stair hybrid

Modern kitchen with red cabinets, a white countertop, a built-in oven, a fridge, and an open bar area; white stairs lead up on the left, and a wooden dining table with chairs is in the foreground.
shadowsgirl9/via reddit.com

15. “Great, now I can wash my knees.”

A small white bathroom with a bathtub, wall-mounted showerhead, and a sink beneath a frosted window. The door is slightly open and has a green and yellow fish-shaped cloth hanging on a hook.
bossdt/via reddit.com

16. The staircase of doom

Wooden staircase with alternating tread steps inside a structure with unfinished wooden walls. The unique design allows for steep ascent in a compact space.
bossdt/via reddit.com

17. Only children and pets may use this staircase

A man walks up a staircase that leads directly into a low ceiling, making it impossible for him to continue without hitting his head. The wall and stair railings are made of light wood, and part of the wall is painted yellow.
userdeleted/via reddit.com

18. These renovations to this 500-year-old tower are a disgrace

A stone castle tower with a modern, light blue, stepped extension attached to one side. The extension has rectangular windows and contrasts sharply with the historic architecture.
sad8at/via reddit.com

19. They built this pergola over their back patio for some extra “shade”

A backyard patio with reddish concrete flooring, black pergola, garden hose, and various tools. There are stone retaining walls and houses in the background, and a person working near the wall.
bossdt/via reddit.com

20. Maybe consult a contractor before your next DIY attempt

A living room with light wood floors and gray walls has an exposed staircase hole near glass doors, showing unfinished stairs and missing floorboards, creating a hazard.
bossdt/via reddit.com

Want to see more fails?

Check out 20 Garage Sale Fails People Were Just Trying To Get Rid Of, or take a look at 20 Tattoo Fails That Escape Sense Completely. Finally, if you want to see hilarious car mod fails, take a look at 20 Car Mod Fails That Are Just Plain Bad.

Meet the Writer

Patrick is a writer based in upstate New York, where he grew up and still calls home. Over the past year, he’s been diving deep into storytelling, especially tales rooted in history, the Wild West, lost treasures, and ancient artifacts. He’s also drawn to unsolved mysteries and whatever the internet can’t stop talking about.

Whether it’s a centuries-old legend or a bizarre internet rabbit hole, Patrick is always chasing the threads of a compelling story. When he’s not chasing stories, Pat’s probably hiking mountain trails with his dog, exploring new corners of the U.S., or doom-scrolling between hangouts with friends and family. He finds inspiration in nature, forgotten places, and random conversations—anything that sparks curiosity. Whether it’s city streets or backcountry paths, Patrick’s always on the lookout for the next great story.