Certainties in life include death, taxes and home repair projects that pop up out of the blue — such as a leaky roof or must-have kitchen upgrades. Even when these projects aren’t planned, they tend to add up: Homeowners spent $522 billion on 115 million projects in the past two years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey.

In a time of uncertainity, many homeowners are looking to their homes for comfort and security. That’s especially true for major renovations like adding a master suite or finishing a basement. While these improvements can boost a home’s resale value, it’s important to choose wisely. Excessive improvements can eat up your budget and may detract from the home’s overall appeal.

The most popular renovations currently surging across the country are those that are done outdoors, says Anderson. That includes deck construction, which is up 275%, and the building of fences, which has spiked 144%. Those kinds of improvements can help boost the curbside appeal and livability of your home.

Fortunately, most homeowners are able to afford these projects without using their savings or going into debt. In fact, according to a September NerdWallet survey, three-fourths of the 3 in 5 homeowners who have taken on DIY projects since March 1 of this year say they’ve been able to pay for the majority of their work without using any credit or tapping into retirement funds.

The most common source of funding for larger-scale home improvement projects is cash from savings, but the survey also notes that some people use sources like contractor arranged financing, mortgage refinancing and credit cards.