More evidence of a soft economy: The home remodeling market. The latest reading from the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University shows a sluggish home improvement market well into next year.

That’s bad news for economic growth. However, it’s good news for homeowners thinking about remodeling projects. They should have some extra leverage to negotiate a good deal with contractors.

This recent article from the Wall Street Journal offers tips on projects with the best potential for return on spending. It also suggests which remodeling activities are fine for the DIY list and which ones should be be left to the pros.