How Renovation ROI Works
ROI for home renovations is measured as the percentage of your project cost you recoup in increased home value when you sell. A kitchen remodel with 70% ROI on a $30,000 investment returns $21,000 in added home value. The gap is the cost of enjoying the improvement while you live there.
Best ROI Projects for My Timeline
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Renovation ROI by Project Type
National averages from Cost vs. Value Report 2024. Click any column header to sort.
| Garage door replacement | $4,500 | 194% |
| Steel entry door replacement | $2,500 | 177% |
| Manufactured stone veneer | $11,000 | 157% |
| Grand entrance (fiberglass door) | $4,000 | 88% |
| Siding replacement (fiber cement) | $20,000 | 80% |
| Minor kitchen remodel (midrange) | $27,000 | 74% |
| Deck addition (wood) | $17,000 | 71% |
| Siding (vinyl) | $17,000 | 71% |
| Window replacement (vinyl) | $20,000 | 68% |
| Insulation upgrade (attic) | $2,500 | 68% |
| Deck (composite) | $24,000 | 63% |
| Roof replacement | $30,000 | 61% |
| HVAC replacement | $10,000 | 60% |
| Major kitchen remodel (midrange) | $80,000 | 56% |
| Bathroom remodel (midrange) | $25,000 | 54% |
| Window replacement (wood) | $25,000 | 52% |
| Master suite addition | $150,000 | 50% |
| Roofing (metal) | $50,000 | 50% |
| Bathroom remodel (upscale) | $80,000 | 45% |
| Bathroom addition | $60,000 | 45% |
| Basement finishing | $58,000 | 40% |
| Primary bedroom addition | $160,000 | 38% |
| Home office addition | $50,000 | 32% |
| Backup generator | $20,000 | 30% |
| Sunroom addition | $75,000 | 29% |
ROI figures are national averages. Your market matters enormously — in hot markets with low inventory, kitchen and bath ROI can be much higher. In slower markets, even high-ROI projects may return less.
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The Projects With the Best ROI Are Almost Never the Ones Homeowners Think
The highest ROI renovation projects are almost always exterior and curb appeal improvements — not the big interior splurges homeowners dream about. Garage door replacements, entry doors, manufactured stone veneer, and siding consistently deliver the best return on investment.
Meanwhile, the projects homeowners get most excited about — home theaters, sunrooms, primary suite additions, luxury bathroom overhauls — consistently rank among the lowest ROI investments. A $75,000 sunroom addition returns only about 29% of its cost at resale.
This doesn't mean you shouldn't do interior renovations. It means you should go in with realistic expectations. If you're renovating because you love your home and plan to stay, the enjoyment value is real. But if you're renovating primarily to increase your home's value before selling, focus on exterior and curb appeal first.
Homeowners consistently overestimate what interior renovations add to resale value. The data tells a different story — and knowing that story before you spend is the whole point.
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