Cost $4,300Adds $8,342
Renovation ROI calculator
Before you pay for a remodel, see what it is likely to add to your sale price. Compare 27 home improvement projects, adjusted for your part of the US and the value of your house.
1 Your home
2 Pick projects 0 selected
3 Compare ROI
Pick one or more projects above to see cost, value added and how much you get back. Not sure where to start? These usually return the most:
Cost $2,400Adds $4,512Cost $11,000Adds $16,830Cost $7,500Adds $8,850Cost $2,400Adds $2,400Cost $6,000Adds $6,000
Why a bigger budget rarely means a bigger return
Every project follows the same shape. The first dollars fix what buyers notice and would otherwise deduct for: a dated counter, a dented door, missing light. Later dollars buy finishes that are nicer but narrower in appeal, so the value line bends and flattens.
Then there is the street. Appraisers price your house against recent sales nearby. Once a kitchen is far better than the ones in comparable homes, buyers and lenders simply won't pay for the difference. Drag the budget and watch the dot fall below the dashed break-even line.
That is why a minor kitchen remodel recoups roughly twice the share of an upscale one, and why raising the home value slider lifts the ceiling.
Spend $27,500 → buyers pay about $26,400 more. That is 96% recouped.
How to use these numbers
Percent recouped is the headline: value added divided by cost. Anything near 100% is close to "free" if you sell. Below about 60%, the project is mainly for your own enjoyment.
Net at sale is the dollar result. A big project can have a low percentage but still add the most dollars, so look at both. The full ranking lives on best ROI home improvements, and cost vs value explained covers where these kinds of figures come from.
Flipping or buying a fixer-upper? Investors work from after-repair value, not percent recouped: estimate it with the ARV calculator, then test the whole deal in the fix and flip calculator. Getting ready to list? Start with what to fix before selling.
Frequently asked questions
Which home improvements add the most value?
Small exterior projects consistently recoup the highest share of their cost: garage door replacement, a steel entry door, stone veneer and a minor kitchen remodel. Large projects like additions and upscale remodels add more dollars in total but recoup a much smaller percentage.
How is renovation ROI calculated here?
ROI = resale value added ÷ project cost. We start from national planning midpoints for each project, adjust cost and value by your Census division, then adjust for the size of the project relative to your home value, since a project that is large for the house tends to recoup less.
Are these numbers an appraisal?
No. They are planning estimates based on regional averages, patterned on the kind of figures published in Remodeling magazine's Cost vs. Value report and the NAR Remodeling Impact report. Your local market, the condition of your house and your contractor's price all move the real figure.
Should I renovate before selling?
Fix what buyers will deduct for (a failing roof, a broken door, peeling siding) and do cheap cosmetic work. Large remodels right before a sale rarely pay back in full.
Is my data saved?
Your state, home value and picks are saved only in your own browser (localStorage) so the calculator remembers them. You can clear them on the privacy page.