The 2026 Renovation ROI Index
How much of each renovation's cost comes back at resale, ranked. These are Return on Reno planning estimates — most are grounded in published national “Cost vs. Value”-style remodeling data, some are modelled on a long-tracked report category without a specific edition verified line-by-line, and a minority have no single traceable published source and are labelled editorial estimates instead. Each project's exact classification is in the source register — check it before citing a specific figure as a measured study result. Figures are free to cite with a link, and you can embed our live calculator on your own site.
Projects ranked by cost recouped
What the ROI index tracks and how to read it
The index ranks every major residential renovation project by a single metric: the percentage of the project's cost that is typically reflected back in the home's resale value. A score of 100% means the project effectively pays for itself at sale — the home sells for roughly the same amount more than it would have without the renovation. A score of 50% means half the spend disappears as a lifestyle cost you consumed, not an investment you recovered.
Where a project has a directly comparable category in a published “Cost vs. Value” report or the NAR Remodeling Impact Report, we use that as the base figure. Where no comparable published category exists, we say so and use a clearly labelled editorial planning estimate instead — see the source register for exactly which is which. Either way, figures are then normalised to a midrange finish level and national average labour rates. The result is a planning-grade benchmark — not an appraisal, but a reliable starting point for deciding where your next dollar goes. You can adjust for your own finish level, region, and home value in the interactive calculator.
How to interpret the tiers
We break projects into three tiers to make the data actionable at a glance:
- Strong (80%+): led by Garage door replacement, Entry door replacement (steel), Manufactured stone veneer, Fiber-cement siding replacement and others — mostly condition or curb-appeal work. They cost relatively little, change a lot of what buyers and appraisers see (or feel in energy bills), and routinely recover their cost or close to it. If you are renovating to sell, start here.
- Moderate (55–79%): includes Whole-home cosmetic refresh, Bathroom remodel, Basement / loft conversion, Garage conversion to living space and others. These are solid “refresh” projects — they make a home feel updated without necessarily recovering the full spend. The lifestyle enjoyment is high if you are staying.
- Low payback (<55%): includes Electrical panel upgrade (100A to 200A), Major kitchen remodel, Bathroom addition, Fence installation and others. That does not make them bad projects — it makes them lifestyle purchases that happen to add some resale value. Go in with eyes open and a budget you are comfortable partly consuming.
What the trends mean for homeowners
Several patterns have strengthened over the past decade of cost-vs-value data and are worth noting as you plan:
- Exterior projects have widened their lead. Garage doors and entry doors have topped the rankings for years, and the gap over interior projects has grown as labour and materials costs for interior work have risen faster than what buyers will credit at resale.
- Energy-efficiency upgrades are climbing. Attic insulation, window replacement, and EV charger installation have all gained ground as utility costs rise and buyers factor running costs into their offers.
- Major remodels keep falling. The gap between a minor kitchen remodel (~85% recouped) and a major one (~50%) has widened, not narrowed. Custom finishes cost more to install and rarely match the next buyer's exact taste, which means more of that spend is written off at sale.
- Bathroom additions have plateaued. Adding a new bathroom still recoups about half its cost. The exception is when a home is genuinely short on bathrooms for its bedroom count — a three-bedroom, one-bathroom house gains more from a bath addition than a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house does.
The bottom line: the data rewards restraint and broad appeal. Projects that fix visible condition issues and match the neighbourhood standard outperform projects that push a home above its local ceiling. For a deeper look at that dynamic, see our guide on how to avoid overcapitalising.
Full table
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Compare projects, split a budget, or enter your own quote.
Open the calculator →Methodology: national midrange “Cost vs. Value” averages compiled from published remodeling data, adjusted for finish, scope and region. Planning estimates, not appraisals or quotes; ROI varies by local market. Sources: Remodeling/JLC Cost vs Value, NAR Remodeling Impact Report. Reviewed by Darren Newland, June 2026. See the full source register for every project's exact classification.
Last reviewed: June 2026 · Return on Reno