Key Remodeling ROI Statistics (2026)
- 268%: Garage door replacement cost recouped, the #1 project ($4,672 cost, $12,507 resale value) — 2025 Cost vs Value Report
- 216%: Steel entry door replacement ($2,435 cost, $5,270 resale value) — 2025 Cost vs Value Report
- ~208%: Manufactured stone veneer, the #3 project — Fixr analysis of 2025 Cost vs Value data
- 113%: Minor kitchen remodel, the only interior project in the national top five — Fixr / 2025 Cost vs Value
- 76%: Average cost recouped across the 27 non-garage-door projects — Door & Access Systems magazine
- 8 of 9: Years garage doors have held the #1 ROI spot in the Cost vs Value Report
- 100% / 83% / 80%: Cost recovery for steel front doors, closet renovations, and fiberglass front doors — NAR 2025 Remodeling Impact Report
- 60% / 50%: Cost recovery for complete kitchen renovations and bathroom renovations — NAR 2025 Remodeling Impact Report
Every year, two major studies measure what remodeling projects return at resale: Zonda's Cost vs Value Report, which compares average job costs against realtor-estimated resale value in 115 US markets, and the National Association of Realtors' Remodeling Impact Report, produced with the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. This page distills both into one reference.
A quick honesty note from a contractor: ROI percentages measure resale value, not the value of living in a home you love. Most of my Kansas City clients remodel to stay, not to sell. But if resale math matters to your decision, these are the numbers to know.
Cost Recouped by Project: 2025 Cost vs Value Report
The 2025 Cost vs Value Report tracks 28 projects nationally. The table below shows national average cost-recouped percentages as compiled by Fixr's analysis of the report, with the top-two project costs confirmed by Door & Access Systems magazine:
| Project (National Average) | Cost Recouped | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Garage door replacement | 268% | Exterior |
| Entry door replacement (steel) | 216% | Exterior |
| Manufactured stone veneer | 208% | Exterior |
| Siding replacement (fiber-cement) | 114% | Exterior |
| Minor kitchen remodel (midrange) | 113% | Interior |
| Deck addition (wood) | 95% | Exterior |
| Deck addition (composite) | 89% | Exterior |
| Bath remodel (midrange) | 80% | Interior |
| Basement remodel | ~71% | Interior |
| Bath remodel (universal design) | 61% | Interior |
| Bathroom addition (midrange) | 53% | Addition |
| Backyard patio | 46% | Exterior |
| Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) | 41% | Addition |
| Solar power installation | 30% | Exterior |
Percentages are national averages; figures rounded to the nearest point. "~71%" basement figure per Fixr's cost-vs-value analysis. Local results vary with market conditions; Midwest job costs typically run below coastal averages.
Top Projects by Cost Recouped, 2025
National averages. Source: 2025 Cost vs Value Report (Zonda), via Fixr and Door & Access Systems magazine
The Pattern: Exterior Beats Interior
The most consistent finding in this data: curb appeal pays better than square footage. The top four projects of 2025 are all exterior, and according to Door & Access Systems magazine, the garage door has held the #1 spot in eight of the past nine Cost vs Value reports, while the other 27 projects averaged just 76 percent cost recouped in 2025. Steel entry doors tell the same story, jumping from 64 percent recouped in 2022 to 101 percent in 2023, 188 percent in 2024, and 216 percent in 2025 per the same analysis.
Why? Exterior replacements are relatively cheap, instantly visible in listing photos, and signal to buyers that the home has been maintained. Big interior remodels cost far more, and buyers discount them for taste. That is also why upscale projects recoup less than midrange versions of the same project almost across the board.
What NAR's Realtors Say: The 2025 Remodeling Impact Report
The National Association of Realtors' 2025 Remodeling Impact Report, produced with NARI, asks realtors to estimate resale value added and asks homeowners how happy the project made them (a "Joy Score" out of 10). Its top cost-recovery projects: new steel front door (100 percent), closet renovation (83 percent), and new fiberglass front door (80 percent). A complete kitchen renovation recovers about 60 percent and bathroom renovations about 50 percent, per the report.
The joy data flips the ranking. The average Joy Score across projects was 8.2, and three projects earned a perfect 10: primary bedroom suite additions, kitchen upgrades, and new roofing. In other words, the projects people love most are rarely the ones that recoup the most, which matches what I see with clients every week.
Kitchen ROI
The minor kitchen remodel, think refaced cabinets, new counters, updated appliances and flooring rather than a gut job, recouped about 113 percent nationally in 2025 per Fixr's Cost vs Value analysis, making it the only interior project in the top five. A complete kitchen renovation, by contrast, recovers roughly 60 percent per NAR, even though it earns a perfect Joy Score. If you're budgeting one locally, our Kansas City kitchen remodel cost guide breaks down what each tier costs here.
Bathroom ROI
Midrange bath remodels recouped about 80 percent in the 2025 Cost vs Value data, with universal-design remodels at 61 percent and midrange bathroom additions at 53 percent. NAR's realtor survey is stingier at roughly 50 percent for bathroom renovations. The spread is a good reminder that condition matters: replacing a failing 1970s bathroom recovers more than re-styling a functional 2010s one. Local pricing is in our Kansas City bathroom remodel cost guide.
Basement ROI
Basement remodels come in around 71 percent cost recouped nationally per Fixr's analysis. But raw ROI undersells basements: finishing one is usually the cheapest way per square foot to add living space, because the foundation, roof, and framing already exist. We break down the local math, including when a basement finish beats an addition, in our guide to finished basement ROI in Kansas City.
Deck ROI
Wood decks recouped about 95 percent and composite decks about 89 percent in the 2025 data per Fixr. Wood's lower upfront cost flatters its percentage; composite owners get the payback in skipped staining and longer life. For real Kansas City per-square-foot pricing on both, see our deck cost guide. And if you're weighing bigger projects, our roundup of the best home additions for value in Kansas City applies this same data locally.
For the bigger picture behind these numbers, including market size, average spending, and why demand keeps rising, see our companion page of home remodeling statistics and trends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What home improvement has the highest ROI in 2026?
Garage door replacement. The 2025 Cost vs Value Report (Zonda) found a $4,672 garage door replacement returned an estimated $12,507 at resale, a 268% cost recouped, the highest of all 28 tracked projects. Per Door & Access Systems magazine, garage doors have held the top ROI spot in eight of the past nine reports.
Do kitchen remodels pay for themselves at resale?
Small ones can. The 2025 Cost vs Value data puts a midrange minor kitchen remodel at roughly 113% cost recouped, the only interior project in the national top five, per Fixr's analysis. Full renovations recoup much less: the National Association of Realtors' 2025 Remodeling Impact Report estimates a complete kitchen renovation recovers about 60% of its cost.
Which adds more resale value, exterior or interior remodeling?
Exterior projects consistently recoup more. In the 2025 Cost vs Value Report, the top four projects (garage door, steel entry door, manufactured stone veneer, fiber-cement siding) are all exterior, each recouping roughly 114% to 268%. Excluding the garage door, the remaining 27 projects averaged just 76% cost recouped, per Door & Access Systems magazine's analysis of the report.
What is the ROI on a bathroom remodel?
A midrange bathroom remodel recoups about 80% of its cost per the 2025 Cost vs Value data, while a universal-design bathroom recoups about 61% and a midrange bathroom addition about 53%. The National Association of Realtors' 2025 Remodeling Impact Report is more conservative, estimating bathroom renovations recover around 50%.
What is the ROI on a new deck?
The 2025 Cost vs Value data puts a wood deck addition at about 94.9% cost recouped and a composite deck at about 88.5%, per Fixr's analysis. Wood costs less up front, which flatters its ROI; composite wins on lifetime maintenance.
Does a finished basement add home value?
Yes, though it rarely recoups 100% at resale. Fixr's analysis of cost-vs-value data pegs basement remodels at roughly 71% cost recouped nationally. Basements shine on cost per square foot of living space gained, which is why they remain one of the most popular ways to add finished space.
Sources
- Zonda, 2025 Cost vs Value Report (official report; 28 projects, 115 markets)
- Fixr, Cost vs Value 2025: Top Home Improvement Projects Ranked (national cost-recouped percentages by project)
- Door & Access Systems magazine, ROI for Garage Doors Skyrockets in 2025 (job costs, resale values, 76% average, multi-year trend)
- National Association of Realtors, 2025 Remodeling Impact Report announcement (cost recovery and Joy Scores, with NARI)
- NAR, Remodeling Impact research hub
About the Author
Bob Coulston, Owner of Coulston Construction
Bob is a 4th generation contractor who founded Coulston Construction 15 years ago. His team of 30+ employees has completed over 500 remodeling projects across the Kansas City metro, from kitchens and baths to basements, decks, and additions. The company maintains a 5.0 Google rating with 500+ reviews and an A+ BBB rating.
Learn more about Bob →