Not every home improvement is a good investment — and most homeowners discover that the hard way.
Some projects transform your daily life and recover 60–80 cents on every dollar at resale. Others feel like smart investments but barely move the needle on your home’s market value. A few actively hurt your position by making your home harder to sell.
This list focuses on home improvements that increase value in a documented, meaningful way — drawing from Remodeling Magazine’s 2024 Cost vs. Value Report and current market data. If you’re spending money with resale in mind, these are the projects to prioritize.
1. Garage Door Replacement
The single highest-ROI project in the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report — and it isn’t close.
A new garage door runs $3,500–$4,500 installed and recoups approximately 194% at resale. Sellers recover nearly twice their investment. The reason is straightforward: garage doors often occupy a third or more of a home’s front elevation, and they dominate the first impression buyers form when they pull up.
If your garage door is more than 15 years old or visually dated, this is the clearest-cut value investment available.
2. Steel Entry Door Replacement
A new steel front door costs $2,000–$3,500 installed and recoups around 188% at resale — another category where your return exceeds your investment.
Curb appeal drives buyer psychology more than most sellers realize. Research consistently shows that buyers form their first impression of a home within the first 15–30 seconds outside. A solid, attractive entry door signals a well-maintained home before anyone steps inside.
New entry doors also deliver practical benefits: better energy efficiency, improved security ratings, and easier operation.
3. Minor Kitchen Remodel
A targeted kitchen update — new cabinet fronts and hardware, fresh countertops, updated sink and faucet, and modernized lighting — costs $15,000–$35,000 and returns 66–80% at resale according to the 2024 Cost vs. Value data.
The emphasis on “minor” is intentional. Full gut kitchen renovations consistently return less (50–57%) because costs grow faster than the value added. Buyers who want a luxury kitchen will customize it themselves. What they don’t want is a kitchen that feels dated.
Focus on: cabinet refacing or new doors, quartz or granite countertops, updated task and ambient lighting, and a simple tile backsplash. These changes have the highest visual impact per dollar.
4. Bathroom Update
Buyers pay attention to bathrooms. Consistently one of the top factors in purchase decisions, a clean, updated bathroom accelerates sales and supports asking prices.
A mid-range bathroom update — new tile flooring, vanity, toilet, tub or shower surround, and fixtures — averages $25,000 and recoups approximately 66% at resale. Even smaller updates make a meaningful difference: a new vanity, fresh caulk, updated lighting, and re-grouted tile can shift buyer perception significantly at a fraction of that cost.
5. Attic Insulation
Attic insulation is the most underrated home improvement on this list.
Adding insulation to bring the attic to current energy code (R-38 to R-60 depending on climate zone) recovers approximately 116% at resale according to Remodeling Magazine — making it one of the few projects where you consistently make money at the point of sale. Buyers see lower utility bills, reduced HVAC strain, and a home that was properly maintained.
Cost: $2,500–$6,500 depending on current insulation levels and attic size. Impact: immediate reduction in heating and cooling costs plus strong resale return.
6. HVAC System Upgrade
Updating to a high-efficiency HVAC system or adding a heat pump has seen ROI improve significantly in recent years, with HVAC electrification conversions returning over 100% in some markets per the 2024 Cost vs. Value Report.
Buyers increasingly factor energy costs and system age into purchase decisions. A modern, efficient HVAC system removes a major objection: the fear of facing a $10,000+ replacement expense shortly after moving in. If your system is approaching the end of its lifespan (typically 15–20 years for central air), proactive replacement before listing can be a legitimate value play.
7. Fresh Exterior Paint
Exterior painting costs $5,000–$12,000 for an average house depending on size, condition, and local labor rates. While this project doesn’t have a clean ROI calculation in most studies, few things affect first impressions as dramatically as fresh exterior paint on a dated home.
Color matters considerably: neutral palettes — warm whites, grays, greige, navy, and sage — consistently outperform bold or highly personal color choices. Buyers need to picture themselves living there. Unusual colors make that harder.
8. Landscaping and Curb Appeal Investment
Research from the American Society of Landscape Architects suggests professional landscaping can increase property value by 5–12%. On a $400,000 home, that’s $20,000–$48,000 in potential added value for an investment that might cost $3,000–$8,000.
What works: clean, defined beds; a healthy, edge-trimmed lawn; specimen plants near the entry; and low-maintenance perennials. What doesn’t work: overly complex designs that signal high maintenance costs to buyers.
The goal isn’t impressive landscaping — it’s welcoming, well-maintained landscaping that photographs well.
9. Deck or Patio Addition
Outdoor living space has become a significant buying factor, especially since the pandemic elevated home-as-sanctuary expectations.
A wood deck addition typically recovers around 50% at resale; composite runs slightly lower. The pure ROI is modest compared to other projects on this list, but the quality-of-life benefit during your ownership years is real — and in markets where outdoor space commands a premium, a well-designed deck genuinely moves buyers.
10. Window Replacement
Replacing old single-pane or significantly weathered windows with double-pane energy-efficient units returns around 61–68% at resale. More importantly, it removes a major buyer concern — energy efficiency and comfort.
Drafty windows are something buyers notice during showings and factor into negotiation. New windows signal a well-maintained home and often appear on home inspector reports when they’re in poor condition. If your windows are 25+ years old or visibly deteriorated, replacement before listing tends to pay off in smoother negotiations.
What to Avoid: Projects That Rarely Pay Off at Resale
Highly personalized renovations: A custom home theater, wine cellar, or bold-tiled bathroom is designed for your specific lifestyle. These rarely recoup cost because you’ve narrowed your buyer pool.
In-ground pools: Expensive to install ($40,000–$80,000), expensive to maintain, and actively repelling to a significant share of buyers — particularly families with young children or buyers in colder climates. Pools almost never add their cost back at resale.
Over-improving for the neighborhood: If your renovation makes your home the most expensive property in a six-block radius, comps will cap your value regardless of what you’ve invested. The market sets the ceiling.
The best home improvements increase both your daily quality of life and your home’s market position. Before committing to any major project, ask yourself: would this make my home more appealing to the broadest possible buyer — or just to me?
If the answer is “just to me” — that’s not necessarily wrong. Just budget accordingly and don’t count on recovering the cost at sale.
Roots helps you plan home improvement projects and track how they affect your home’s value over time. Try it free at app.livewithroots.com