Short answer
In the 2025 Cost vs. Value report, small exterior replacements such as a garage door or entry door were estimated to return the most relative to their cost, while large, high-end remodels and additions returned the least. Treat the percentages as national estimates for comparing projects, not a promise about your house.
“Is it worth doing?” is the fourth question for every project. For renovations, the best-known public data is the annual Cost vs. Value report from Zonda, published by Remodeling and JLC.
What is happening in the numbers?
The report compares the average job cost of 28 projects with the resale value they are estimated to add, in 119 US markets. The “cost recouped” figure is the second divided by the first. [1]
Here are the 2025 national averages for cost recouped, from highest to lowest:
| Project | Cost recouped |
|---|---|
| Garage door replacement | 268% |
| Entry door replacement (steel) | 216% |
| Manufactured stone veneer | 208% |
| Siding replacement (fiber-cement) | 114% |
| Minor kitchen remodel (midrange) | 113% |
| Siding replacement (vinyl) | 97% |
| Backup power generator | 95% |
| Deck addition (wood) | 95% |
| Deck addition (composite) | 89% |
| Grand entrance (fiberglass) | 85% |
| Bath remodel (midrange) | 80% |
| Window replacement (vinyl) | 76% |
| HVAC conversion (electrification) | 72% |
| Basement remodel | 71% |
| Window replacement (wood) | 70% |
| Roofing replacement (asphalt shingles) | 68% |
| Bath remodel (universal design) | 61% |
| Bathroom addition (midrange) | 53% |
| Major kitchen remodel (midrange) | 51% |
| Roofing replacement (metal) | 50% |
| Backyard patio | 46% |
| Bath remodel (upscale) | 42% |
| Accessory dwelling unit | 41% |
| Bathroom addition (upscale) | 36% |
| Major kitchen remodel (upscale) | 36% |
| Primary suite addition (midrange) | 32% |
| Solar power installation | 30% |
| Primary suite addition (upscale) | 18% |
[1] We transcribed these from the report’s public results page and rounded as shown there. Check the original if you need the exact figures.
How to read this
- Small, visible exterior replacements score high. Garage doors, entry doors and siding have low job costs and make a strong first impression. They are cheap relative to the house.
- Bigger and more luxurious projects score lower. Moving from a “midrange” to an “upscale” kitchen roughly doubles the job cost in this report, but the value added grows much less: a midrange major kitchen is at 51% and an upscale one is at 36%.
- Over 100% is not magic. A figure above 100% means the estimated value added is greater than the cost in this model. It is a signal that small, targeted, visible updates can pay, not a guarantee. Note also that the values are estimates, based in part on surveys of real-estate professionals. [1]
- Return is not the only reason to renovate. A bathroom that works for your family, or an accessible entrance, may matter more to you than resale.
- Use percentages, not dollars. The report’s job costs are for a specific specification and are often much higher than typical cost-guide prices for similar work, so compare projects by percentage, not by absolute dollars.
What can you do?
- Decide why you are doing it. Selling soon, living with it, or fixing a problem? The answer changes what “worth it” means.
- Start with problems, not looks. A leaking roof or damp wall costs you more the longer you wait. See how much does a new roof cost?
- Prefer targeted updates if resale is the goal: entry doors, garage doors, siding, a minor kitchen refresh.
- Do not overbuild for the street. Spending far above what neighboring homes are worth rarely comes back.
- Ask local agents. Reports like this are national. A local real-estate agent can tell you what buyers in your area pay for.
Typical cost
For costs of specific projects, see the Costs page. The Cost vs. Value dollar figures are a poor guide to what your project will cost, for the reason above.
We do not have a sourced cost range for this yet.
Does fixing it affect property value?
| How it can pay off | What we know | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Resale value | The 2025 Cost vs. Value report estimates how much of each project's cost is recouped at sale, from 268% for a garage door down to 18% for an upscale primary suite. National estimates, not promises. [1] | Sourced estimate |
| Use value | A kitchen or bathroom that works better for your family, or an accessible entrance, may matter more to you than resale. | Qualitative |
| Energy and operating cost | Cost vs. Value does not measure energy savings or running costs, so projects such as windows or HVAC conversion may be worth more or less to you than the resale figure shows. | No reliable data |
| Payback | It depends on how long you stay, your local market and your own costs. | Depends on you |
“Return” is more than resale price. Where we have no reliable figure we say so instead of guessing. See how we think about value.
That is the whole question of this page. In short: the data suggest some projects are likely to return most of their cost, many return half or less, and the returns shrink as projects get larger and more luxurious. Individual results vary a lot by market, condition and timing.
Related tools
We do not have a calculator for this yet.
Deeper technical explanation
How the value figures are estimated. The publisher describes the report as combining cost data with surveys of real-estate professionals about what a project would add to a sale price. Some editions credit a remodeling-estimating tool for the cost side; we have not confirmed the 2025 details. It is an estimate of perceived value, not an audit of closed sales.
Why percentages above 100% appear. The report’s figure is estimated resale value as a share of estimated job cost, so a low-cost project that buyers notice can score above 100%. [1] Like every figure in the report, it is an estimate from surveys and cost modelling, not a measured sale price.
Resale value vs. use value. Resale value is only one return. Energy savings, comfort, avoided repair costs and years of enjoyment do not show up in these figures.
Limits. Averages hide huge differences between markets. The report is national and its authors note regional variation. We could not find the full methodology on the public page, so treat precise figures with caution.
Sources & methodology
All percentages are from the Zonda 2025 Cost vs. Value report. See how we work out costs.
- Cost vs. Value Report 2025 — Zonda / Remodeling & JLC Industry researchNational averages of job cost and estimated resale value for remodeling projects. Estimates are based on surveys of real-estate professionals and cost modelling, not on measured sale prices. Scope: US national. Published or updated: 2025. Accessed October 4, 2026.
Where to go next
Filed under Home Improvement & Renovation. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.