A new kitchen returns 60 to 80 percent. A new pool returns 30.

Every homeowner I talk to has a renovation wish list. Almost none of them have run the math on which projects actually add to the home's value and which ones just feel good. Here are the 2026 ROI numbers, by category, from the latest Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report and Zonda's appraiser surveys.

The winners (60% or better recouped at sale)

Minor kitchen remodel recoups around 96%. Stays under $30K. New countertops, new appliances, refaced cabinets, new sink and faucet. The buyer reads it as "freshly updated." Almost always a net winner.

Garage door replacement recoups 102%, the highest single project on the list. New insulated steel door, new opener. $4,500 to $6,500 nationally. The math works because curb appeal sells homes.

Manufactured stone veneer and front entrance recoup 90%+. The first 30 feet of your house drive 60% of the offer. Most buyers decide whether they like the home before they walk through the door.

Roof replacement recoups 60 to 65%. Not glamorous, but a 20-year-old roof is the single biggest line item that buyers' inspectors flag. New roof avoids the price reduction.

Bath remodel (minor) recoups 65 to 72%. New vanity, fixtures, tile, paint. Stays under $25K. Major bath remodels (tear-down to studs) drop to about 50%.

The middle of the pack (40-60% recouped)

Major kitchen remodel comes in around 50%. The bigger you go, the worse the math gets, because you are spending into the top 10% of the home's price point and pulling buyers expecting that finish level.

Deck addition (wood) recoups 55%. Composite drops to about 45% because the cost is much higher and buyers do not fully price the maintenance savings.

Master suite addition recoups 45 to 50%. Useful if you are staying in the home. Painful at resale.

Window replacement recoups 40 to 50%. Buyers do not see the energy savings on day one. They see how the windows look from the curb.

The losers (under 40% recouped)

Pool installation recoups 30% at best. Less in cold climates, more in Texas, but rarely better than break-even. Pools also narrow your buyer pool dramatically (no families with toddlers, more maintenance fear).

Solar panel installation varies wildly. If owned outright, 30 to 40% recouped. If financed or leased, often a NET NEGATIVE because the lease transfers and complicates the sale.

Sunroom addition recoups about 30%. Counts as conditioned square footage only if it is built to that standard, which most are not.

Smart home wiring and integration recoups 25 to 35%. Buyers under 50 already have the apps. Buyers over 50 do not want them. Almost no recoupment.

Pool with diving board, slide, water features is under 25%. The more bespoke the pool, the worse the resale math.

The math nobody talks about: opportunity cost

Recoupment percentage is only half the story. The other half is what that capital could have done somewhere else.

A $50,000 kitchen remodel that recoups 70% returns $35,000 to the home's value. Subtract sale costs and the net is closer to $25,000.

That same $50,000, invested in an S&P 500 index fund over five years at the historical average return, would have grown to roughly $73,500. The home holds its value either way. The investor has $48,500 more.

If you are planning to sell in three years or less, run the math both ways. Renovation often makes more sense for the seller who is moving the home this fall than for the seller who is moving in 2029.

What I tell clients planning to stay

If you are staying ten years or more, do the renovations you actually want. Live in the house. ROI matters less than enjoyment when the holding period is long.

If you are planning to sell in two to four years, do the curb appeal items (garage door, paint, front entrance, landscaping) and the minor kitchen refresh. Skip the pool. Skip the sunroom. Skip the major bath gut.

Where to spend if you are listing soon

Top three projects for a listing within 90 days:

  • Paint every interior wall a neutral. About $4,000 to $8,000 depending on size.
  • Refresh the kitchen with new hardware, new appliances if originals are dated, and new countertops if budget allows.
  • Clean the curb appeal. Mulch, fresh sod, garage door, front door paint.

Total cost typically $15,000 to $30,000. Typical lift on sale price: $40,000 to $70,000.

Want to walk through your numbers? Talk to Austen.