Before You Spend $50,000 Remodeling Your House, Consider These 8 Upgrades That Might Matter More To Buyers Than Trendy Finishes

Fifty thousand dollars goes fast in a remodel. A new kitchen, a finished basement, or a fancy patio can swallow it before the paint dries.

Architectural blueprints with drafting pencils, a metal ruler and a storage tube

The 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, an annual study of what remodeling projects cost and what they return at resale, offers a reality check. According to its national averages, posted by JLC Online, some modest upgrades return far more of their cost than big, fancy ones. Here are eight upgrades from that report that may matter more to buyers than trendy finishes.

Cost recouped is simply the resale value the report assigns to a project compared with what the job costs. A figure above 100% means the average resale value came out higher than the average cost.

The results below are listed in the order the national table ranks them, highest first.

A New Garage Door Recouped 267.7% Of Its Cost

Garage door replacement ranked first in the national averages, with a job cost of $4,672 and a resale value of $12,507. That works out to 267.7% of cost recouped.

Coverage of the report attributes the strong showing of exterior projects to buyers’ value on curb appeal. It also notes that eight of the top 10 are exterior replacements.

A Steel Entry Door Came Back At 216.4%

Steel entry door replacement ranked second. The report lists a job cost of $2,435 and a resale value of $5,270, or 216.4% of cost recouped.

It is a small project with a big effect on the first impression. The front door is what buyers walk through before they see anything else.

Manufactured Stone Veneer Returned 207.9%

Manufactured stone veneer ranked third, with a $11,702 job cost and a $24,328 resale value. That is 207.9% of cost recouped.

The top three projects averaged returns more than double their cost, according to the report’s coverage, which links that to a tight housing market where buyers are selective.

Fiber-Cement Siding Replacement Hit 113.7%

Fiber-cement siding replacement ranked fourth. The report lists a $21,485 job cost and a $24,420 resale value, or 113.7% of cost recouped.

That means the average resale value came out higher than the average cost. Siding protects the house as well as dressing it up.

A Midrange Minor Kitchen Remodel Recouped 112.9%

A minor kitchen remodel at the midrange level ranked fifth, with a $28,458 job cost and a $32,141 resale value. That is 112.9% of cost recouped.

Compare that to the big version. A midrange major kitchen remodel cost $82,793 and returned $42,130, or 50.9%, while an upscale major kitchen cost $164,104 and returned $58,561, or 35.7%.

Vinyl Siding Replacement Returned 96.5%

Vinyl siding replacement ranked sixth, with a $17,950 job cost and a $17,313 resale value. That is 96.5% of cost recouped, close to break-even.

The report’s coverage says the more complex the project, the lower the return on investment tends to be. Simple swaps often make the most sense.

A Backup Power Generator Recouped 95.3%

A backup power generator ranked seventh nationally, with a $13,534 job cost and a $12,902 resale value, or 95.3% of cost recouped.

The coverage notes that results vary by region, from 69% in West North Central to 139% in East South Central. It adds that generators perform best in hurricane-prone Gulf states and New England.

A Wood Deck Addition Came In At 94.9%

A wood deck addition ranked eighth, with an $18,263 job cost and a $17,323 resale value. That is 94.9% of cost recouped.

A composite deck cost $25,096 and returned $22,199, or 88.5%. Both are worth comparing with your own plans and your local market.

Where The Fanciest Finishes Fell Short

The table shows the upscale end of the market returning much less. An upscale bathroom addition cost $111,255 and returned 36.4%, and a primary suite addition at the upscale level cost $351,613 and returned 18%.

A metal roof cost $51,865 and returned 50.1%, while asphalt shingles cost $31,871 and returned 67.5%. A fiberglass grand entrance cost $11,754 and returned 84.7%. The coverage adds that large interior remodels can still add value for the homeowner who lives there.

So What Does $50,000 Buy?

For perspective, the same national table lists a basement remodel at $52,012 with a 71% return, and a backyard patio at $51,454 with a 46% return. A bath remodel at the upscale level cost $81,612 and returned 41.7%.

These are national averages, and the report’s cost data applies a 10% markup on both materials and labor, which the coverage says may be low for many contractors. Your own numbers will differ by region, condition, and timing.

One smart way to use these numbers is to split a budget. A few exterior upgrades from the top of the table could cost far less than a single big interior project, and the report shows several of them returning more than they cost.

Ask a local agent which projects buyers in your area value most before you sign a contract. A project can still be right for you even when it does not pay back at resale.

Sources: JLC Online, 2025 Cost vs. Value Report, national averages and JLC Online, “2025 Cost vs. Value Report: Key Trends”.

Willow and Hearth