Enter your project and cost. See exactly how much value it adds based on national average return rates.
Pick the project type, enter what you expect to spend, and set your home's current value. The calculator applies a return rate to your cost and shows how much value the project is estimated to add at resale, plus the gap between that and what you spent.
The custom option exists because the built-in rates are national averages. If you have a local estimate from an agent, use it: a kitchen in a slow market and a kitchen in a bidding war are not the same project.
A $25,000 mid-range kitchen remodel against a $400,000 house:
| Project | Return rate | Value added | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-range kitchen | 74% | $18,500 | −$6,500 |
| Steel entry door | 85% | $21,250 | −$3,750 |
| Garage door | 91% | $22,750 | −$2,250 |
Every row is negative, and that is the honest result rather than a flaw. A remodel recovers most of its cost, not all of it, and the projects that recover the highest share are the ones that are cheap and visible from the street. A garage door is not exciting; it is also the closest thing on this list to a break-even.
A return rate below 100% means you are spending money you will not get back at sale, which is normal. The value of a renovation is not only the resale figure: you also get to live in the new kitchen for however many years you stay. Divide the net loss by the years you expect to remain and you get an annual cost for the upgrade, which is a more honest way to think about a 65% return than a single lump sum.
The cost basis matters as much as the rate. A project that runs 20% over budget does not recover 20% more value; the return rate applies to what you actually spend, so overruns come straight out of your pocket. Get two quotes and build a contingency before you trust any of these numbers.
Market conditions move the rates more than the project does. In a hot market, well-executed work sells; in a cold one, buyers discount anything unusual, and an over-personalised renovation can be worth less than the same money in a plain, well-maintained room. The safest renovations are the ones that fix something broken or bring a house up to the standard of its street.
They are national averages built into the tool, by project type. They are a starting point, not a local appraisal; ask an agent who sells in your area for the number that applies to you.
No. Even the highest-returning projects usually recover less than their cost. The exceptions are repairs that fix a defect a buyer would otherwise discount.
Only if something is actively putting buyers off. Cosmetic work and repairs usually pay for themselves in time on market; a full kitchen rarely pays back in cash.
Only through the rate you choose. An addition changes the house, so use the custom field with a local estimate rather than a national average.
They are part of the cost you enter. Unpermitted work is a discount at resale, not a saving.
The percentages live in the menu of this page. They are planning factors, not an appraisal.
Last updated: November 2, 2026. Reviewed by David Liu.