Home Remodeling Cost Questions, Answered

The ROI Score (0-100) shows how many cents of resale value you can expect to get back for every dollar spent. A score of 65 means the project adds roughly $0.65 of home value per dollar invested. Garage door replacement scores over 100 because it returns more than it costs at resale in most markets. Kitchen remodels typically score 90-96, and roofing and windows sit in the 60-70 range nationally.

Labor rates, permit costs, and material delivery all vary a lot by location. A roofing job in Naperville costs more than the same job in Carbondale because local wages and cost of living are higher. We use Zillow median home values as a proxy for local construction costs. Markets with higher home values consistently have higher labor costs, so we derive a cost multiplier for each ZIP to localize every estimate.

We cover ten projects across 26,000+ ZIP codes in all 50 states: Roofing Replacement, Window Replacement, Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel, Garage Door Replacement, Deck Addition, Basement Finishing, Siding Replacement, Entry Door Replacement, and HVAC Replacement. Every estimate is localized to your specific ZIP.

Project cost benchmarks and resale value percentages come from the Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value annual report, updated each January. Home value data comes from the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), updated monthly. All data is refreshed at least once per year. The freshness label on each estimate page shows when that ZIP's data was last updated.

The Cost vs. Value report is an annual study published by Remodeling Magazine. They survey contractors and real estate agents across the country to calculate the average cost of common remodeling projects and how much of that cost gets recouped at resale. It's the most widely cited data source in the home improvement industry, used by appraisers, agents, and contractors to benchmark costs and returns.

Garage door replacement consistently ranks #1 in the Cost vs. Value report, returning more than 100% of its cost at resale in most markets. Minor kitchen remodels rank second nationally at roughly 96% recouped. After that it's manufactured stone veneer, entry door replacement, and window replacement. The right answer depends on your local market. Check the estimate pages for your specific ZIP.

It depends on the project and your market. High-ROI projects like garage door replacement and minor kitchen updates often return more than they cost, and help your listing sell faster. Full gut renovations rarely recoup their cost at resale. Our ROI Score and equity gain figures are designed to help you make exactly this call. A score above 80 generally means the project is worth doing before you list.

A minor kitchen remodel (new cabinet fronts, countertops, appliances, and fixtures without moving walls) adds roughly 96 cents of resale value per dollar spent nationally. In higher-cost markets like Chicago's collar counties or coastal metros, that can translate to $25,000-$35,000 in added home value on a mid-range project. In more affordable markets the dollar figure is lower, but the ROI percentage holds. Enter your ZIP for a localized estimate.

We divide your ZIP code's Zillow median home value by that state's median home value, then cap the result between 0.70x and 1.50x to prevent outlier markets from producing unrealistic estimates. This multiplier is applied to the national benchmark cost from the Cost vs. Value report. A ZIP with a 1.38x multiplier (like Naperville, IL) produces estimates 38% above the benchmark. A ZIP at 0.70x (like parts of rural Appalachia or the Deep South) produces estimates at the floor.

Always get at least three quotes before committing to a contractor. Our estimates reflect typical mid-range pricing. Actual quotes will vary based on the contractor's schedule, your home's specific conditions, material choices, and current market costs. The ±15% range is a reminder that real quotes spread across that range. Use our estimate to spot outliers: a quote way below range might be cutting corners, and one way above might just be overpriced.

Yes. All estimates and ROI scores are free, no account required. We may offer optional contractor matching down the road, but the core calculator will always stay free.