Cost vs Value Remodel Calculator

About this calculator

This calculator applies the logic behind the annual Cost vs. Value Report (published by Zonda, formerly by Remodeling Magazine), which tracks, project by project — kitchen remodels, bathroom additions, deck builds, siding replacement, and dozens more — what percentage of the money spent on a renovation is typically recouped in a home's resale price.

You enter what a project actually costs and the resale value it is expected to add, and the calculator returns the cost-recouped percentage along with the net dollar gain or loss. A project that recoups 100% or more pays for itself at sale; most renovations recoup well under that, meaning part of the cost is effectively the price of enjoying the upgrade while you live there rather than a pure investment.

Real estate agents, home sellers weighing pre-listing improvements, and homeowners deciding between a renovation they'll enjoy versus one purely aimed at resale value all use this kind of comparison to prioritize which projects are worth doing before putting a house on the market.