The Best (and Worst) Projects to Improve Your Home Resale Value

Best: New Fireplace
Installing a new fireplace can quickly increase resale value. And if it’s an upgrade from an older, less efficient wood stove to a gas or electric stove, bonus points. Even renovations for appearance and safety can make a big difference in climates where fireplaces see a lot of use.

Best: New Front Door
These days, a new front door is seeing a massive 90 percent resale value: The reason? A new door is immediately apparent, adding to curb appeal while also allowing you to improve security and smart device features.
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Best: Attic Insulation
Attic insulation with fiberglass is seeing over 100 percent cost recouped. And this means you are technically gaining resale value at no expense when adding important attic insulation. Make sure all gaps are covered and cracks are sealed against pests.

Best: New Garage Door
Front-facing garage doors can impact curb appeal more than most home components, leading to an return of investment of around 77 percent. Upgrade to a better garage door with windows and smart control features to really impress potential buyers.

Best: Stone Veneers
A veneer can add a skirt of stone to your siding or stone-like wall patterns to various walls inside and outside your house. It can also drastically change the appearance of your home at relatively little cost, leading to a resale value above 80 percent.
Photo: Marko Poplasen/Shutterstock

Worst: Backup Generator
A generator may be useful as a safeguard but it doesn’t add a lot of everyday resale value to homes. And this is what buyers care the most about. Exceptions occur in rural or off-grid homes where generators see a lot of use in bad weather.

Worst: Backyard Patio
The patio is a great DIY project but don’t expect to recover more than half the cost as added resale value to your home. These patios aren’t especially visible and are quite common. However, a full upgrade will be more impressive than a just a layer of stone.

Worst: Bathroom Addition
When considering a bathroom addition, it’s important to ask, “Does the house need a new bathroom, based on the number of bedrooms?” A bathroom involves expensive renovation. And it only adds resale value if you really did need a half-bath in the hallway. However, bathroom remodels see better returns.
Photo: John Wollwerth/Shutterstock

Worst: Garage Addition
While a garage door has a big impact on home appearance, a bigger or more elaborate garage is harder to notice. And it has limited uses compared to other indoor renovations, which add resale value.

Worst: Window Replacement
Window replacements can vary greatly for resale value. And good projects may be as high as 70 percent return of investment. But casual window installations aren’t expected to add much value at all. Look for replacements where you can expand windows for more light or greatly improve their insulation.