Home Remodels That Add Resale Value (And Ones That Don't)

Sam: Hey everybody, welcome to Interior Design Tips! So today we're talking about something that every homeowner thinks about at some point: where to actually put your money when you renovate if you want to see it come back when you sell. Because spoiler alert, not everything does.

Dave: And some of the stuff people sink the most money into? Terrible investment. I learned that the hard way, honestly.

Sam: Okay tell me, because I have my own list of regrets.

Dave: So when we redid our basement, I was convinced we were adding like thirty, forty thousand dollars of value. Finished it out really nicely, put in a bar, the whole thing. Our realtor later told us we'd probably recoup maybe fifty cents on the dollar. I was gutted.

Sam: Finished basements are so tricky because buyers do like them, but they almost never pay full price for that square footage. It's like they mentally discount it because it's below grade.

Dave: Exactly. Whereas the kitchen, right? That's where you actually get your money back.

Sam: Yes! But here's where I'll push back a little, because people hear "kitchen remodel" and they go spend eighty thousand dollars. That's not the move. A minor kitchen update, new cabinet fronts, better hardware, updated countertops, maybe a new sink, you're looking at twenty to twenty-five thousand, and you can recoup like eighty percent of that.

Dave: That's the sweet spot. We did something similar, kept our existing cabinet boxes and just replaced the doors. Swapped out the laminate counters for quartz. Total cost was around eighteen grand and it completely transformed the room.

Sam: Quartz is so worth it by the way. Low maintenance, looks great, buyers recognize it.

Dave: Bathrooms are another one where you can win or lose depending on what you do. A clean, updated master bath with a double vanity, maybe a tiled shower, that moves the needle. But like, a Jacuzzi tub? Nobody cares anymore.

Sam: Nobody is out here asking for the Jacuzzi tub. That was very 2002.

Dave: Right, and those things cost a fortune to install. Total money pit.

Sam: The one that surprised me the most when I sold my first house was curb appeal. I had repainted the front door, added some landscaping, basically spent maybe fifteen hundred dollars total. My realtor said it probably added five to seven thousand in perceived value. That return is kind of ridiculous.

Dave: First impressions are real. People make up their minds about a house before they walk through the door. Fresh exterior paint is also huge for that reason, and it's not that expensive if you do it yourself.

Sam: What about garage door replacement? Because I keep reading that tops the list for ROI.

Dave: It consistently does, and I think it's for the same reason as curb appeal. A new garage door on a house with an attached garage is one of the first things people see. You can get a solid steel door installed for around fifteen hundred to two thousand, and reportedly you get almost all of that back.

Sam: Meanwhile people spend twenty grand on a home office buildout right now and I think that trend is already cooling.

Dave: Yeah the dedicated home office boom feels like it peaked. Buyers want the flex space, they don't want someone else's very specific built-in desk situation.

Sam: They can't undo it easily, that's the thing. Any super customized renovation is a risk. What you love, the next buyer might hate.

Dave: That's probably the biggest lesson honestly. Renovate for broad appeal if you're thinking about resale. Neutral finishes, quality materials, functional improvements.

Sam: And maybe hold off on that wine cellar.

Dave: Hard agree. Alright, thanks so much for hanging out with us today, everybody.

Sam: Yeah, catch you next time!