Low-Cost Home Updates with the Highest Return

January 20, 2017

If you are planning to sell your home, it’s hard to know what improvements you can do now that will add value to it – without spending a fortune. To help, each year Remodeling magazine releases their Cost vs. Value Report, which estimates the average cost of a project and the percentage of the investment that will be recouped if the home is sold within a year.

Based on the 2017 report, here are four of the least expensive projects, costing less than $10,000 with the highest return at resale.

  • Attic Insulation
    • Adding fiberglass attic insulation produced the top return on cost in this year’s survey. With an average cost of $1,343, it would return 107.7 percent of its cost.
  • Front Door Replacement
    • A new steel entry door with an average cost of $1,413 will recoup 90.7 percent of its cost.
  • Stone Veneer
    • Replacing the bottom third of your home with manufactured stone veneer costs an average of $7,851, and you’ll see an 89.4 percent return on your investment.
  • Garage Door Replacement
    • Traditionally ranked as one of the highest returns on your investment, the average cost is $1,749 and you’ll recover 76.9 percent of the cost.