Some home improvements return far less than they cost when you sell—but “waste of money” depends on what you wanted from the project. The 2025 Cost vs. Value Report estimates that resale recovery varies widely by project, region and scope. It does not show that ten improvements are universally bad investments, and it cannot predict what a particular buyer will pay for your home.
If resale is your main goal, treat the projects below as reasons to check local comparables and weigh costs carefully, not as a no-go list. A project that disappoints at closing may still be worthwhile for comfort, efficiency, reliability or years of use.
What “waste of money” means when you plan to sell
In this context, a project is a poor resale bet when its estimated value at sale is substantially below its cost. That is different from saying the improvement has no value: the homeowner may benefit from greater comfort, better function, lower energy use, durability or enjoyment before selling.
The 2025 Cost vs. Value Report compares average project costs with estimated resale values for 28 remodeling projects. Its figures are estimates based on real-estate professional surveys and remodeling estimating data, not guaranteed proceeds or observed results for every individual sale. The report’s national averages should not be treated as a forecast for a specific home. [JLC’s 2025 Cost vs. Value analysis] [Zonda’s Cost vs. Value report]
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A separate 2025 report from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) measures estimated cost recovery and homeowner satisfaction using its own methodology. Its numbers are not interchangeable with Zonda’s. NAR and NARI reported estimated recovery of 100% for a new steel front door, 83% for a closet renovation and 80% for a new fiberglass front door. Those examples reinforce that project rankings depend on the report and its measures. [NAR/NARI’s 2025 remodeling report]
10 projects to think twice about if resale is the only goal
These are caution cases, not a ranked list of ten proven money-losers. The available 2025 evidence supports different levels of specificity: some projects have a reported national comparison, while others are planning cautions based on scope, buyer appeal or local need.
1. Rooftop solar installed primarily for resale
In the 2025 Cost vs. Value analysis, rooftop solar was among the lowest-return new projects, though results varied by region. That is a warning against assuming panels will pay for themselves in a sale—not an argument against solar when energy savings, incentives, resilience or long-term use are part of the calculation. Ask how local buyers value the system and account for the household benefits you expect before listing. [JLC’s 2025 analysis]
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2. A large, highly personalized kitchen remodel
Complex, discretionary interiors tend to recover less of their cost at resale than simpler replacements in JLC’s analysis. Highly specific finishes and layouts can narrow the pool of buyers who see the same value in the work. Scope matters: Zonda’s 2025 national estimate put a minor kitchen remodel’s cost recovery at 112.9%, so it would be wrong to conclude that all kitchen work is a poor resale choice. [JLC’s 2025 analysis] [Zonda’s 2025 report]
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A bathroom project can be a weak resale bet when it is costly, complex and tailored to one owner’s preferences. The sources cited here do not establish a single national bathroom recovery figure, so do not rely on a generic percentage to justify the project. Focus instead on local buyer expectations, the scope of the work and how much use you will get from it.
4. A major addition undertaken solely to raise the sale price
Additions are complex projects, and JLC’s analysis finds that complex projects and additions generally show lower resale ROI than simpler exterior replacements. That does not mean every addition loses money or fails to add household value. If the only reason to build is a hoped-for increase in sale proceeds, compare the likely finished home with local alternatives before committing. [JLC’s 2025 analysis]
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5. An accessory dwelling unit built purely for resale
ADUs appear among the new projects considered in the 2025 Cost vs. Value discussion, but the material cited here does not provide a clear national recovery figure. Do not assume an ADU has a particular resale payback from that report. Its value may depend on local demand and how a buyer can use the space; consider household use and local comparables rather than relying on an unsupported percentage. [JLC’s 2025 analysis]
6. A backup generator where outages are uncommon
A generator’s value depends heavily on the region and the need it addresses. JLC reports the strongest results in hurricane-prone Gulf states and New England and the weakest in the West North Central region. If outages are rare where you live, a buyer may not value the equipment as much as you do; where resilience is a pressing concern, the calculus can be different. [JLC’s 2025 analysis]
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7. A full kitchen replacement without checking local comparables
The evidence supports distinguishing modest updates from large, customized remodels; it does not show that every complete kitchen replacement is wasteful. Before choosing a costly scope, compare the kitchens and asking prices of similar nearby homes, and consider whether buyers in your market favor a renovation or prefer to make their own choices.
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8. A remodel that over-improves for the neighborhood
A project can be difficult to recoup when its cost or finish level exceeds what likely local buyers expect. This is a planning caution inferred from regional variation and the narrower appeal of highly individualized work, not a separately measured project category. Check comparable homes before choosing a level of finish.
9. A highly customized discretionary interior project
Beyond kitchens and bathrooms, the same resale concern applies to expensive interior work whose design is specific to one owner. JLC’s broader finding is that complex, discretionary interior remodels tend to perform less well at resale than simpler exterior replacements. That is a reason to consider buyer appeal and scope—not evidence that every interior upgrade is a bad investment. [JLC’s 2025 analysis]
10. Any project judged only by dollar-for-dollar recovery
Resale recovery is not the only way to measure a renovation’s worth. NAR and NARI track homeowner satisfaction separately from estimated cost recovery. NAR deputy chief economist and vice president of research Jessica Lautz described the distinction: “Homeowners undertake remodeling projects for numerous reasons, but what remains intriguing is the disparity between the joy experienced post-remodel and the actual cost recovery.” [NAR’s April 9, 2025 release]
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Not every popular “bad investment” makes the list
Blanket advice can mislead. In Zonda’s 2025 comparison, three projects had estimated national cost recovery above 200%: garage door replacement at 267.7%, steel entry door replacement at 216.4% and manufactured stone veneer at 207.9%. These are report estimates, not promises for a specific sale, but they make manufactured stone veneer a poor example of a universally wasteful improvement. Zonda also estimated 112.9% recovery for a minor kitchen remodel. [Zonda’s 2025 report]
These figures come from Zonda’s report; they are not the NAR/NARI figures described earlier. Neither series guarantees the result for a particular home, project or local market.
How to decide whether to remodel before selling
Start with the question buyers actually face: would this project make the home more competitive against similar local listings, and at what cost? NAR frames “Should I remodel my home before I sell?” as a homeowner question, while Zonda describes its central methodology question as “What value does a particular remodeling project add to the sale price of a home?” Neither question has a universal answer. [NAR’s remodeling resource] [Zonda’s report]
- Set your main objective. Decide whether the priority is estimated resale recovery, everyday function, energy use, reliability or enjoyment. A project can serve several goals, but a resale-only decision should be assessed differently from one you will use for years.
- Check the local market. Compare similar nearby homes and ask a local real-estate professional how buyers respond to the proposed scope. National averages cannot tell you how a particular neighborhood values solar, a generator, an addition or a custom interior.
- Compare scope, not just project labels. A modest kitchen update is not the same purchase as a high-cost, personalized remodel. Identify which work addresses a likely buyer concern and which choices mainly reflect your preferences.
- Estimate the full cost and likely recovery separately. Use the relevant report as a benchmark, not a guarantee; keep its year and methodology attached to any figure. Do not treat figures from Zonda and NAR/NARI as one continuous ranking.
- Account for the time you will live with the result. If you expect to stay, include the value of use and enjoyment in your decision. If a sale is near and cost recovery dominates, favor work that fits local buyer expectations and avoid assuming that higher spending produces a higher sale price.
Why homeowners renovate for reasons other than resale
U.S. homeowners were estimated to spend $603 billion on home remodeling in 2024, according to NAR citing Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies in 2025. In NAR/NARI’s 2025 survey, 27% of consumers said they remodeled to upgrade worn surfaces, finishes and materials; 19% to improve energy efficiency; 18% to make a change; and 18% because they expected to sell within two years. The reasons are varied, so a project’s financial return at sale is only one part of its value. [NAR/NARI’s 2025 report]
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For a resale decision, the practical test is whether the improvement’s likely local appeal justifies its cost. For a homeowner staying longer, the test can also include the benefits enjoyed along the way.
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