Kitchen Remodels
Kitchen and Bathroom Remodel ROI in Vermont
What's the resale value of a kitchen or bathroom remodel in Vermont?
In the Vermont market, a mid-range bathroom remodel typically recovers roughly 70 to 80 percent of its cost at resale, one of the better-returning projects a homeowner can take on, while a mid-range kitchen remodel typically recovers a lower share, roughly 48 to 55 percent. High-end remodels of either type usually return a lower percentage of cost than mid-range projects, even though they can make a home easier to sell. Adding a new bathroom where a home only has one tends to return less as a percentage than remodeling an existing bathroom, though it can still add real value in a home that's genuinely short on bathrooms. Resale ROI is only part of the picture. A well-executed kitchen or bathroom remodel also improves how livable a home is while you own it, which is often the bigger factor for homeowners who aren't planning to sell soon.
Typical Recoup Ranges by Project Type
- Minor kitchen update
- Cosmetic refresh, new hardware, paint, and countertops: generally the highest percentage of cost recovered of any kitchen project, often 90% or more, sometimes recovering the full cost of the work.
- Mid-range kitchen remodel
- New cabinets, countertops, and layout refinements: typically 48-55% of cost recovered.
- High-end kitchen remodel
- Premium materials and major layout changes: typically recovers a lower percentage of cost, often 35-45%, despite improving marketability.
- Bathroom remodel
- Full or partial remodel of an existing bathroom with updated fixtures and finishes: typically 70-80% of cost recovered, among the highest-returning common remodeling projects.
- Bathroom addition
- Adding a bathroom to a home with only one existing bath: typically returns a lower percentage of cost, roughly 50-55%, than remodeling an existing bathroom, though it can meaningfully improve livability and marketability in a bathroom-short home.
These are general market ranges, not a guarantee for any specific home. Local market conditions, home price tier, and buyer expectations in your specific neighborhood all affect actual resale outcomes.
What Actually Moves the Needle on ROI
- Matching scope to the neighborhood
- A remodel priced well above what comparable homes in the area support tends to return a lower percentage of cost.
- Avoiding over-customization
- Highly personalized layout or material choices can narrow the pool of buyers who see the space as move-in ready.
- Quality of execution
- Visible workmanship issues, uneven tile, poor cabinet fit, hurt perceived value regardless of how much was spent.
Why ROI Isn't the Whole Story
Vermont's housing market is shaped by limited inventory and a large share of older homes, which means an updated kitchen or bathroom often stands out more to buyers here than in markets with a lot of newer construction to compare against.
For homeowners who aren't selling in the near term, the daily-use value of a remodel, better layout, more storage, less maintenance, usually matters more than the resale percentage. We encourage clients to weigh both, rather than optimizing purely for what a future buyer might value.
How We Talk About ROI With Clients
We give clients an honest read on how a proposed scope is likely to be viewed by future buyers, without treating resale percentage as the only factor that matters. Sometimes the right answer is a more modest scope that fits the neighborhood; sometimes it's investing further because the family plans to stay for years.
We help clients understand where their planned spend sits relative to comparable homes nearby, so the decision is informed rather than a guess.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bathroom remodels typically recover a meaningfully higher percentage of cost, often 70-80% versus roughly 48-55% for a mid-range kitchen remodel. Kitchen remodels can still have a larger overall dollar impact on a home's value simply because the project itself usually costs more.
Usually a mid-range remodel is the better financial choice if a sale is on the horizon, since high-end finishes tend to return a lower percentage of their cost than mid-range work.
Usually not as a percentage of cost. Remodeling an existing bathroom typically returns a higher share of its cost (70-80%) than adding a new one (roughly 50-55%). That said, adding a second bathroom to a one-bath home can still be worthwhile for livability and buyer appeal, even if the resale percentage is lower than a remodel.
Both matter, but kitchens are often the first space buyers form an opinion about. Bathrooms tend to matter most when a home only has one, or when existing bathrooms show clear signs of age.
Get a Project Estimate
Have questions about your project? We're happy to help.
Call (802) 448-4224 or submit our form for a free estimate.