How Much Does It Cost to Renovate a House?

Whether you’re purchasing a new home or seeking change in your current one, it might be time for a renovation. So how much does it cost to renovate a house? As you might expect, there’s not a straightforward answer. “Usually scope is what drives the cost. Projects with limited scope will cost less,” says Aaron Enfinger, secretary of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and the COO of the Cleary Company in Columbus, Ohio. In determining the cost to remodel a house, you’ll also have to factor in materials—naturally, some high-end finishes are more expensive, which bumps up your home renovation cost. Then there’s a slew of additional spends to consider. To help you set a budget for your home remodel, we’ve prepared a handy guide that breaks down some of the common costs associated with renovating a house.

Cost estimates by room type

Certain rooms typically cost more to renovate than others, depending on the work that needs to be done. “Most commonly, because of the heavy plumbing and electrical needs, the complexity involved with a kitchen renovation or bathroom remodel leads those spaces to be the most labor-intensive home renovations, involving the highest amount of thinking, craftsmanship, and problem solving,” says National Kitchen and Bath Association member Stephanie Bullwinkel of Imperial Kitchens and Baths, Inc. in Brookfield, Illinois. “This—along with prices for cabinetry, counters, backsplashes, fixtures, and appliances—makes them the top home renovation expenditures.” Of course, you can always change the scope of the project, the appliances, and the finishes to reduce cost in these rooms.

In general, here is what you can expect to pay when you’re remodeling a house:

Kitchen: $10,000–$50,000

Bathroom: $9,000–$20,000

Bedroom: $10,000–$15,000

Living room: $5,000–$10,000

Dining room: $2,000+

Office: $5,000

Attic or basement: $12,300 to $33,300

Foyer: $1,000–$10,000

Laundry room: $2,000+

Closet: $1,000+

Garage: $3,000–$15,000

Cost estimates by project

Beyond room renovations, there are many other projects associated with home remodeling. Here’s what you can expect to pay for some of the most popular ones, though it’s entirely possible a project’s total cost could fall well above or below these numbers.

Roofing: $20,000+

Exterior siding: $14,000+

Windows: $8,500–$20,000

Patios or decks: $2,000–$11,000

Central air conditioning: $3,800–$7,600

Furnace or heat pump: $2,800–$7,500

Cost estimates per square foot

The size of your house is, perhaps unsurprisingly, important to consider when determining home remodeling costs—rooms with more square footage generally command higher prices during renovations. Here’s a breakdown of the average home renovation cost per square foot of floor plan in a home or a specific room, but please note that these ranges will typically skew higher in metropolitan areas with a higher cost of living.

Whole house: $10 to $250 per square foot

Kitchen: $100 to $250 per square foot

Bathroom: $120 to $275 per square foot

Living room: $10 to $60 per square foot

Basement: $100 to $300 per square foot

Overall home renovation spend

According to a 2022 Houzz study, the median national spend on home renovation projects in 2021 was $18,000, with the 90th percentile spend being $100,000. Houzz reports that renovation spend is highest among recent homebuyers ($30,000), followed by short-term homeowners ($19,000) and long-term homeowners ($15,000). HomeAdvisor, on the other hand, found most home renovation costs to fall between $17,947 and $78,308, with a national average of $48,049.

For a more detailed breakdown of costs, a 2022 study by the National Association of Home Builders found that buyers of new homes spend, on average, about $12,000 on renovations, $5,000 on furnishings, and $4,000 on appliances within the first year of ownership. For buyers of existing real estate, those numbers drop significantly to approximately $6,000 for renovations, $2,500 on furnishings, and $2,500 on appliances.

Additional costs to consider

Beyond the price of materials, there are so-called hidden costs that might sneak up on homeowners and affect the answer to the question: “How much does it cost to renovate a house?” Here’s what you might need to factor into your budget.

Don’t forget to budget in the wages of your contractors, architects, interior designers, and other specialty workers. General contractors, like plumbers and electricians, typically cost about 10 to 20% of the project cost, while architects and designers can cost well over $100 per hour.

If you’ve ever watched an HGTV show, you probably know that home improvement projects never stay on budget. There’s always some issue—pests, faulty wiring, structural changes, or otherwise—that pops up in the middle of renovations and springs unexpected costs on the homeowner. It’s best to hold 10 to 20% of your renovation budget for contingencies.

“Once homeowners start to see nice new things being installed, they may want to upgrade a few things, and their checkbooks open up a little bit more,” Enfinger says. And there’s nothing wrong with that! However, you’ll want to leave room in the budget for this possibility.

Building permits vary in cost depending on your project and your locale, but you can expect them to cost anywhere from $50 to $2,000.

Home renovation costs are not the same in every location across the country—labor and material costs often vary between metropolitan areas. There are many online tools that break down the average cost of renovations by zip code, including HomeAdvisor, Remodeling Calculator, and Houzz, allowing you to more accurately estimate the cost of your home remodeling project.

If you’re renovating a house, you might not be able to eat, bathe, or perhaps even live in that house during portions of the process, and solutions can become costly. “For example, being without a kitchen for one to three months can be difficult for many people,” Bullwinkel says. “How will you make meals? Will you need to buy a mini fridge or a hot plate? Will you need to budget for going out to eat more often?” You may even need to budget for a hotel stay for a few days or weeks.

“Another cost to consider is the potential for higher taxes, since new living space from an addition can increase the home’s value,” Enfinger says. Though you won’t have to pay this cost up front, get ready for the potential tax increase after your next home assessment following the renovation.

How much can be done with different budgets?

A low renovation budget of $45,000 will likely get you light cosmetic upgrades throughout the home, such as painting and new fixtures or finishes, or you could spend it all on a single room, such as a bathroom renovation or kitchen remodel.  

What are the highest value renovation projects for a home?

Though the most important considerations for your remodel should be your own wants and desires, it might be a good idea to consider the return on investment of your renovation projects if you’re planning on selling your home down the road. “Any money spent to upgrade a home will be recaptured at some percentage in the value of the home itself,” Bullwinkel says. According to Remodeling’s 2022 Cost vs. Value report, the best home improvement ROI is replacing a garage door, which recoups 93.3% of the job cost. Realtor.com’s 2022 Remodeling Impact report, compiled in association with the NARI, reports that refinishing hardwood floors has the best ROI: 147%. On the flip side, the addition of a primary suite only recoups 46.3% of the job cost per Remodeling and 56% according to Realtor.com and NARI.

How can you save money on a home renovation?

One way to cut down on home improvement costs is to put in your own elbow grease and opt for DIY projects. But there are some places where you shouldn’t cut corners. Unless you have robust contracting experience, it might be best to leave difficult DIY projects like plumbing, electrical wiring, countertops, HVAC, and tiling in areas that need to be waterproof to the pros. Instead, focus on lower-stakes projects, like painting, basic landscaping, and changing hardware such as light fixtures and faucets.

And for the projects you can’t DIY, make sure you don’t choose the cheapest contractor unless you feel absolutely comfortable with them. “The home remodeling process is a lengthy and at times arduous experience, so partnering with someone you trust and that will hold your hand is very important,” Enfinger says. “The project can often take longer than you think, and cost more than you anticipated, so being understanding and patient with the company that you partner with is key.” A good home renovation team will understand your budgetary concerns and work with your needs.

Additional home renovation tips

Contingencies aside, there is another reason you might want to keep your budget low to start. “If you are planning on living in your home for years after the renovation, then stretching your budget a little to get what makes you happy and/or fits your needs might be worth it,” Bullwinkel says. It’s much easier to expand the budget than to make cuts within it to get something you really want.

“Once you have an idea of what you like, or even don’t like, and have a ballpark budget, it’s time to visit with a designer or a design-build contractor. Be prepared that their estimate for the project might not line up with yours,” Bullwinkel says. “Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on how you look at it—shopping for renovation services is not something we do as frequently as shoe shopping. This is why it is important to get three quotes covering the same scope of work for your project.”

As previously mentioned, you’re going to have to hire at least a few professionals to help you through your home remodel. “Working through the design process, the construction, and the warranty period will take several years, so this is building a relationship with your remodeler of choice,” Enfinger says.

The figures cited in this article have been compiled from a variety of sources, including Time, HomeAdvisor, Houzz, Rocket Mortgage, and Realtor.com, and are based on findings from 2022.

If you're thinking about renovating a house, visit the AD PRO Directory, our up-to-date, open-access list of AD-approved architects, interior designers, and landscape specialists that anyone in need of design services can search by profession and location to find the right professional for their next project.