2005 Cost Vs. Value Remodeling Report

Say you had a dated, 200 sq ft kitchen with 30 linear feet of cabinets and countertops. A "minor" remodel would be to replace the cabinet door fronts, replace the laminate counters, install new stove and oven and new faucet, repaint and replace the vinyl floor. In the Southern US, the average cost of that job would be about $13,500. The cost recouped at resale is about 96% of your investment.

What about adding a deck? A 16x20 foot pressure-treated pine deck with concrete footings, built-in bench and planter would run you about $8,700. You'll get back about 82% of that cost when you resell.

Want more facts and figures? Check out the online edition of the annual "Cost vs. Value Report", published in Dec 2005, in conjunction with Remodeling magazine. Click this link to go to the overview, and then look for the red links along the right hand side for a list of specific remodeling projects.