Every year, homeowners flip through the Cost vs. Value Report hoping to find a magic number. Some project that pays for itself completely. A renovation that practically guarantees a return.
The reality is more nuanced than that, and honestly, more useful. Understanding what this report actually measures helps you make smarter decisions about your property, your budget, and your expectations.
What Is the Cost vs. Value Report?
The Cost vs. Value Report is an annual study published by Zonda, in partnership with the Journal of Light Construction. It compares the average cost of common home improvement projects against the resale value those projects add to a home.
The most recent data covers the 2024 reporting period, with updates expected for 2026. Todd Tomalak, a principal at Zonda, has been closely involved in analyzing this data over the years. The report looks at dozens of projects nationwide and breaks them down by region, which makes it genuinely useful for homeowners trying to prioritize upgrades.
What the Numbers Actually Mean
Here is the part most people misread. A high return on investment percentage does not mean you profit. It means you recover a portion of what you spent when you sell.
For example, a kitchen remodel might cost $85,000 but only add $40,000 to your sale price. That is a 47% return. Compare that to a garage door replacement, which consistently ranks among the highest ROI projects in the report, often recovering over 90% of its cost.
The price you pay matters, but so does the project category. Exterior improvements tend to outperform interior renovations in return on investment, and the data backs this up year after year.
Why Exterior Projects Consistently Win
This is where it gets interesting for homeowners focused on long-term value. The report repeatedly shows that exterior upgrades deliver stronger returns than most interior work.
Projects like stone veneer installation, siding, and window replacement regularly appear near the top of the list. In the 2024 data, manufactured stone veneer held one of the highest cost recoup percentages of any project tracked, hovering near or above 100% in some regions.
Why does this happen? Curb appeal is the first impression buyers get. Exterior condition signals how well a home has been maintained. Buyers factor this into their offer before they ever step inside.
Where Roofing and Windows Fit In
Roofing and window replacement do not crack the top 10 this year, but they still matter for a different reason: they protect everything the top-ranked projects are trying to sell. Industry data tied to the Cost vs. Value report generally puts asphalt shingle roof replacement in the 60% to 70% range for cost recouped at resale, and vinyl window replacement commonly lands in the high-60s to mid-70s percent range nationally.
Neither one tops the chart the way a garage door or a stone veneer skirt does. But a failing roof or a home full of drafty, fogged-up windows does something the report cannot measure directly.
It signals deferred maintenance to a buyer, which often triggers a bigger discount at the negotiating table than the missing ROI percentage would suggest on its own. If you are prioritizing a full exterior update, roofing replacement and window replacement are worth budgeting for even when they are not the flashiest line items on the report.
What the Report Does Not Tell You
The Cost vs. Value Report measures resale value, not livability or protection. It cannot account for the cost of ignoring a problem.
A failing roof or damaged siding does not just affect your sale price someday. It causes ongoing damage to your home’s structure right now. The investment in exterior repair or replacement protects everything inside your home, and that protection has real monetary value even if it does not show up cleanly in a return on investment percentage.
The report also uses averages. Your specific results depend on the quality of materials, the quality of installation, and the condition of your home before the work begins.
Regional Reality: Why Your Numbers May Look Different
Spokane falls within the Pacific region as the report defines it, along with the rest of Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, and Hawaii. That is genuinely good news this year.
The Pacific region posted the strongest average return of any region nationwide in the 2025 report, with the West South Central region close behind. That said, a regional average still blends together major coastal metros and inland cities like Spokane, so your specific numbers can vary from the headline figures.
Local material costs, contractor availability, and buyer expectations in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho all shape what a project actually returns here. A quote based on your home’s actual condition will always tell you more than a national average.
How to Use the Cost vs. Value Report Wisely
Rather than chasing the highest percentage, use the report as one input among several. Ask yourself a few honest questions.
- Is this project fixing a real problem, or purely cosmetic?
- How long do you plan to stay in the home?
- What does your home’s exterior communicate to a neighbor or potential buyer right now?
If you plan to sell within the next few years, prioritize projects that appraisers and buyers notice immediately. If you are staying long-term, prioritize durability and protection first, aesthetics second.
The report covers roughly 38 project types in its most recent editions. Not all of them apply to every home, and not all returns are equal across property types or price points.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is the Cost vs. Value Report updated?
It is published annually by Zonda in partnership with the Journal of Light Construction. The most recent edition came out in September 2025, and the next one is expected in the fall.
What home improvement has the best ROI right now?
Garage door replacement currently holds the top spot nationally for the second year running, followed by steel entry door replacement and manufactured stone veneer. All three now return more than the full cost of the project on average.
Do kitchen and bathroom remodels ever pay for themselves?
Rarely at full resale value, especially for large, highly customized projects. Minor kitchen refreshes tend to perform better than full gut renovations, since they appeal to a broader range of buyers at a lower cost.
Does the national data apply directly to Spokane?
Not exactly. Spokane falls under the Pacific region, which posted strong average returns in the latest report, but regional averages still blend coastal and inland markets together. Local conditions and material costs affect the real number for your home.
Conclusion
The Cost vs. Value Report is a useful tool, but it proves something simpler than most people expect. Exterior renovation consistently delivers strong value, whether you measure it in resale price or long-term protection.
If your Spokane home needs attention on the outside, starting with roofing, siding, or windows is almost always a smart move. Reach out to Balsamroot Exteriors to talk through what your home actually needs and what the investment looks like for your specific situation.
