--- title: This Is the Most Popular Home Improvement Project in America — and It Costs Less Than $4,000 description: From new floors to bathroom renovations, these are America's most popular remodeling projects — and how much they cost. authors: - name: Shaina Mishkin url: https://money.com/author/shaina-mishkin/ at_money_since: 2017 articles: 131 covers: - Housing - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Economy and Politics - Investing - Lifestyle - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes - Technology former_staff: true published: '2019-03-12T15:37:44.000Z' modified: '2024-04-17T11:31:45.000Z' section: Housing tags: - Apex4211 - Apex52 - Apex94 - home renovations - real estate word_count: 1085 canonical: https://money.com/most-popular-home-renovations/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![190312-home-renovations-featured](https://img.money.com/2019/03/190312-home-renovations-featured.jpg) Last year Americans spent a record amount renovating their homes. But the most popular projects aren’t as expensive as you might think. Homeowners and landlords in the U.S. spent an astonishing $424 billion on home improvements in 2017, according to *[Improving America’s Housing 2019](https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research-areas/reports/improving-americas-housing-2019),* a Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies analysis of government data. That's up from the previous record of $397.8 billion in 2016. The survey draws from the [Census Bureau's American Housing Survey](https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/ahs.html), which measures the number of households who embark on home renovations and their associated costs. (American Housing Survey data for 2018 and 2019 isn't yet available.) While you might be tempted to credit HGTV fever or frivolous renovation trends, the highest spend on home renovation in at least two decades is actually a consequence of the millions of old houses in the country, the report says. “The aging of the housing stock has been a boon to the remodeling industry," Abbe Will, Associate Project Director in Harvard's Remodeling Futures Program, said in a press release. Nearly 40% of the country's 137 million homes — roughly 55 million houses — are more than 50 years old, the report says. For the most part, America's favorite renovations aren't flashy overhauls, but minor improvements that make an impact — and some of them even earn a little cash back at sale. Itching to get started on your own home renovations? Here are the 10 most popular projects among Americans in 2017 — and what they cost to pull off. ## Floors and ceilings ![Beautiful New custom Entryway upscale home hardwood floors](https://img.money.com/2019/03/190312-home-renovations-wood-flooring.jpg) **What it is:** Replacing carpeting, flooring, paneling or ceiling tiles**Number of homeowners reporting project**: 5.2 million **Average cost:** $3,283 A room's floor or ceiling can make or break its entire vibe — which might be why carpeting, flooring, paneling and ceiling tile replacement was the most popular project among homeowners in 2017. More than 5.2 million people, or about one in four homeowners who said they remodeled in 2017, incorporated work on their home's floors and ceilings. "Flooring is one of the most popular home improvement projects because it’s a way to transform the look and feel of the home without spending a fortune," says Dan DiClerico, home expert at renovations website HomeAdvisor. "We’ve seen the project really take off in the age of open-floor plans in contemporary homes." ## Sinks and other fixtures ![Close-Up Of Water Dripping From Faucet In Sink](https://img.money.com/2019/03/190312-home-renovations-plumbing-fixtures.jpg) **What it is**: Replacing a home's plumbing fixtures **Number of homeowners reporting project**: 4.1 million **Average cost**: $1,360 A total bathroom renovation might sound nice, but replacing an old, dated fixture might be all the work you need. More than 4 million homeowners said they replaced a plumbing fixture, like a sink or a bathtub, in 2017. At an average cost of $1,360, ditching outdated fixtures is one of the most affordable ways to change the look of your bathroom evaluated by the report. ## Time-saving kitchen appliances ![Teenage girl (16-18) putting dishes in dishwasher, low section](https://img.money.com/2019/03/190312-home-renovations-dishwasher.jpg) **What it is:** Adding a [new garbage disposal](https://money.com/best-garbage-disposal/) or built-in dishwasher **Number of homeowners reporting project**: 3.7 million **Average cost**: $570 More than 8 million homeowners said they replaced or added a major home appliance in 2017, the Harvard report says. For nearly half of them, that meant installing a new garbage disposal or [built-in dishwasher](https://money.com/best-dishwasher/). The most affordable renovation on this list, adding or replacing your kitchen's built-in dishwasher or garbage disposal ran Americans a collective $2.1 billion in 2017. ## Windows and doors ![front door entrance to grand house](https://img.money.com/2019/03/190312-home-renovations-doors.jpg) **What it is:** Replacing doors or windows **Number of homeowners reporting project**: 3.7 million **Average cost:** $3,422 While trends come and go, door and window renovations are always in demand. A consistent high scorer in [*Remodeling* magazine](https://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2019/)'s survey of cost-effective home renovations, replacing an old entry door with a new one recoups about 75% of its initial outlay at sale, according to the *Remodeling* report. Window replacements are also worth your while. A new window will earn a little more than 70% of its cost back at sale, and does double duty, [adding to curb appeal while lowering heating costs](https://money.com/affordable-renovations-boost-home-value/). ## Replacing windows in your home is a worthwhile investment. ### Let Renewal by Andersen find the best window replacement pros in your area. Click your state to get started. [Get Started](https://money.com/pr/u555068692fa?ap_referrer=%2Fmost-popular-home-renovations%2F) ## Water heater ![White gas boiler mounted in wall cupboard](https://img.money.com/2019/03/190312-home-renovations-water-heater.jpg) **What it is:** Replacing a water heater **Number of homeowners reporting project**: 3.6 million **Average cost:** $976 The most popular projects aren't always the most exciting — but many, like replacing an old water heater, are necessary. Luckily, at an average price point of $976, replacing your water heater is one necessary expense that won't leave a dent in your wallet. ## Roofing ![New Residential House; Architectural Asphalt Shingle Roof, Vinyl Siding](https://img.money.com/2019/03/190312-home-renovations-roofing.jpg) **What it is**: Replacing a home's roofing **Number of homeowners reporting project**: 3.4 million **Average cost:** $7,674 Roof replacement is one of those renovations homeowners dread, and for good reason. Replacing an old roof is generally more expensive and involved than other outdoor maintenance projects, and it's unavoidable if you live in your home long enough. More than 3.3 million homeowners spent a whopping $25.9 billion on roofing projects in 2017 — a higher collective bill than any other renovation in the report. ## Lawn and landscape projects ![Automatic sprinklers](https://img.money.com/2019/03/190312-home-renovations-sprinkler-system.jpg) **What it is**: Improving a home's landscaping or [sprinkler system](https://money.com/shopping/) **Number of homeowners reporting project**: 2.8 million **Average cost:** $2,497 A home's lawn and landscape might not seem as important as the roof or water heater, but homeowners thinking of selling would be wise to not underestimate [the power of curb appeal](https://money.com/affordable-renovations-boost-home-value/). At an average spend of $2,497, 2.8 million households spruced up their lawns and sprinkler systems in 2017. ## Air conditioning ![Woman adjusting digital thermostat](https://img.money.com/2019/03/190312-home-renovations-central-air-condition.jpg) **What it is**: Adding or replacing central air conditioning **Number of homeowners reporting project**: 2.7 million **Average cost:** $5,113 Climate control was a top-of-mind issue for survey respondents: 3.8 million homeowners said their homes underwent HVAC work in 2017. Of those respondents, 2.7 million — nearly three in four — said that work involved central air conditioning. ## Need help with your A/C? ### Get a free quote from Modernize to get your air conditioning and heating project done. [Get a Free Quote](https://money.com/pr/u09d115d97ac?ap_referrer=%2Fmost-popular-home-renovations%2F) ## Minor bathroom remodels ![Luxury Master Bathroom with Free Standing Bath Tub](https://img.money.com/2019/03/190312-home-renovations-bathroom-remodel.jpg) **What it is**: A small and inexpensive bathroom remodeling project **Number of homeowners reporting project**: 2.5 million **Average cost:** $3,435 Bathroom renovations can cost a fortune, but most homeowners showed restraint. A minor bathroom remodel, defined in the Harvard report as those that cost less than $15,000 when performed by a professional or $6,000 DIY, were executed by 2.5 million homeowners at a total cost of $9.9 billion in 2017. Major bathroom remodels, on the other hand, were only undertaken in 425,000 households. ## Electrical work ![Woman hand turning off fuse box in the house](https://img.money.com/2019/03/190312-home-renovations-breaker-fuse-box.jpg) **What it is**: Replacing electrical wiring, fuse boxes or breaker switches **Number of homeowners reporting project**: 2.2 million **Average cost:** $1,473 An often under-appreciated home renovation, it's easy to forget about electrical wiring until it isn't working the way it should. 2.2 million homeowners made a change to their wiring, fuse boxes or breaker switches in 2017. ## Solar panels are becoming the most common way to modernize your home and increase its value. ### Get a free quote to start saving money on utilities, help save the environment and saving with solar rebates and solar leasing. 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