Bathroom remodel ROI calculator
Bathrooms are the second room buyers scrutinize. Updating the one you have returns most of its cost; adding a new one adds convenience but recovers only about half. Choose the project, set the budget, and see the numbers.
Directional estimate using national cost-vs-value recoup rates (2025 Cost vs. Value report). Returns vary widely by market, quality, and timing — not an appraisal.
How much value does a bathroom remodel add?
A midrange bathroom remodel — new tub or shower, tile, vanity, fixtures and flooring in the existing footprint, about $26,000 — recouped roughly 80% of its cost in the 2025 Cost vs. Value report. A midrange bathroom addition (a new 6×8 bath where none existed, about $61,000) recouped about 53%, and upscale versions of either recoup less.
As with kitchens, the return comes from fixing what buyers notice — dated tile, a stained tub, a cramped vanity — rather than from luxury finishes.
What drives bathroom ROI
Footprint. Keeping plumbing in place is the difference between a $26,000 remodel and a $60,000 one.
Bathroom count. Going from one bath to two adds real value in family markets; going from three to four rarely does.
Durable, neutral finishes. Porcelain tile, quartz tops, chrome or brushed-nickel fixtures appeal to the widest pool.
Ventilation and water. Buyers and inspectors check for moisture damage first; a pretty remodel over a leak is worth nothing.
When to remodel — and when to add
Remodel: the bath is dated or worn but the layout works — the highest-return choice.
Add: only one bathroom in a 3-bedroom home, or no bath on the main floor — a functional gap buyers will pay to close, even at a 53% recoup.
Put it in context
Compare this against other projects with the Increase Home Value calculator, check what your home is worth with the Home Value Estimator, and see local prices on the home values map.