These Home Improvements Will Offer the Best Return for Idaho Homeowners in 2019

With home values steadily increasing, you might be considering tapping the equity in your house to fund a renovation this year. But before you start swinging a sledgehammer like Chip Gaines, it pays to figure out which projects offer the highest return on investment.

The Remodeling 2019 Cost vs. Value Report compares average costs for remodeling projects with the value those projects retain at resale in more than 100 U.S. markets, including Boise, Idaho. The following 10 projects offer the best ROI, based on data from the Gem State.

Garage door replacement not only tops the list in Idaho, but is the repeat winner nationally, too. In Boise, the job costs $3,611 with a resale value of $5,513 — an impressive 152.7 percent cost return. If you’re considering this project, plan to install a new garage door on new steel tracks but reuse the existing motorized opener.

A minor kitchen remodel totals $20,818, with a cost recovery of 106.6 percent. This project assumes you have a functional but dated 200-square-foot kitchen. Some improvements include replacing cabinet and drawer fronts, cooktop/oven range, refrigerator, laminate countertops and flooring.

Siding replacement will cost $14,980 with a 74.2 percent return. The project consists of 1,250 square feet of new siding.

This project is based on asphalt shingles, which have a higher resale return than their metal counterpart at 72.1 percent. The cost of $21,388 assumes the removal and disposal of existing roofing and installation of fiberglass asphalt shingles.

Ranking sixth and seventh are vinyl and wood window replacements, respectively. Vinyl windows will cost $15,805 and return 70.7 percent. Wood windows are a bit pricier at $19,495 with a cost recovery of 67.3 percent. This project assumes the replacement of 10 existing 3x5-foot double-hung windows.

According to the Cost vs. Value Report, a new wooden deck is a better value than composite. The project cost, $13,099, accounts for the addition of a 16x20-foot deck, including stairs, railing and a built-in bench and planter.

This type of remodel is classified as upscale and has a price tag of $124,990, with a resale recoup of 66.5 percent. A project like this would include upgrading a 200-square-foot kitchen with elements like top-of-the-line custom white cabinets with built-in sliding shelves, stone countertops with imported tile backsplash, a built-in refrigerator and a commercial-grade cooktop, to name a few items.

This project includes replacing your existing entry door and lockset with a new steel unit. The most inexpensive improvement on the list at $1,707, it boasts a 65.9 percent return.

Complete data from the Remodeling 2019 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded free at www.costvsvalue.com.