What Led the ‘Joy Score’ in Home Remodeling?

WASHINGTON – (By Dale King, Realty News Report) – Remodeling your kitchen can bring you pure joy.

While it may sound a bit superficial, a good kitchen remodeling may bring you happiness and a smile on your face when you make your first cup of coffee in the morning.

It’s called the “Joy Score” and it shows which remodeling jobs made homeowners the happiest.

Topping the Joy Score chats are (1) the kitchen redo, (2) the addition of a primary bedroom suite, and (3) a new roof.

It’s hard to figure why a new roof would make someone ecstatic, that’s the findings of a new study by two major housing organizations.

The remodeling Joy Score was included in new surveys compiled by the National Association of Realtors and also found in the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s “2025 Remodeling Impact Report.”

The new report evaluates the many motivations for homeowners to undertake remodeling projects, the outcomes of these efforts and the increased level of happiness experienced by homeowners and apartment dwellers once a remodeling job is completed.

Coincidentally, while refurbishing dwellings is a major and nearly always expensive effort, many home and apartment dwellers willingly take part in the process of spiffing up their living quarters. More say they would if they had the money.

Americans spent an estimated $603 billion on home remodeling projects in 2024, determined NAR and the NARI report in their examinations. And if cost were not a factor, more than 90 percent of consumers said they would renovate additional areas of their households.

A variety of projects can be found on a typical remodeling list. Still, NAR and the NARI report determined that the reasons for performing renovation work fall basically into two categories: For personal satisfaction or to pump up the value of a home. Frequently, those reasons overlap.

According to the aforementioned reports, the remodeling projects that received the highest so-called “Joy Scores” – a ranking from 1 to 10 based on the happiness homeowners feel upon completion – include the addition of a primary bedroom suite (10), a kitchen upgrade (10) and new roofing (10).

Make Money When You Sell: Get a Steel Front Door and a Closet Renovation

By contrast, the remodeling projects with the highest cost recovery expectation – as estimate from NARI members – include a new steel front door (100 percent), closet renovation (83 percent) and new fiberglass front door (80 percent).

Realtors often urge homeowners to carry out remodeling projects before putting their homes on the market. Among top projects potential sellers should take on include painting the entire home (50 percent), painting one interior room (41 percent) and adding new roofing (37 percent).

Since 2020, Realtors have seen home preferences shift, said the NAR and NARI research. Top renovation efforts that NAR members have seen increased demand for in the last two years include kitchen upgrades (48 percent), new roofing (43 percent) and bathroom renovation (35 percent).

“Homeowners undertake remodeling projects for numerous reasons, but what remains intriguing is the disparity between the joy experienced post-remodel and the actual cost recovery,” said Jessica Lautz, NAR deputy chief economist and vice president of research.

“While homeowners take pride in seeing their personal tastes and design choices come to life, Realtors may recommend different strategies to enhance the property’s resale value.”

When consumers remodel their homes, the primary reasons include upgrading worn-out surfaces, finishes and materials (27 percent); improving energy efficiency (19 percent); desiring a change (18 percent) and preparing to sell within the next two years (18 percent), according to NAR and the NARI figures.

“This report demonstrates that demand for remodeling remains robust, with 42 percent of NARI members experiencing an increase in contracting projects and 57 percent observing larger project scopes over the past two years,” said NARI President Jason Hensler.

“Homeowners are discovering significant value and joy in these investments – from smaller upgrades such as front doors and windows to major renovations like kitchens and primary suites.”

While housing affordability and rising mortgage rates have been considered as potential motivators for home remodeling, most consumers (89 percent) said they felt the affordability of a residence was not a deciding factor in their decision to revamp their homesteads.

However, for a smaller segment of consumers (9 percent), improving the value of a dwelling did serve as a motivating factor for undertaking remodeling projects.

“Interestingly, despite the lock-in effect – where low-interest-rate mortgages discourage homeowners from moving – housing affordability isn’t a significant reason why consumers choose to remodel their homes,” added Lautz. “Instead, the substantial housing equity that homeowners have built up over time enables them to invest in transforming their homes while they remain in place.”

Homeowners feel the most important outcomes from remodeling projects are improved functionality and livability (28 percent); durable and long-lasting results, materials and appliances (23 percent) and enhanced beauty and aesthetics (23 percent).

Following their remodeling projects, 64 percent of homeowners expressed a greater desire to be in their homes while 46 percent reported increased enjoyment in their living spaces.

To finance their remodeling projects, said NAR and the NARI report, consumers primarily relied on home equity loans or lines of credit (54 percent), savings (29 percent) and credit cards (10 percent).

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