American homeowners spent more than $600 billion on home renovation costs in 2024, according to a 2025 report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. That’s 50% higher than it was before the pandemic. If you have renovations that need to be completed, knowing what costs to expect will help you know how much to save (or borrow). You might need just $1,500 to redo a bedroom — or more than $80,000 if you want a new, high-end kitchen. We’ll help you figure out average home renovation costs and ways you can cover them so you can plan your next project.
The median household spending on renovations was $20,000 in 2024, according to a 2025 U.S. Houzz and Home Study on renovation trends. Home services company Angi says spending averages about $15 to $60 per square foot, although some renovations average as much as $150 per square foot.
How much home renovations cost can vary widely, depending on a range of factors, including:
To get a better understanding of the cost of home renovation, let's break down the average costs by project type.
Kitchen renovations are popular and tend to deliver a strong return on your investment. The average costs of kitchen renovations vary significantly depending on your project scope:
Source: Journal of Light Construction (2024)
Bathroom renovations are fairly in demand, according to the National Association of REALTORS®, with 35% of REALTORS® suggesting this change for sellers about to put their home on the market.
The average cost of a bathroom remodel ranges:
Source: Journal of Light Construction (2024)
Common bedroom renovations include new flooring, paint, wallpaper, windows, window treatments, lighting, furniture, and soft furnishings. Because these updates don't involve plumbing or appliances, they generally cost less:
Sources: Angi, Journal of Light Construction (2024)
Exterior renovation projects boost your curb appeal, but the average cost for these changes can vary dramatically:
Sources: Angi, Journal of Light Construction (2024)
While it helps to know average home renovation costs, you'll want to get more specific estimates when it comes to your own projects. Here's how to plan your costs for a home renovation:
Sometimes pricing out your dream home renovation can lead to sticker shock. Fortunately, there are multiple ways you may be able to pay for your home remodel.
Almost 30% of homeowners save up for their home renovation project and pay in cash, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). This method is less common primarily because of the time it can take to save up the thousands of dollars necessary for your project.
A far more common method for covering home renovations is to use your home equity, which is the amount of your home that you actually own. According to NAR, more than half of owners (54%) choose a home equity loan or home equity line of credit (HELOC) to cash in on their home's value and use it to pay for updates and improvements.
A cash-out refinance is another way to access funding for home renovations. With this method, you'll replace your existing mortgage with a new one that's larger, with the excess delivered to you as cash you can use to pay for renovations. If your new mortgage rate is lower than your existing mortgage rate, it could save a little interest, too. If rates are higher, this method could cost you more money over time.
NAR also reports approximately 10% of homeowners lean on credit cards to pay for home renovations.
Other possible ways to finance a renovation include:
Home renovation costs can quickly add up to thousands of dollars, and you may not have that kind of cash just laying around. But you do have value in your home --- the average homeowner has more than $300,000 in home equity. Knowing how to use your home equity could give you access to the funds you need to complete your home renovation goals.
Use digital tools and calculators from AmeriSave to discover how much home equity you have and which loan options best support your home renovation goals. Get started today and move forward on your next project.
You can expect to spend up to $60 per square foot, on average, for a typical home renovation. However, this figure can vary widely depending on where you live, the condition of your home, and the type of updates you want to make.
Considering that the median home renovation cost is about $20,000, being able to afford this kind of expense isn’t easy. That’s why more than half of homeowners cash into their home equity to cover renovation costs.
To avoid over-improving your home (which can make it tough to price your home competitively when you go to sell), restrict your home renovation costs to no more than 30% of your home’s current market value.