Top home improvements that increase resale value in 2026. ROI data for windows, entry doors, roofing, siding, and gutters.
If you're planning to sell your Chicagoland home — or just want to invest wisely in improvements that build equity — here are the exterior projects with the highest return on investment according to industry data.
1. Entry Door Replacement — Highest ROI
A new steel or fiberglass entry door consistently ranks as the #1 ROI home improvement, recovering 70-100%+ of the project cost at resale. It's also one of the most affordable exterior upgrades, making the value-to-cost ratio unbeatable. Explore entry door options →
2. Garage Door Replacement
A new garage door typically recovers 90-100% of its cost. The visual impact on curb appeal is massive since the garage door often covers 30% of a home's front-facing exterior.
3. Manufactured Stone Veneer
Adding stone veneer to a portion of your exterior (typically the front entry area) recovers 80-90% and dramatically upgrades curb appeal.
4. Siding Replacement
New siding — particularly James Hardie fiber cement — recovers 70-80% while transforming the entire look of your home. Buyers notice new siding immediately. Explore siding options →
5. Window Replacement
New windows recover 60-75% and are one of the first things home inspectors check. Buyers strongly prefer homes with updated windows because they represent years of maintenance-free performance. Andersen Certified window installation →
6. Roof Replacement
A new roof recovers 60-70% and eliminates one of the biggest concerns for buyers. No buyer wants to inherit a roof that needs replacing. More importantly, a failing roof can kill a sale entirely. Learn about our roofing services →
The Whole-House Advantage
Notice that every top-ROI improvement is something we do. Combining multiple exterior projects — windows, entry door, roof, siding, gutters — with one contractor saves on labor and creates a cohesive finished look that maximizes curb appeal and buyer appeal. Complete exterior renovation guide →
Where exterior money goes furthest
For how a house looks from the street, the front door, garage door and siding color do the most. For comfort, windows and air sealing. For protecting the building, roof, gutters and flashing. For resale, national cost-versus-value surveys consistently put entry doors, siding and windows near the top for the share of cost recovered. A good plan fixes anything leaking first, then spends on what you will see and feel every day.
Plan the whole house, then phase it
Even if you will do one project a year, decide the end result first: roof color, siding color, trim and window finish. Then each phase fits the next and nothing has to be redone. Tell your contractor the full plan. We keep measurements, product lines and colors on file so that the windows installed next year match the ones installed this year.
A ten-minute walk around the house
Twice a year, walk the outside slowly. Look up at the roof edges for lifted shingles and sagging gutters. Look at the siding for cracks, gaps and soft spots near the ground. Check caulk around windows and doors. Look down at the foundation for soil that has settled toward the house and downspouts that have come loose. Photograph anything that has changed since last time. Small problems caught in a walk-around are cheap; the same problems found by a leak are not.
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