Planning a Major Kitchen Remodel Before Selling? Read the Numbers First
Home Improvement Payback Guide, part 15 of 21
Illustrative photo, not a Bay Area property. Photo from Pexels.
You are standing in a kitchen that has seen better days, and you are wondering the same thing most Bay Area homeowners wonder. If you spend real money on a full kitchen remodel, will the house sell for enough more to cover it?
The short answer is no, not on average. A midrange major kitchen remodel ranked number 15 out of the 20 projects this guide covers. Homeowners got back only part of what they spent. That does not make it a bad project. It just means the remodel should be for you first and the sale second. Here are the real numbers.
The job cost
$75,571
Back at resale
$43,364
The gap you absorb
$32,207
Cents back per dollar
57 cents
Numbers above are 2021 national averages from the Cost vs. Value study. They are a ranking guide, not a quote for your home.
What you spend, and what comes back at resale
The study prices a full gut, not a facelift.
Before you look at any dollar figure, it helps to know exactly what the study priced. This is not a light refresh. The project guts a 200 square foot kitchen down to the walls and rebuilds it with midrange finishes.
- Semi custom wood cabinets, including a 3 by 5 foot island
- New cabinet hardware and new appliances
- Laminate counters with a new sink and faucet
- Vinyl flooring and fresh paint
Notice what is not on that list. No quartz, no stone, no designer package. If your dream kitchen includes those, your cost will land above these figures.
The 2021 numbers show a big gap at resale.
In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, this remodel cost $75,571 on average. Homes that sold soon after got back about $43,364 at resale. That leaves a gap of $32,207, or about 57 cents back for every dollar you spend. Those are national averages, and Bay Area quotes usually run higher than the national job cost.
The same 2021 national study compared all three kitchen tiers, and the results are worth a hard look. The small minor kitchen remodel returned 72.2 percent of its cost, the midrange major remodel returned 57.4 percent, and the upscale major remodel returned 53.9 percent. The smallest project returned the biggest share of what it cost.
Today the local report shows less than half back.
The 2025 Cost vs. Value report for the San Francisco metro area, which includes Fremont, Newark and Union City. It prices the same project at $97,667. About $47,360 of that comes back at resale. That works out to about 48 cents back for every dollar you spend. One important caution: the report changed how it measures results between 2021 and 2025, so you cannot compare the 2025 numbers to the 2021 numbers side by side. Each year stands on its own.
Kitchens sell Bay Area homes, but not at full price.
Kitchens sell houses in the Bay Area. Buyers walk into the kitchen first, and a tired one can slow a sale in Fremont, Newark or Union City. But there is a difference between a kitchen that helps the sale and a kitchen that pays for itself, and on average, none of these kitchen projects pay for themselves. If you are remodeling to sell, the smaller minor kitchen refresh is the better math. The full remodel is for the years you will actually cook in it.
Remodel the kitchen for you, not the buyer.
Here is a simple rule of thumb. Outside projects like new doors and siding tend to earn their keep when you sell soon. Inside projects like this one are for the years you live in the home. A major kitchen remodel is also slow to arrange. Semi custom cabinets can take weeks or months to arrive, and permits and contractor schedules add more time, so this is not a project you squeeze in right before listing. If you plan to sell within the next year or two, skip the full remodel and put that energy into cleaning, paint and small fixes instead.
Questions homeowners ask
How much does a major kitchen remodel cost?
In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, a midrange major kitchen remodel averaged $75,571, and Bay Area quotes usually run higher than national figures. The 2025 Cost vs. Value report for the San Francisco metro area, which covers Fremont, Newark and Union City, priced the same project at $97,667. Keep in mind the report changed how it measures results between 2021 and 2025, so the two years cannot be compared to each other.
Should I remodel my kitchen before selling my house?
Usually not a full remodel. In the 2021 national Cost vs. Value study, the midrange major kitchen remodel returned 57.4 percent of its cost, while the smaller minor kitchen remodel returned 72.2 percent. If your goal is a stronger sale, lighter updates like paint, hardware and deep cleaning tend to be the safer path. Every house and street is different, so weigh your own numbers before you spend.
Do you get your money back on a kitchen remodel?
On average, no. The 2021 national Cost vs. Value study found a midrange major kitchen remodel returned about 57 cents back for every dollar spent. That leaves a gap of $32,207 between the cost and the value added at resale. These are averages from a study, not a quote for your house, so your result could land higher or lower.
More from this guide
- Every guide in one place: the Home Improvements page
- Start here: all twenty projects, ranked
- Part 14: A Universal Design Bathroom Is Built for Living, Not for Resale
- Part 16: A Metal Roof Lasts for Decades. Here Is What It Returns at Resale.
- Part 3: The Small Kitchen Update That Beats a Full Remodel at Resale
- Part 19: An Upscale Kitchen Remodel and the Money You Will Not See Again
See the full charts and payback calculator →
Thinking about selling in the next year or two?
The remodel conversation belongs 6 to 12 months before you list, while every option is still open. Start with what your home is worth today, then decide what, if anything, is worth doing.
Or just ask. Call or text Harv at 510 600 3425.
Cost and resale figures are from the Cost vs. Value Report, © Zonda Media, LLC (2021 national edition and 2025 San Francisco metro edition, costvsvalue.com), deemed reliable but not guaranteed. They are averages for the specific projects studied and are not an estimate or a prediction for any specific property. The 2021 and 2025 editions measure differently and are not comparable to each other. Prepared by Harv Balu, REALTOR®, GRI, CIPS, PSA, FTBS. REALTY EXPERTS®, DRE #02195792. Call or text 510 600 3425. Equal Housing Opportunity.