In What Order Should You Renovate the Rooms in Your Home?

Structural Repairs Come First

Address foundational issues before cosmetic updates. This includes inspecting electrical systems, plumbing, waterproofing, and HVAC. Delaying these could lead to more extensive repairs and higher costs later. Prioritizing structural needs ensures safety and avoids disruptions to future renovations.

Prioritizing High-Use Areas

Kitchens are the most renovated rooms, with 29% of homeowners focusing on these spaces. Bathrooms, both guest (27%) and primary (25%), are next in line. Living rooms follow, and 21% of homeowners choose to upgrade these communal spaces. These areas tend to see the most daily use, making them a logical starting point.

Assessing the Value Impact of Each Renovation

One way to determine renovation priorities is by evaluating potential impacts on home value. For instance, updating a kitchen or bathroom often yields a strong financial return, particularly with features like modern countertops and energy-efficient appliances. If maximizing resale value is a priority, you might also consider researching tools that answer questions like what is my home worth before investing in upgrades?

Similarly, functional upgrades, such as improving plumbing or electrical systems, can prevent costly repairs and maintain property value. Balancing personal preferences with market-driven factors helps homeowners make informed decisions that align with both lifestyle and long-term goals.

Room-by-Room or All at Once?

Renovating room by room allows you to spread out costs and maintain your living space throughout the process. This strategy provides flexibility for adjusting designs based on completed rooms. However, it can prolong the disruption and expose you to fluctuating material costs. A whole-home renovation, while more efficient in achieving a cohesive look, may require temporary relocation and a more substantial upfront budget.

Budgeting Realistically

The median planned budget for renovations is $15,000, though over half of homeowners spend $25,000 or more. High spenders in the top 10% allocate around $80,000, representing a slight drop from previous years. Kitchens typically demand greater investment, with median updates costing $24,000, while a primary bathroom averages $15,000. Proper planning avoids cost overruns caused by unexpected expenses or complex projects.

Logical Renovation Sequence

Major additions, such as expanding a home or building a new wing, should precede adjacent space updates. For interior projects, tackle areas with outdated systems or critical repairs first, such as rewiring older electrical setups or correcting plumbing issues. Once these are resolved, you can move on to rooms that directly impact daily life, like kitchens and bathrooms.

Time Spent Planning vs. Building

Homeowners tend to spend nearly twice as much time planning a renovation as they do executing it. The kitchen highlights this trend, with an average of 9.6 months of planning followed by 5.1 months of building. Bathrooms and bedrooms often follow shorter timelines but still require months of preparation to avoid delays and ensure a clear project scope.

Professional Help and DIY

Although smaller upgrades like painting or lighting installation can often be tackled independently, homeowners frequently hire specialty service providers for tasks like plumbing, electrical work, and tiling. Over 90% of project planners engage professionals to manage these more technical areas, ensuring proper execution and compliance with codes.

Smaller Projects in Between

While working on larger renovations, consider smaller-scale upgrades for underutilized spaces. Painting rooms, updating fixtures, or refreshing cabinetry can modernize spaces while they await more targeted renovations. This keeps the home functional without straining the renovation timeline or budget.