Every remodel client asks me some version of the same question: “Will I get this money back?” It’s a fair question, and I’d rather give a straight answer than tell people what they want to hear. Some remodels genuinely add value in Middle Tennessee. Others make your home more enjoyable but won’t move the needle at resale.
Kitchen vs. Bathroom vs. Addition: What the Data Says
The most recent Cost vs. Value research from Zonda gives a clear picture. A minor kitchen remodel — new cabinet fronts, updated countertops, new appliances, fresh hardware — recoups around 113% of its cost, one of the only interior projects that can pay for itself. A midrange bathroom remodel recoups around 80%. Once you jump into major, high-end projects, the percentage drops fast: a major midrange kitchen remodel recoups roughly 51%.
The pattern is consistent: smaller, targeted, visible updates return more per dollar than large, custom, expensive ones.
What Appraisers Actually Look For in Tennessee
Comparable sales matter more than your finishes. An appraiser in Montgomery, Robertson, or Cheatham county pulls recent sales of similar homes nearby. Over-improve for the neighborhood and you won’t recoup the gap.
Functional updates outperform luxury finishes. Updated electrical, working HVAC, a dry basement, and a roof with life left in it come before imported tile in an appraiser’s mind.
Curb appeal is underrated. Exterior projects rank near the top of national ROI data because they’re the first thing a buyer sees, and they cost less than interior remodels.
What I Recommend Based on Experience
If you’re remodeling with resale in mind, I steer toward a midrange kitchen update — new counters, refaced or painted cabinets, updated lighting, and new appliances get most of the visual impact at a fraction of the cost of a full teardown. Same logic for bathrooms: fresh vanity, updated shower tile, new fixtures.
Don’t remodel just because you think you have to before selling. I’ve talked more than one client out of a $40,000 kitchen remodel when fresh paint and minor repairs would have done nearly as much.
Open Floor Plans and Load-Bearing Walls
Removing a wall to open a kitchen to the living room is one of the most requested remodels I get. But if that wall is load-bearing — and in older homes around here a surprising number are — you need a properly sized structural beam, adequate support posts, and in most cases a permit and inspection. This isn’t a project to guess on.
When to Remodel vs. Build New
If your foundation, roof structure, and major systems are sound, remodeling almost always costs less than building new. But if your remodel budget is creeping past 60–70% of a comparable new custom home, it’s worth pricing out a new build instead. I’ve walked clients through both scenarios with real numbers.
Let’s Look at Your House Together
See examples of remodel work at oneshieldconstruction.com/remodels, or call 931-542-7550 to set up a time for me to come take a look.
