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2002 Cost vs. Value Report

Bathroom remodel

In many homes, the bathroom doubles as sanctuary. Or it can, if homeowners are willing to spend enough. For Stephanie Witt, a bathroom and kitchen remodeler and owner of Kitchens by Stephanie in Grand Rapids, Mich., the issue often comes down to, “Do you want the room of your dreams or one that’ll pay back your investment?”

As it turns out, homeowners can have both. Measured as a national average, the midrange price of turning a worn-out bathroom into new space is $9,720. That recoups $8,506, or 88 percent.

The “room of your dreams”—a bathroom with all the trimmings—runs $22,639 but recoups 91 percent of cost, or $20,609.

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

MIDRANGE Update a bathroom that is at least 25 years old. Replace all fixtures to include a standard-sized tub with ceramic tile surround, a toilet, a solid-surface vanity counter with an integral double sink, a recessed medicine cabinet, a ceramic tile floor, and vinyl wallpaper.

UPSCALE Expand a 5-by-7-foot bathroom to 9 by 9 feet within the house’s original footprint. Double the number of windows and replace the tub with a custom dual 4-by-6-foot shower in a tile enclosure and glass block surround. The shower includes top-of-the-line fittings and a full-body wash wall. Relocate the toilet into a partitioned area, and replace it with a one-piece color unit. Add a custom vanity cabinet with twin sinks set in granite tops, a linen/towel storage closet, general and spot lighting, and a humidistat-controlled exhaust fan. A tile floor, papered walls, and hardwood trim finish the job.





MIDRANGE              

UPSCALE

Market       

Job
 Cost

Resale
Value

Cost
Recouped

Job
 Cost

Resale
Value

Cost
Recouped

National Average

$9,720

$8,506

88%

$22,639

$20,609

91%

Atlanta

8,980

8,909

99

21,394

25,405

119

Boston

10,887

11,885

109

24,784

38,230

154

Buffalo, N.Y.

9,378

6,780

72

21,976

15,200

69

Chicago

11,029

12,019

109

24,983

24,748

99

Cincinnati

9,767

6,500

67

22,274

19,167

86

Cleveland

10,484

7,984

76

23,649

14,706

62

Columbus, Ohio

9,753

5,270

54

22,367

12,296

55

Dallas

8,464

5,625

66

20,667

13,750

67

Denver

9,361

5,645

60

21,813

15,867

73

Detroit

10,358

7,863

76

23,719

14,750

62

Houston

8,732

6,250

72

21,045

15,875

75

Indianapolis

9,510

5,500

58

22,179

13,800

62

Kansas City, Mo.

9,573

6,156

64

22,349

13,125

59

Los Angeles area

10,634

12,892

121

24,392

29,544

121

Los Angeles

10,852

16,783

155

24,667

40,250

163

Orange County, Calif.

10,415

9,000

86

24,117

18,838

78

Miami

8,352

6,450

77

20,390

15,750

77

Milwaukee

9,992

8,398

84

23,225

20,907

90

Minneapolis

10,706

11,840

111

24,570

25,000

102

New Orleans

8,190

6,586

80

20,025

16,003

80

New York area

10,544

11,348

108

23,989

26,755

112

Passaic, N.J.

10,940

7,750

71

24,575

18,000

73

Nassau-Suffolk, N.Y.

10,799

11,960

111

24,495

23,599

96

Fairfield-New Haven, Conn.

9,894

14,333

145

22,898

38,667

169

Norfolk, Va.

 7,569

6,400

85

19,044

15,000

79

Orlando, Fla.

8,250

5,688

69

20,178

15,245

76

Philadelphia

10,486

12,362

118

23,941

24,900

104

Phoenix

8,962

5,333

60

21,471

11,917

56

Pittsburgh

10,120

5,500

54

23,063

12,125

53

Portland, Ore.

10,235

7,583

74

23,343

20,167

86

Providence, R.I.

9,768

7,125

73

22,695

17,875

79

Sacramento, Calif.

10,642

8,928

84

24,220

20,900

86

Salt Lake City

8,553

7,205

84

20,713

14,802

71

St. Louis

10,268

9,083

88

23,431

17,973

77

San Antonio

8,665

5,921

68

20,825

18,750

90

San Diego

10,314

8,250

80

23,730

25,000

105

San Francisco area

12,193

18,207

149

26,684

42,726

160

San Francisco

12,193

18,000

148

26,684

44,600

167

Oakland, Calif.

12,193

18,413

151

26,684

40,852

153

Seattle

10,551

10,103

96

24,204

21,788

90

Tampa, Fla.

7,750

4,500

58

19,526

13,333

68

Washington, D.C., area

8,535

6,286

74

20,756

18,608

90

Washington, D.C.

8,976

8,667

97

21,650

28,333

131

Baltimore

8,752

$4,459

51

20,949

11,825

56

Richmond, Va.

7,877

$5,733

73

19,670

15,667

80