Top 6 Worst ROI Improvements You Can Make

All of us have wished to renovate our homes, to make some changes that we thought of as useful and wise. Huge home projects may bring more comfort to our living space or make our home look prettier. Still, they also bring huge expenses. What's more, have you ever considered whether those changes would prove as good or bad investments? It is not a rare case that something in which we put a lot of money eventually turns out to be a complete disaster for our budget. Here we go with a list of the top 6 worst ROI home improvements you can make.

1. Remodeling your kitchen

When people think about remodeling their homes, most would first come up with the idea of a kitchen renovation. Whether you need new cupboards, a lovely wooden dining table you saw in the shop months ago, or a set of stylish chairs, any change seems crucial. However, the problem with renovating your kitchen is that once you change one thing, you would like to change another, and it goes on and on. Minor kitchen investments are acceptable and won't hurt your budget much. Moreover, some studies have shown that with small remodeling, you will get up to 81% of your investments back. On the other hand, if you go for a bigger renovation project, the estimation decreases to 53% or less.

2. Building a new bathroom

Even if having an extra bathroom in your house seems like a great and luxurious idea, this undertaking will take you more than it will bring. Creating an additional bathroom has an ROI of about 50%, which is pretty low. It will indeed increase the square footage of your home. However, if one day you decide to move out, an additional bathroom won't raise the house's price as much as you may think it will. Instead, try to save your money in the first place. Renovate the existing bathroom, and raise the return to the acceptable 70%.

And since we have already mentioned relocations and money saving, there is no need to spend a fortune on your moving day either. If you play smart and employ some tricks, you will manage to move on a budget.

3. A home office- one of the worst ROI home improvements you can make

Even though nowadays, most people tend to work remotely home office is not a necessary part of a house. Every room may serve as a working space, and there is no need to invest a huge amount of money in creating a stylish and professional home office. However, if you already have an improvised home office, don't bother building a new one since research has shown that it may cost you more than it will bring. The ROI of a home office goes to 46%, which is considered low.

Moreover, selling a house with too many personalized details will be much more difficult. Buyers prefer neutral properties. That gives them some free space to imagine it being their own home. So, if you have thought of the home office remodeling project, you'd better give it up on time.

Make a cozy corner of your living room your new home working space.

4. Adding a master suite

Yes, most people indeed dream about having an exclusive master suite just for themselves. Large space, with a private bathroom and all the other amenities one such room brings. All of that sounds royal. And if that is a realization of your dreams, keep on.

However, if adding a master suite is just another way to add square footage to your home, we suggest that's not a very wise idea. Big master suite projects have an estimated ROI of no more than 48%.

However, some experts claim that a reasonable replacement for a master suite project can be adding a walk-in closet to your room. Their estimations showed the ROI of this project is almost 100%. And if you still need more space for keeping your stuff or seasonal clothes, Here & Now Movers suggests getting a storage unit will solve all your problems.

5. Upgrading a backyard

Many people dream about boosting their backyards and making them nice entertainment areas. However, not every idea is a good one, and not every dream is possible.

Building gazebos, water features, fountains, or adding some greens may look nice at first glance, but that will eventually be an additional expense. Starting any big remodeling project in your yard is one of the worst ROI home improvements you can make. Strictly speaking, the return rarely goes to more than 47%. Even some additions that seemed like great investments at first proved to be bad choices. Thus, building a garage in your backyard brings a return of only 60%. If you make some calculations, it may be much cheaper to keep using your driveway as a parking space. That is why even if you plan to make some changes to your patio, stick to the small-scale undertakings.

6. A swimming pool

The best advice for such a great idea is not to install the pool at all. The big and expensive projects are reserved only for those who can guarantee they will never leave their home and move somewhere else. Otherwise, that's just a waste of money, with little chance of refunding it in the selling process.

Potential buyers usually don't pay much attention to properties with pools. This is either because they may consider them too expensive for maintenance or because all they need is a functional backyard. That is why the average ROI of installing a pool on your patio is around 50%.

The in-ground pools are serious financial projects. They may indeed bring a lot of joy during the summer months. However, don't forget the chores you'll have during the rest of the year. On the other hand, the above-ground pools are a little bit more acceptable financially. However, you will still have to deal with daunting tasks like testing the ground strength or installing a water source.

A swimming pool in your backyard sounds fantastic, but that is one of the worst ROI home improvements you can make.

All the renovation and remodeling plans seem appealing at first glance. The more time we spend in some space, the more we need to change it and create something fresh and different. However, it is always good to think twice. We hope this list of the worst ROI home improvements you can make gets you thinking in a more practical and financially acceptable way.