There a number of factors that go into determining how well a project will pay back. Payback value depends a lot on the current market conditions in your area. If the market is hot and homes are selling fast, you can expect a higher payback value than you would get in a slow market.  

The type of project you do and how it fits in with other homes in the area can have a big influence on payback too. If you put your money into the wrong type of improvement, you won’t get your money back. But if you're smart about what you do, you can make money. The payback will be better on improvements that are in demand and conform to neighborhood standards. Adding a second bathroom in a neighborhood where most homes have two bathrooms will give a high return on investment.  Building a large addition that makes your home twice as big as the other homes on the block probably won’t pay back very well. Likewise, the popularity of a project will factor into how much it pays back. An improvement heavily customized to your wants and needs won’t pay back as well as something more common to other homes in the neighborhood.

Another factor to consider is the cost of the improvements. If you can do the work yourself, you can save significantly on the cost of the project and greatly improve the chances of getting a good return on the investment.

The list below for 2007 values was published in "Realtor Magazine" in conjunction with "Remodeling Magazine" and shows the national and Pacific region average per centage payback at resale time for some popular remodeling projects:

          Project                                           National    Pacific

                                                                      Averge     Region

• Minor Kitchen remodel                       83.0        103.5
• Major Kitchen remodel                       78.1         96.6                     
• Bathroom remodel                             78.3         96.6
• Bathroom addition                             66.0         83.5
• Add a deck                                      85.4        108.0 
• Replace windows - wood                    81.2       1 02.9 
• Replace windows - vinyl                     79.3          98.5
• Add a family room                             68.6          84.8 
• Home office remodel                          57.0          68.9
• Basement remodel                             75.1          96.8
• Roof replacement                              67.4          85.1
• Attic bedroom remodel                       76.6          98.0
• Master Suite addition                         69.0          87.2