2026 Home Project Cost Guides
Real cost ranges — not lead-gen numbers. National averages, low-high ranges, and regional variation for 60+ home improvement projects. Refreshed weekly.
Whole-home renovations 5 guides
The big projects — full kitchen or bath remodel, basement finish, whole-house rewire.
System replacements 9 guides
The big-ticket system swaps — HVAC, water heater, roof, panel.
Room-specific projects 11 guides
Common single-room upgrades and installs.
Exterior & yard 12 guides
Windows, doors, siding, deck, fence, driveway, gutters.
Foundation, insulation & remediation 8 guides
Waterproofing, insulation, mold, radon, asbestos, pests.
Contractor & pro hourly rates 8 guides
What the trades charge nationally — and how to compare quotes.
How to read our cost data
Every cost guide shows a range, not a single number. Real project cost depends on where you live, your home's condition, the specific materials chosen, whether permits are required, and current material prices. A single "average" hides all of that.
Each guide includes:
- National average — the middle of the range for a typical project
- Low and high — reflecting basic vs premium scope
- Regional variation table — 10 major US metros, showing how much the same project varies by location
- Cost breakdown — what portion is materials, what portion is labor, and where you can save
- Where NOT to skimp — the parts of the project where cheaper up-front means more expensive later
Cost data update cycle
Cost data is refreshed weekly. Material prices in 2026 have been volatile — lumber, copper, and refrigerant have all moved 15%+ within a quarter. The Last verified date on every cost guide tells you when we last updated it.
For hourly rates specifically, we track the top 20 US metros and refresh monthly. Metro-level rate data is the biggest single driver of project cost variation — a plumber's hour costs more than 2x in San Francisco vs rural Alabama.
Getting a real quote
Our cost data is for planning. For an actual project, get 3 quotes from local licensed pros. On selected cost pages, we embed lead-capture forms from contractor referral networks (Angi Leads, Thumbtack, Networx) — see our advertising disclosure for how those referrals work. You don't have to use the form; the cost data is fully visible either way.
Frequently asked questions
Because averages lie. A 'kitchen renovation costs $25,000' number is useless when actual projects run $15,000 to $50,000 depending on scope, region, and finishes. Ranges reflect reality; averages hide it. Every cost guide shows both — the average and the range.
Weekly for material prices (they move fast in 2026). Monthly for contractor hourly rates across 20 US metros. Every cost guide displays a 'Last verified' date so you always know when the number was checked.
Yes. When you submit a quote request on a cost page, contractor referral networks (Angi Leads, Thumbtack, Networx) pay us a per-lead fee. This does not affect the cost data shown — data is fully visible before any form. See our advertising disclosure.