Three Years and Counting, Garage Door Upgrades Return High Home Renovation Values

Annual Cost vs. Value Survey Finds Curb Appeal Improvements Deliver Best Returns

DALLAS Amidst a continually evolving residential real estate market, a national home improvement study has found that there is at least one constant homeowners can still bank on improving a homes exterior is money well spent.

For the third year running, Remodeling magazines annual Cost vs. Value survey has found that eight of the top 10 remodeling projects for return on investment (ROI) at resale are those that enhance curb appeal. Among those projects, garage door replacement again ranks high, whether homeowners choose a mid-level or high-end upgrade.

Regardless of whether a homeowner decides to replace their entry-level garage door with a mid-grade door, or change out their mid-level door for one at a higher price point, garage door replacement takes two of the top three spots for improvements that cost less than $5,000, said Joe Dachowicz, vice president of marketing at Overhead Door Corporation, one of the nations largest manufacturers of overhead doors and openers for residential and commercial applications.

At 75.7 percent on average, mid-range garage door replacement is the second-best ranked project for returning value when spending less than $5,000, the 2012-2013 Cost vs. Value survey found. Its also the fourth-highest rated project out of more than 35 projects evaluated, ahead of both bathroom and kitchen remodels. Meanwhile, an upscale garage door replacement delivers a 75.2 percent ROI, making it the third-highest ranked project under $5,000 and the sixth-highest rated home improvement project overall.

The surveys results confirm what industry insiders have known for years, Dachowicz says.

Many homes incorporate a design that places the garage at the front and center of a homes view from the curb, said Dachowicz. This is why garage door replacement is, and always has been, a great investment; its a relatively low-cost improvement that makes a dramatic impact on curb appeal.

As in past years, this years survey determined the ROI for garage door replacement by evaluating the typical $1,500 cost to replace a basic garage door with a mid-range door model. The survey found the value of that replacement at home sale to be $1,132, or 75.7 percent ROI. Meanwhile, the roughly $2,700 cost to replace a mid-range garage door model with an upscale one delivered an estimated value at sale of $2,046, equating to a 75.2 percent return.

Picking out the perfect garage door to match a homes style and the homeowners budget is as easy as going online, Dachowicz said, thanks to Overhead Doors DoorView Design Center. An online tool, DoorView allows homeowners to upload a photo of their home to Overhead Doors website and then test various Overhead Door garage doors to see how their homes curb appeal will improve.

Most busy families use their garage door as the homes primary entrance, Dachowicz said. Given that, garage door replacement is not only a great way to welcome yourself home every day, but a terrific way to make your home stand apart from your neighbors.

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Three Years and Counting, Garage Door Upgrades Return High Home Renovation Values