Should You Remodel Your Kitchen or Bathroom First?
June 25, 2025More and more homeowners are looking to remodel their homes rather than buy new ones. When you remodel a home, you can personalize rooms to your preference without having to go through the home-buying process, and it is at a fraction of the cost. However, remodeling a home still requires a budget, and one needs to prioritize and allocate money. Two rooms with the highest return on investment are kitchens and bathrooms. But should you remodel your kitchen or bathroom first? Which will get you the most bang for your buck based on your specific needs and preferences?
Kitchen or Bathroom
When deciding whether you should remodel your kitchen or bathroom first, there are four main factors one must consider: budget, convenience, scale of the remodels, and return on investment. Depending on your time and money constraints, which room you should remodel first will vary.
Sticking to Your Budget
On average, bathrooms are not as costly compared to kitchen remodels; however, this can quickly change depending on how luxurious or extensive your upgrades are. If you’re looking to replace your vanity, bathtub, shower, toilet, etc., the costs will start adding up quickly. On average, bathroom remodels cost ranges typically begin around $3,000 but can be as high as $25,000, and a kitchen remodel is around $6,000+.
When budgeting, the most important thing to keep track of is your spending and to set aside money for the unexpected. We recommend you set aside 20-30% of your budget as a cushion for unplanned events or if you decide certain upgrades have a larger priority than you realized. To prevent overspending your budget from resulting in a loss of money, one should not spend more than 10-15% of their home’s value on a single room. Overspending usually happens when one plans to use up their budget to their very last dollar.
For tips and advice for financing your home renovation, follow our guide to help you determine whether you choose an equity-based or government-backed loan.
Disruption in the Home
A factor often forgotten when planning for a room remodel is what the disruption will be in your day-to-day life. If you work remotely and need frequent access to the rooms in your home, then you need to consider which room has more priority for you.
Bathrooms are often less disruptive if you have a spare bathroom that you can use while the other is getting renovated. On the other hand, most people do not have more than one kitchen in their home, which makes cooking and cleaning challenging to navigate. But both depend on the extent to which you are remodeling a room. More minor upgrades are easier to navigate versus complete removals, and installations will involve less access, disruption, and noise.
Minor Vs. Major Remodels
When remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, more money spent does not necessarily mean more money returned. One must keep in mind the resale value of one’s home and what will have the most considerable curb appeal. Extravagant and luxurious renovations often have diminishing returns. For example, if you make lots of nice upgrades and renovations to your home, this can increase the purchase price too far above the rest of the homes in your neighborhood, which local markets won’t support.
Minor upgrades such as installing a new backsplash, painting cabinets and walls, and replacing faucets or toilet seats can feel insignificant, yet they can have the most valuable impact on a kitchen or bathroom. It’s the little details that tie a space together, providing a cleaner and more finished look. When a space features major upgrades with “hard to change” designs, it heightens the risk of your home losing value.
Check out our blog for inspiration and more tips on budget-friendly renovation ideas!
Resale Value & ROI
After calculating your budget, you need to focus on what will provide the greatest return on your investment (ROI). As stated, major renovations involving personalized designs will decrease the value of your home. If one decided they wanted unique cabinets and replaced them all in their kitchen, the next homeowner could have a completely different taste and believe that it was not worth the investment.
Many potential home buyers prioritize a nice kitchen when looking for a home, which is why minor kitchen remodels have an average ROI of 96%. If you spent $20,000 on your remodel, then you can receive a return of up to $19,600. Upgrading appliances, painting cabinets, and replacing hardware are all fantastic options for upgrading outdated kitchens while also having a high ROI.
Bathroom remodels have a slightly lower ROI of approximately 74%, which still ranks highly among remodels with a strong ROI. Similar to kitchens, less is more; little upgrades with a big impact are key to getting the most bang for your buck. Upgrading faucets, shower heads, and lighting may seem insignificant, but they can make a bathroom appear more modern and fresher.
We understand homeowners want their space to have a personal touch that reflects their style and preferences, and this is still achievable with decorations! Consider choosing items that are easy to replace, such as lampshades, rugs, curtains, or paintings to express your personality. When a bathroom or kitchen has a clean and simple design, it’s easy to alter the aesthetics with decor. This approach makes the area more desirable among potential buyers who would like to personalize it to their taste, therefore increasing the ROI.
Remodel with McFall Builders
When making your decision, keep in mind the four things we mentioned: which room is within your budget, what has a higher priority, is it too disruptive, and what will get you the highest return on your investment? And keep in mind more money spent does not necessarily mean a higher ROI!
Ready to start your bathroom or kitchen remodel? Choose McFall Builders, with over 35 years of experience in remodeling, expanding, and building new, where our mission is to turn your dreams into reality.