Exterior Upgrades With High ROI

When it comes to remodeling projects that deliver on resale value, exterior refreshes once again prove to be a winner. Projects like new stone and siding, new doors, and new decking dominated the top of the 2025 Zonda Cost vs. Value Report, with several options delivering well over a 200% return on investment.

Exterior Projects Remain a Safe Bet for Resale Value
The 38th annual study compared the average cost of remodeling projects against the value they’re expected to retain at resale. Of the 28 projects evaluated, exterior projects made up eight of the top 10, led by garage door replacement, with 268% cost recouped; steel entry door replacement, 216% cost recouped; and manufactured stone veneer (MSV), 206% cost recouped. 

“This year’s report confirms a consistent truth in the remodeling market over the last two decades: Exterior renovations deliver a higher return on investment (ROI) than discretionary interior remodels,” Zonda reported. “This outcome is partly based on values defined by real-estate professionals, who tend to place high value on a home’s curb appeal when establishing a home’s selling price, and partly on the lower labor costs for exterior replacement projects.” 

Rounding out the top 10 projects on the report were fiber cement siding replacement (114% ROI), mid-range minor kitchen remodel (113%), vinyl siding replacement (97%), backup power generator (95%), wood deck addition (95%), composite deck addition (89%), and fibergladd grand entrance (85%).

The publisher also attributes the high returns to today’s economic uncertainties and the challenges facing existing home sales. “The few homes that are moving in today’s market tend to be ones in solid condition with well-appointed exteriors, and they are moving at high prices,” Zonda said. “In this climate, a new garage door or refreshed exterior façade can go a long way toward attracting buyers with the means to buy a house at top dollar.”

Manufactured Stone’s ROI Climbs Year Over Year
The three projects at the top of the 2025 Cost vs. Value study were also the highest return-getters in the 2024 study, and each saw a dramatic increase in ROI year over year. Manufactured stone veneer’s 206% return in 2025 was 35 percentage points higher than last year’s 153%. This is consistent with MSV’s steady rise since it was added to the study in 2015 with an ROI of 92.2%.  

To evaluate manufactured stone veneer, the Cost vs. Value study examined the perceived ROI of replacing a 300-square-foot continuous band of vinyl siding in the bottom third of a home’s street-facing façade with manufactured stone veneer, along with sills, corners, address block, and a water-resistant barrier. It also includes outlining the entry archway and keystone, with a course of flats on either side.

On a U.S. regional basis, manufactured stone also performed better than its national average in the West South Central region, with a 242.5% return, and the Pacific region at 231.7%. In both regions, MSV offered the second-highest return out of all product categories. Manufactured stone landed in the top three in several other regions, as well: the Mid-Atlantic (200.7% ROI), South Atlantic (197.2%), and East North Central (190.6%).

Whether preparing the home to sell or simply giving it a fresh look, year after year, the study shows how adding manufactured stone veneer is an easy—and smart—choice.

To learn more about manufactured stone veneer, visit CMHA’s Technical Resources page. Learn more about becoming a CMHA Certified MSV Installer.

(2025 Cost vs. Value Report: © 2025 Zonda. Complete data from the 2025 Cost vs. Value Report can be downloaded free at www.costvsvalue.com.)