By Damian Johnson – Spot-On Home Improvements

A behind-the-scenes guide to making smarter real estate and remodeling decisions.

Renovations That Waste the Most Money

Kitchen and bathroom renovations are often considered the best upgrades a homeowner can make—but not all renovations add value.

In fact, many homeowners throughout Cleveland, Akron, and surrounding Northeast Ohio areas spend tens of thousands of dollars on upgrades that fail to deliver a return when it comes time to sell.

The difference comes down to strategy.

As both a contractor and real estate professional, I’ve seen firsthand how certain renovations consistently pay off, while others quietly cost homeowners money. Understanding that difference before starting a project is what separates a smart investment from an expensive mistake.

Many homeowners assume that spending more automatically leads to a higher home value, but that’s rarely the case. According to Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report, smaller and more strategic renovations often outperform large-scale luxury remodels when it comes to return on investment.

1. Ultra-Luxury Appliances

Professional-grade appliances can be impressive. Brands like Sub-Zero, Wolf Appliance, and Viking Range are beautiful and high quality—but they often cost $15,000 to $30,000 or more for a full kitchen set.

The problem is that most buyers simply don’t value them enough to justify the price.

Too many buyers, stainless steel appliances that are clean, modern, and functional look just as appealing as luxury brands.

Unless you’re remodeling a true luxury home, these high-end appliances rarely return their cost. According to Real Simple, a widely recognized home and lifestyle publication, many high-end kitchen upgrades fail to deliver strong resale value because they are too specific to the homeowner and don’t appeal to the average buyer.ost.

2. Highly Customized Kitchens

The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in a home, but over-customizing it can actually hurt resale value.

Examples include:

• Unusual cabinet colors
• Highly patterned or bold backsplashes
• Extremely unique cabinet layouts
• Specialty features that only appeal to a few people

What homeowners love might not appeal to buyers. Neutral and timeless designs tend to perform much better in the resale market. If you’re planning updates in this area, the most effective approach is to focus on layouts and finishes that appeal to the widest range of buyers. Reviewing how professionals approach kitchen remodeling in Cleveland can help ensure your upgrades improve both usability and long-term value

3. Removing All the Bathtubs

Walk-in showers are very popular right now, and for good reason—they look modern and feel spacious.

However, removing every bathtub in a house can be a mistake.

Families with young children often need at least one tub, and many buyers see a home with no bathtubs as less practical.

A common rule of thumb in real estate is simple:

Keep at least one bathtub somewhere in the house.

From a resale standpoint, maintaining at least one bathtub is strongly recommended. According to guidance from the National Association of Realtors, functionality plays a major role in buyer decisions, and homes that lack features important to families—such as a bathtub—can limit buyer interest.

4. Overbuilt Outdoor Kitchens

Outdoor living spaces can be fantastic, but extremely elaborate outdoor kitchens don’t always add much resale value.

Some homeowners invest $30,000 to $70,000 into outdoor cooking areas with built-in grills, refrigerators, bars, and custom stonework.

While these spaces can be beautiful, they often appeal to a smaller group of buyers.

A simple patio with a grill area and seating space often provides a better balance of cost and value. According to Builder Online, a construction industry publication, exterior improvements that are simple, functional, and broadly appealing often outperform highly customized outdoor features when it comes to return on investment.

5. Trendy Design Choices

Design trends change quickly, and renovations based purely on trends can age faster than expected.

Some examples of trends that have quickly come and gone over the years include:

• Highly patterned tile walls
• Barn doors everywhere
• Bold accent walls
• Extremely dark cabinets
• Ultra-modern designs in traditional homes

When remodeling for long-term value, it’s often better to focus on timeless design choices rather than chasing trends. According to Real Simple, trend-heavy upgrades can quickly reduce buyer appeal if they don’t align with current preferences at the time of sale. This is why neutral, timeless design choices consistently perform better in both short-term resale and long-term value.

6. Smart Refrigerators and High-Tech Gadgets

Technology in homes is evolving quickly, but not all tech upgrades add value.

Smart refrigerators, touch-screen appliances, and highly specialized gadgets may look impressive at first—but they can become outdated quickly.

Buyers tend to prioritize things that improve comfort and usability, such as better lighting, improved layouts, and updated kitchens and bathrooms. According to Zillow’s housing research, practical upgrades that improve how a home feels often deliver stronger returns than high-tech features that can quickly become outdated.

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The Renovation Trap

Many homeowners fall into what I call the “renovation trap.”

It happens when people invest heavily in upgrades that make the home feel luxurious to them personally but don’t significantly increase resale value.

The goal should be balance:

Upgrade the areas buyers care about most while avoiding improvements that only appeal to a small audience. This is especially common in markets like Cleveland and Akron, where home values are often influenced by neighborhood pricing ceilings. Spending beyond what the market supports can result in upgrades that look impressive but fail to translate into higher resale value.

A Better Remodeling Strategy

The smartest renovations focus on the areas buyers notice first and care about most. Instead of overbuilding or over-customizing, the goal should be to create a home that feels clean, functional, and move-in ready.

The highest-impact improvements typically include:

• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Flooring
• Lighting
• Fresh paint

If you’re considering upgrades in these areas, it’s important to approach them strategically. Reviewing options like bathroom remodeling in Cleveland can help ensure improvements are aligned with both usability and resale expectations.

According to Opendoor’s housing data and market insights, targeted improvements like these often deliver stronger returns than large-scale renovations because they directly impact how buyers perceive the home during showings.

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Renovating a home is one of the best ways to improve how a space looks and functions—but not every upgrade adds financial value.

Some of the most expensive improvements are actually the ones buyers care about the least.

The key is focusing on renovations that create broad appeal, improve functionality, and make the home feel updated without becoming overly customized.

With the right approach, remodeling can dramatically improve both how a home feels to live in and how it performs on the market.