US home improvement cost research
Know what your home project should cost.
Cost guides, interactive calculators, and maintenance research for homeowners — built from public data and a methodology we publish in full, not guesswork.
Popular
Cost guides homeowners search for most
Each guide breaks down cost by size, material, labor, and region — with the data sources behind the number.
Bathroom Remodel
$7k–$25k
Updated August 2026
Kitchen Remodel
$14k–$48k
Updated August 2026
Roof Replacement
$9k–$19k
Updated July 2026
AC Replacement
$5k–$13k
Updated July 2026
Water Heater Replacement
$1k–$4k
Updated June 2026
Flooring Installation
$3k–$11k
Updated June 2026
Tools
Homeowner calculators
Turn your own room dimensions and project details into a customized estimate — no account required.
Paint Calculator
Estimate paint quantity and cost from room dimensions.
Flooring Calculator
Convert room size into square footage and material cost.
Roofing Calculator
Estimate roof replacement cost by area, pitch, and material.
Concrete Calculator
Figure concrete volume and cost for slabs and footings.
Fence Calculator
Estimate linear footage, posts, and material cost.
Browse
Major home improvement categories
How-To
Fix it yourself
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Which one is right for you
- Metal Roof vs. Shingles
- Tile vs. Vinyl Flooring
- Tankless vs. Tank Water Heater
- Quartz vs. Granite Countertops
Methodology
How our cost estimates work
Every figure on this site traces back to a published, repeatable method.
01
Start from public data
Labor and materials indices from the BLS, Census, and other government sources — never invented numbers.
02
Apply regional adjustment
Costs are adjusted for regional labor rates and cost-of-living differences across US states and metros.
03
Run the estimation engine
Base cost, labor, materials, complexity, and inflation are combined into a documented calculation.
04
Publish a disclosed range
We show a range, not a false-precision quote — and link the sources and assumptions behind it.
Transparency
Latest dataset updates
The datasets behind our calculations, and when each was last refreshed.
Construction labor rate index
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Updated August 2026
Building materials price index
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Updated August 2026
Regional cost-of-living adjustment factors
U.S. Census Bureau
Updated July 2026
Residential energy price averages
U.S. Energy Information Administration
Updated July 2026
Why trust this data
Independent research, published methodology.
HomeCostGuide isn't a contractor marketplace or a lead-gen funnel dressed up as content. We publish how every estimate is calculated, where the underlying data comes from, and when it was last updated — so you can judge the number, not just read it.