
Learn more about the home improvement industry and what changes in building materials, trends, and costs could mean for improving your home.
Sometimes happiness is the greatest ROI
Painting your home interior is one of the most joy-bringing home improvement projects because it transforms your space with color while remaining DIY-friendly and affordable.
Renovating your kitchen or upgrading key elements like cabinets and countertops brings nearly maximum happiness by refreshing the heart of your home where you gather daily.
Converting your attic into liveable space creates a new area for reading, play, or relaxation, giving you added square footage without the cost of building an addition.
Hiring a local interior painting professional helps you achieve the color transformation you want, especially when you need expert results but lack the time to tackle the project yourself.
Who says money can’t buy happiness? Investing in your home can yield rewards far beyond your basic ROI. After all, it’s not always about increasing resale value—sometimes enhancing your own enjoyment is the most rewarding.
On the fence about where to invest? The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI)’s Remodeling Impact Report tracked the happiness reported by homeowners after a remodel and assigned a “Joy Score” based on the feedback. Here are the top 10 home improvement projects that scored the highest.
Colors offer an amazing spectrum of mood-enhancing benefits, and simply switching up the paint throughout your home can turn it into a totally different space. It’s also one of the most affordable home projects, yet it still boasts a major impact, as NARI’s survey revealed.
With a Joy Score of 10, the highest ranking of joy for the survey, it’s easy to see that homeowners found great satisfaction in this renovation.
On top of that, painting is one of the most DIY-friendly home projects to undertake, and there’s something special about admiring your own handiwork. Of course, if you don’t have the time or desire to roll up your sleeves, a local interior painter can help you achieve the color story of your dreams.

Whether you’re painting your bedroom a calming blue or finally changing that ugly chartreuse in the powder room, painting a single room can completely transform the space.
Plus, it’s a simple project you can knock out in a weekend that provides the ultimate ROI of joy, according to NARI. Painting one room might not seem like much, but you’ll likely find yourself revisiting it and admiring the result, over and over. Aaaaaahhh.
According to a Pew Research Study, 76% of people in the workforce prefer working from home, so it’s no surprise that a new home office can be an extremely joyful addition. Since the space is totally yours, you can customize your home office from top to bottom and show off your personality.
What’s more, surrounding yourself with your favorite things is sure to maximize your productivity. Furnish it in rich mahogany, add bright neon accessories, line your shelves with your vintage stuffed animal collection—the choice is yours.
Looking at dull, dingy wooden floors can be pretty depressing, especially if you remember their former glory. That’s why investing in the cost to refinish your wood floors can have you over the moon with the refresh.
Handling this on your own can be tricky, so consider contacting a local hardwood floor refinisher to ensure a smooth, beautiful result that brings you happiness every time you see it.

Sick of that ratty old carpeting that still has a wine stain from six years ago? Does that scratched-up laminate leave something to be desired?
Installing new wood floors can bring next-level warmth, class, and timelessness to your home—as well as the highest level of happiness and joy, according to NARI. Get in touch with a wood flooring installer near you to get the ball rolling.
It’s incredibly frustrating staring at piles of crumpled clothes and not knowing what to wear. Without the right closet space, you end up shoving items wherever they’ll fit and losing them (some never to be seen again).
When you rebuild and reorganize your closet, you’ll finally be able to see all the clothing you own and build your outfits accordingly. You can even bring in a local professional home organizer to help you develop a whole new system. What we wear makes a big difference in how we feel, so this is one home renovation that keeps on giving.
Can’t argue with being warm and toasty in the winter and cool as a cucumber in the summer. Plus, upgrading your insulation can save you big on your energy bills, and who doesn’t love saving some cash?
Contact an insulation installer near you to get this project started. After all, it’s one of the top home improvement projects that bring joy to homeowners—so it’s a win-win.

Within that spider-ridden space of old junk lies endless potential for a new living area. By redoing your attic, you’re essentially creating a home addition for far less than a new build.
As NARI reports, homeowners get maximum joy from turning their attic into liveable space. Design a serene reading area, a playhouse for the kiddos, or anything else you can dream up—your attic is a blank slate.
The kitchen is the heart of the home, so if yours doesn’t suit your flow, it can seriously cramp your style.
Whether it’s an awkward layout or outdated appliances and flooring, a complete kitchen renovation can be seriously life-changing and provide you with a whole lot of happiness too. Get in touch with a local kitchen remodeler to get this project cooking.
If you’re sick to death of those old oak cabinets or tired of those countertops that you never liked, an upgrade can make a huge difference.
In NARI’s survey, upgrading the kitchen filled homeowners with nearly the maximum level of joy (9.8/10), making this a top home improvement project for your to-do list.
Changing one or two things you can’t stand in your kitchen can totally refresh the look. You’ll be thrilled to cook, gather with loved ones, enjoy morning coffees, and hang out in your new space.
Jason has helped me with multiple household projects, with the most recent being new door installation. He has always showed up on time and organized and has done an incredible job! Jason is very professional and he's now my go-to for anything around my house that needs to be fixed or...
Cole has been handling plumbing and general contracting for our four properties over the past three years, and he’s always done a great job. Most recently, he installed a sink and countertop in our retail store where none existed before, and it turned out exactly how we needed. He’s...
1st Choice Renew is simply the best! We hired them for a complete home renovation, and they transformed our space into something truly amazing. The team attention to detail and commitment to quality were evident throughout the project. They were easy to work with, very responsive, and always...
This company went above and beyond with their work, chimney sweeps are usually pretty messy, but the clean up was spot on.!! Josh explained every thing that he was doing, and the things that he was checking to make sure the chimney was safe for me and my family. He was very professional,...
Custom Paint Jobs LLC turned our outdated bathroom into a modern masterpiece.
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We were having 2”x 2” tile installed . There was a small installation error and the new additional replacement tile was from a different lot and the colors didn’t match. Joe assured us that he would rectify everything , which he did without hesitation. We decided to go with the 18” x 36” tile...
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