If you've been thinking about remodeling your home, you've probably asked yourself one big question: "Where should I invest my money first?"
It's a smart question, because not every room delivers the same return on investment (ROI). While every remodel adds enjoyment to your home, some spaces increase functionality, improve resale value, and provide a much greater long-term payoff than others.
At Maverick Home Remodeling, Inc., we've spent more than 20 years helping homeowners throughout Littleton, Ken Caryl, Highlands Ranch, Golden, Arvada, Evergreen, Morrison, Lakewood, Greenwood Village, and the Southwest Denver Metro area make smart remodeling decisions that fit both their lifestyle and their budget. And, before you continue on, be sure to read more on the hidden value of working with a local full-service home remodeling contractor in Littleton, Colorado, here.
If your remodeling budget isn't unlimited, or you aren’t ready for a whole home remodel, here's where we'd recommend investing first, and where you can comfortably save for later.
First Rule of Remodeling: Follow the Water
If there's one principle we've learned after completing hundreds of Colorado home remodeling projects, it's that rooms with running water almost always deserve the biggest investment. Why? Because kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms combine three things homeowners care about most:
Daily functionality
Long-term durability
Home value
Rooms with running water are also the most technically complex. Plumbing, electrical work, cabinetry, ventilation, waterproofing, tile installation, and appliances all come together in these spaces. Done well, they serve your family every single day while also remaining some of the most desirable features for future buyers.
It's one reason we've consistently encouraged homeowners to prioritize these spaces first in previous blogs about maximizing comfort, style, and ROI.
Investment #1: The Kitchen
There is a reason kitchens continue to top nearly every remodeling wish list out there. They aren't simply places to cook anymore.
They're where:
Kids finish homework
Friends gather during parties
Holidays begin
Morning coffee happens
Family conversations unfold
A kitchen remodel affects nearly every aspect of your daily routine. Therefore, it’s the smartest investment in a home remodel.
High-value kitchen investments include:
Better layout and workflow
Larger islands
Quality cabinetry
Durable countertops
Improved lighting
Updated appliances
Pantry storage
Better traffic flow
Many homeowners initially focus on finishes like countertops or backsplash tile. While those certainly matter, layout improvements often provide the biggest lifestyle upgrade.
Opening walls, relocating appliances, increasing storage, or improving circulation can completely change how your home feels.
For homeowners in Littleton, Ken Caryl, Highlands Ranch, and Golden, a thoughtfully designed kitchen often becomes the centerpiece of the entire home, or what we like to call, the heart of the home.
Investment #2: Bathrooms
Bathrooms work harder than almost any other room. Not only because it’s a room you are guaranteed to use all day, every day, but also because these rooms are exposed to:
Water
Humidity
Daily wear
Constant cleaning
Because of this, quality matters. A professionally remodeled bathroom isn't just beautiful; it also protects your home from moisture issues while creating a more relaxing experience every day.
Popular bathroom improvements include:
Walk-in showers
Better lighting
Heated floors
Double vanities
More storage
Improved ventilation
Universal design features for aging in place
Bathrooms consistently remain among the strongest remodeling investments because they improve both functionality and resale appeal. Organizations like NARI have long emphasized kitchen and bathroom renovations as projects that typically deliver strong homeowner satisfaction while helping maintain long-term property value.
Investment #3: Laundry & Mudrooms
This room doesn't always make the Pinterest board. But it should. Speaking of Pinterest, give us a follow! Laundry rooms and mudrooms quietly improve your home every single day.
Imagine:
Better organization
Built-in storage
Drop zones for backpacks
Pet washing stations
More counter space
Durable flooring
Custom cabinetry
These aren't just flashy improvements; they're quality-of-life improvements. Especially for active Colorado families coming home from hiking, skiing, mountain biking, or muddy soccer games.
Investment #4: Main Living Spaces
After the rooms with running water, your next priority should usually be the rooms where your family spends the most time.
That includes:
Great rooms
Living rooms
Dining rooms
Family rooms
These spaces influence how your home feels every single day. Rather than simply replacing flooring or paint, consider improvements that truly change the experience:
Removing walls
Opening floor plans
Better natural lighting
Fireplace updates
Built-in shelving
Improved staircases
New flooring throughout connected spaces
Many Colorado homes that were built decades ago have compartmentalized layouts that no longer fit today's lifestyles. Creating a better flow often delivers a much bigger impact than adding square footage.
Where You Can Save (At Least For Now)
Every room deserves attention eventually, but if your goal is maximizing ROI while staying within budget, some rooms can simply use a few upgrades, rather than a large overhaul.
Secondary Bedrooms
Fresh paint, new flooring, and updated lighting are easy improvements that go a long way. Complete overhauls of guest bedrooms generally don't provide the same return as kitchens or bathrooms unless there's a specific functional need.
Formal Dining Rooms
Many Colorado homeowners rarely use formal dining rooms today. Instead of investing heavily in decorative upgrades, many families choose to repurpose these spaces into:
Home offices
Homework rooms
Libraries
Flex spaces
Function usually wins over form.
Cosmetic Upgrades Alone
Sometimes homeowners ask:
"Should I replace all my flooring first?"
Or...
"Should I update all the paint before remodeling?"
Not necessarily.
If you're planning larger renovations later, doing cosmetic work first may lead to doing it twice. Whenever possible, plan major remodeling work before investing heavily in finishes that could be disturbed during construction.
What About Basements?
This one depends. A finished basement can add tremendous value to how you live, especially here in Colorado.
Movie room?
Guest suite?
Home gym?
Teen hangout?
Home office?
Additional storage?
Absolutely.
While basement remodels don't always provide the same resale return as kitchens or bathrooms, they often create the most usable square footage in the home without changing the home's footprint. That's one reason finished basements continue to be one of the most popular remodeling projects throughout Littleton, Evergreen, Morrison, Arvada, and the surrounding Denver Metro communities.
If your family uses the space every day, the personal return can far outweigh any percentage listed on a remodeling report.
Think Beyond Today's ROI
Return on investment isn't only measured in dollars.
Ask yourself:
Will this space reduce daily stress?
Will we cook together more?
Will entertaining become easier?
Will this make our home work better for the next 10-20 years?
Will we avoid moving altogether?
Sometimes the greatest return isn't what a future buyer sees, it's what your family enjoys every day.
As we've shared before, investing in the home you have often makes far more sense than competing in today's housing market, especially if you plan to stay for years to come.
Why Planning Everything Together Saves Money
One mistake we occasionally see is remodeling one room at a time without an overall plan. Sure, it can work, but it often costs more.
Why?
Because construction rarely gets cheaper. Material prices change, labor costs rise, and finishes become discontinued. And, sometimes completed work has to be revisited later to accommodate another renovation.
That's why many homeowners throughout Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Ken Caryl, Evergreen, Golden, Arvada, Morrison, Lakewood, Greenwood Village and beyond, choose to develop a comprehensive remodeling plan, even if construction happens in phases.
Planning first helps every future decision work together.
Remodel With Purpose
Every home and every family is different. But if you're wondering where your remodeling dollars should go first, here's the short answer:
Prioritize:
Kitchen
Bathrooms
Laundry & Mudroom
Main Living Areas
Basement
Save For Later:
Guest bedrooms
Purely cosmetic updates
Formal spaces that rarely get used
Decorative projects with little functional improvement
The smartest remodels don't simply make a home prettier; they make it work better. And when done thoughtfully, they also protect one of your largest investments.
At Maverick Home Remodeling, Inc., we've been helping homeowners throughout Littleton, Ken Caryl, Highlands Ranch, Golden, Evergreen, Morrison, Arvada, Lakewood, Greenwood Village, and communities across the Southwest Denver Metro area make confident remodeling decisions for more than two decades.
Whether you're dreaming of a new kitchen, a luxurious primary bathroom, a finished basement, or a whole-home transformation, we're here to help you invest where it matters most, so you can Renew Your Life By Renewing Your Home.™ Contact us below to start your project.
