Remodeling your home is not only enhancing the value of your greatest investment, but the opportunity to finally enact your dream lifestyle into a reality. While the actual cost will depend on the finishes you choose, the scope of work, the current state of your home, and the area in which you live, here’s what you can expect, on average, to budget for a whole home remodel in the Pittsburgh region.
How Much Does It Cost To Renovate An Entire House in Pittsburgh in 2025?
Providing a pittsburgh remodeling cost estimate for an entire home remodel in Pittsburgh can vary from client to client based on personal preferences:
- Are you looking to make average cosmetic upgrades to your bathrooms and kitchen, or do you seek more luxurious flooring, countertops, cabinetry, and smart appliances?
- Are you hoping to expand your kitchen and add a nearby powder room? Or is a fully revamped Master Suite with a jacuzzi bath on your wish list?
- Does your home have water damage, heating and cooling inefficiencies or foundation issues you’d like to improve?
- Do you have an older home that you wish to modernize while preserving its unique architectural style?
- Are you interested in fixing nagging home performance issues?
As you can see, remodeling jobs can vary significantly. No matter what remodel you are currently looking for, you’re probably wondering where and when to start. If you are a data-minded individual, you may also like to know whether you will get a Return on Investment (ROI).
The good news is that generally any home upgrade will enhance the value of your home for the better, particularly in the long-term, if keeping your home is your top priority. Like the Stock Market, the values and ROI on specific remodels will fluctuate along with the costs of material and labor. If selling your home in the short term is a top priority, you may want to consider several specific upgrades.
For the big picture, check out the 2024 Cost vs Value Report and below, we’ll add our insight based on over 35 years of experience.
Bathroom Remodel
A bathroom remodel can vary quite a bit in terms of size and scope. Are you looking to remodel your half bath, guest bathroom, or your primary suite bathroom? The Cost vs Value Report refers to a “midrange” three-piece bathroom including a bathtub/shower, single vanity, and of course, a toilet. When you consider these costs to be middle-of-the-road, it could give you a basis for a half bath (sink and toilet) possibly costing less, or a primary bathroom costing considerably more.
In 2024, a midrange bathroom remodel in Pittsburgh on average had a starting cost of $23,000 with a ROI of 69% ($16,000). However, this does not include many luxury features our typical client homeowners prefer. An upscale three-piece bathroom remodel could cost around $73,000 with a ROI of around 47% ($35,000). What constitutes “upscale”?
Bathroom costs will inevitably increase when square footage sizes are larger (including additions), heating elements are upgraded, and additional items are added such as: a commode closet, bidet, a private hot tub (in addition to a walk-in shower), or a double sink and vanity arrangement along with cabinetry.
Kitchen Remodel
As perhaps the most frequently used room in a home, the kitchen is a major common pain point for homeowners, especially when family size is increasing. We’ve heard it: there never seems to be enough space or storage, and the layout is terribly nonfunctional or outdated. A midrange remodel of your kitchen may cost around $76,000 with a ROI of 46% ($35,000), and an upscale remodel around $150,000 with a ROI of 33% ($50,000) in Pittsburgh.
Both levels could include replacing cabinets, flooring, fixtures, lighting, backsplash, and fresh paint. When looking at luxury finishes, the job will likely consist of fully custom cabinetry, removal of walls to an open floor plan, adding kitchen island(s) and other additions like a second pantry, a wine cooler, or a luxury double oven.
Let’s not also forget side rooms such as a mudroom or powder room. Messy kitchens have also surged in popularity in recent years, offering homeowners a stylish and functional space to keep the main kitchen clutter-free.
Primary Suite Remodel
Some older homes often lack a designated Primary Suite, or perhaps you’re looking to relocate your suite to another part of your home. With the addition of a new family member and/or having to move the teenager to a bigger bedroom, that small or average sized master bedroom now needs to be repurposed. Time passed quickly before you realized the need for a larger, more private master suite!
These costs are generally higher because they include adding square footage. You may envision Smart climate control, custom high-end lighting, a large dressing chamber, and even more luxury features, such as a built-in King platform bed with underlighting and floating nightstands.
According to the 2024 Report, a midrange primary suite addition will start at around $150,000 with a 40% ($60,000) ROI. An upscale suite could be $310,000 with a 29% ($90,000) ROI.
Outdoor Living Space Remodel
Nothing is less respectable than an old, shabby looking wooden deck, sloping or half-hanging onto the side of a high-end property. Outdated decks eventually also become dangerous to homeowners and their guests. Fortunately, the data shows that outdoor improvements provide a consistent year-over-year ROI among nearly all other types of home improvements.
At the entry level, let’s address those decks, planters, benches, stairs, and railings, which for a total refresh or remodel, start around $25,000 with a ROI of 65% ($16,000). Whether using traditional wood or the composite Trex decks that everyone’s been raving about, you can’t go wrong with these improvements.
Like many luxury homeowners, you love your outdoor space and hosting gatherings at your large and/or scenic property. Maybe you are looking to host the next big wedding for your son or daughter? In these instances, our clients have opted for more sophisticated outdoor spaces that are semi-covered, with outdoor heating unit or a hearth for the colder months, outdoor bars and/or kitchen, or the perfect poolside lounge area. These types of spaces vary too widely to offer an exact pittsburgh remodeling cost estimate, but like decks, the ROI on outdoor additions 60% to 80% remains consistent.
Finishing A Basement
During Pittsburgh’s chilly winter months, homeowners who prefer staying cozy indoors may start thinking about the value of a basement remodel. Like outdoor spaces where “the sky’s the limit,” a blank-canvas basement may be calling for your creative finishing touches.
A theater, a bar or wine cellar, a billiards/gaming room, a guest suite, or even a home recording or art studio are just for starters. Most basement areas are essentially a fun bonus space, especially as a long-term goal or for clients with an increasing family size.
Fortunately, others think this way too, which is why a remodeled basement can fetch around 70% in ROI.
Exterior Home Remodel
Curb appeal shapes not only others’ first impressions of your home but also how you feel every time you pull into your driveway. It can also make or break a sale if you are planning to put your home on the market. Exterior upgrades tend to fare better in terms of ROI, coming in at 60%, and up to 98%! Topping the Pittsburgh list for 2024 is Manufactured Stone Veneer, which comes in at a 143% return, up nearly 50% from 2022!
What do exterior renovations typically cost? While prices have remained fairly consistent over time, replacing wood windows starts at around $24,000. A new garage door can range from $4,000 to $15,000, depending on style and quality. Replacing 1,250 square feet of siding costs approximately $20,000, while minor enhancements to your main entry, such as installing a modern steel door, average around $10,000. Roof shingle replacement typically runs about $30,000.
Get a More Accurate Pittsburgh Remodeling Cost Estimate
We know this is a lot of information to take in when considering an entire home remodel, and no person or company can predict an exact pittsburgh remodeling cost estimate. For the truest estimate, you should reach our to a Pittsburgh design-build remodeler that has the expertise to listen to your design and home performance goals, conduct an in-house assessment, and create a detailed proposal so you can understand what your unique Pittsburgh remodel could cost and avoid subsequent change-orders after the fact.
Master Remodelers is a full-service premier design-build firm with an in-house architectural designer, highly skilled craftspeople, a proven six-step design-build process and attentive project managers that know how intimidating a whole home remodel can seem. Skip the gimmicks and the often cliché “I know a guy” recommendations. Our work and our trusted client portfolio speak for themselves. We invite you to reach out to us and begin a conversation that will break down the process and put you at ease. We can’t wait to hear about your home remodel project!
