What Renovations Add the Most Value When Selling in Kelowna?
Short Answer: Kitchens and bathrooms, done modestly. A minor kitchen refresh returns roughly 80-95% of its cost, and a bathroom renovation returns about 70-85%. Fresh paint and curb appeal are the cheapest wins of all. What rarely pays: a full gut-job kitchen, a pool, or luxury finishes your street doesn't support.
1. The kitchen, kept modest. The Appraisal Institute of Canada ranks the kitchen first among renovations that return value at resale, and Canadian 2026 data puts a minor kitchen remodel (new cabinet fronts, countertops, appliances, flooring, fresh paint, same layout) at roughly 80-95% of cost recovered. A major, rip-it-out kitchen is a different story — about 55-70% back. The lesson: refresh, don't rebuild.
2. The bathroom, second. Bathrooms are a close second everywhere the data is measured, returning roughly 70-85% of cost. The sweet spot is mid-range: modern tile, a new vanity, updated fixtures, good lighting. In a condo, a clean, well-finished bathroom carries even more weight with buyers.
3. Paint and curb appeal — the cheapest wins. Interior and exterior repainting in broadly appealing tones, plus simple curb appeal work (tidy landscaping, a clean entry), can return 80-120% of cost because the spend is low and the visual impact is immediate. A Royal LePage broker survey put interior paint at about a 12% lift in home value and landscaping at about 10%.
4. Don't over-improve for the neighbourhood. This is the rule that saves sellers the most money. Your street's comparable sales set a ceiling on what any renovation recovers, no matter how good the finish. A pool, for example, was rated the lowest-return project in the Royal LePage survey at about 6%. Match your finishes to the neighbourhood, not to a magazine.
5. Fix what's broken before you upgrade what's fine. A leaking roof, worn flooring, or dated lighting will cost you more in buyer objections than a new backsplash will ever earn back. The Appraisal Institute of Canada's top-five list includes repainting, updating decor (lighting, fixtures, countertops, flooring), and decluttering — none of which require a contractor's crew.
Thinking of selling in Kelowna? Call Nik or Amy Zimmer at 250-859-6984 and we'll tell you which updates are actually worth it for your home — no obligation.
Note: these figures are national Canadian patterns, not Kelowna-specific guarantees. Returns vary by property type, condition, and market.