Home Improvements for Increased Happiness
Every homeowner has a list of improvements they want to make in their home. From updating the pink tile in the guest bathroom to adding flowers in your backyard, it’s sometimes a never-ending list that makes it harder to decide what to do and when.

The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) conducts an annual study on the home improvements with the greatest return on investment (ROI). However, in this research study they also examine what they call “Joy Score,” a numerical representation of the happiness that homeowners felt after completing a project. While there are high dollar projects that you can see a full or majority return on, it’s worth considering the potential increase in satisfaction projects can bring you, which can make you feel more at home in your home.
ROI and Joy Score
In the 2022 Remodeling Impact Report, the NAR found the following projects had the highest percent ROI:
- Hardwood flooring refinish, 147 percent ROI
- New wood flooring, 118 percent ROI
- Insultation upgrade, 100 percent ROI
- Basement conversion to living area, 86 percent ROI
- Closet renovation, 83 percent ROI
Homeowners who do these projects make most of their investment back, if not more. But with the current inflation and threat of another recession, the cost of materials and labor is changing every day. It’s not as certain that homeowners will see these returns as time goes on, so it’s worth considering how else we can measure the success of home improvements, one way being the Joy Score.
In the same NAR report, the following all scored perfect 10s on the Joy Score:
- Paint entire interior of home
- Paint one interior room
- Add new home office
- Hardwood flooring refinish
- New wood flooring
- Closet renovation
- Insulation upgrade
- Attic conversion to living area
As you can see, hardwood flooring refinish, new wood flooring, closet renovation, and insulation upgrade are in the top for both categories. But what about the other improvements with scores of 10? Because improvements for the sake of the highest ROI might not be the best reason to improve your home this year, it may be worth improving your home for the sake of being happier in it.

Paint entire interior of home or one interior room
According to the study, 83 percent of participants who painted their entire interior home said they had a greater desire to be in it. With the top two reasons for completing the project being that they had just moved into the house or that it was time for a change, painting increased the homeowner’s satisfaction with their home for both. For those looking to update one space in their home, painting a single room is a great and inexpensive way of refreshing it. Also, 73 percent of people said they had an increased desire to be home after completing the project. The aesthetic of a room was the number one reason for painting as it is an effective way of changing up the look of a space. With the cost of painting ranging from $3 to $8 per square foot (depending on where you live and type of paint you purchase), it’s a relatively inexpensive way of updating the look of your entire house or just a single room, and it’s an improvement that you can do yourself, saving the cost of labor.
Add a new home office
With the increase in remote working since the beginning of the pandemic, it makes sense that 91 percent of participants found that adding a new home office made them have a greater desire to be at home. It increased the functionality and livability of their houses by more than 50 percent. Some separation from the rest of the house when you are working from home is one the essentials for working virtually, and creating a home office is just one way of making your home the perfect space to both live and work from.
Attic conversion to living area
While it’s not always possible to convert a home’s attic to a living area, 100 percent of those who converted their attic to a living space found they had a greater desire to be at home. The project gave them more usable square footage in their homes without having to add on an addition. The estimated ROI for these conversions is 75 percent, making it a good option for those looking to better enjoy their homes and add value to it if/when they go to sell. If your home has an unfinished attic space, it’s worth considering if your attic can be transformed into a livable space. You can then create an additional living room, office, home theater, playroom, or whatever kind of space works best for you.
While there are many projects that can increase the value of your home, look into what projects will increase your satisfaction in your home, especially if you don’t intend on selling anytime soon. You spend a lot of time within your house, so why not work to make it the happiest place it can be?