- Personal Finance
- Taxes
Home improvements don’t come cheap, so it’s only natural to wonder if you can use those expenses to catch a break on your taxes. Here’s the good news: While day-to-day home maintenance expenses don’t qualify, other home improvement expenses could be tax deductible if they meet certain IRS guidelines for “capital improvements.”
You can capture some tax benefits for capital improvements now, while other benefits will have to wait until you sell. Here’s how it all shakes out in an easy-to-understand way.
Can remodeling a home be a tax deduction?
Remodeling a home typically is not a tax deduction. The IRS has strict rules on which home improvements qualify for a tax write-off.
Generally, you can’t write off home repairs — general fixer-upper tasks like a fresh coat of paint or updating all the doorknobs on your bedroom doors. While these to-dos can refresh the look and feel of your home, they qualify as general maintenance and help preserve or restore it to its baseline.
Now, for the good news: You could score a tax benefit when you make improvements beyond simple repairs. The IRS calls these types of renovations “capital improvements.”
Capital improvements made easy
The IRS defines capital improvements to a property as those that meet one of three criteria:
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Adds long-lasting value to your home
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Meaningfully extends your home’s useful life
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Adapts your home to a new use
These types of renovations increase the cost basis of your home — its baseline value. For example, a coat of paint looks great but doesn’t materially change your home’s market value. On the other hand, adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) can substantially change your home’s market value when you go to sell. See the difference?
But remember: Capital improvements that increase your home's cost basis won't actually benefit you until you sell the house. So, although these may have long-term tax benefits, you can't file a deduction the year of your big remodel.
Now, let’s discuss this in more detail so you can easily identify the home improvements that offer the best chance of future tax savings.
Dig deeper: Want to build an ADU or in-law suite? Here’s how to finance it.
What home improvements are 'capital improvements'?
Now, it’s time to jump through the skylight — many home improvements qualify as capital improvements. Here are some examples:
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Room remodels. Kitchen and bathroom glow-ups are some of the most popular.
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Home additions. A permitted garage, carport, in-law wing, deck, or ADU can increase a home’s value.
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Landscaping. New patios, hardscaping, and property-wide permanent landscaping can boost value and curb appeal.
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Major interior upgrades. Flooring, fireplaces, and fresh insulation can add value.
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Structural improvements. A new roof, windows, or siding fall into this category.
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System improvements. Heating, cooling, and plumbing systems may qualify.
That’s a pretty nifty list of capital improvements, right? While most of these improvements don’t come cheap, they can all add to your home's value, life, and functionality for years to come — and increase your cost basis so you'll see tax benefits when selling the house. However, they aren’t the only transformations that can help you earn a tax bill break.
Capital improvements help lower your capital gains tax when you sell the home. Let's look at some other ways home improvements can give you tax benefits.
Learn more: How much is your house worth? How to determine your home value.
Up Next
Additional home improvements that offer tax savings
Here’s where the IRS shines: It offers taxpayers a range of tax deductions and credits for various property enhancements that may fall outside the capital improvements above. Here are some examples:
Medical necessity home improvements
If you, a spouse, or a loved one living with you requires physical changes to your home due to a disability, those expenses could be a capital expense. Some common medical additions that qualify under IRS guidelines include support bars, ramps at your home’s entrances and exits, widening doorways and hallways, and installing lift equipment to accommodate a disability.
You’ll need to itemize your tax deductions to claim these expenses. To be deductible, medical expenses must exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI).
Dig deeper: Standardized deduction vs. itemized — how to decide which tax filing approach is right
Home office improvements
If you use part of your home exclusively for work and improve that space, you could qualify to deduct those costs on your taxes — and you can do so for the current tax year instead of waiting until you sell the home. The IRS’s rules on home office deductions are strict, and you can only write off the proportion of house-wide improvements that directly apply to your dedicated office space. For instance, if you repair your roof for $10,000 but use only 10% of your home’s square footage as a home office, your max deduction would be $1,000.
Our advice is to consult a tax professional to ensure your planned home office improvements meet IRS guidelines. If you want some (not-so) light reading, you can also explore IRS Publication 587, Business Use of Your Home.
Read more: Who can claim a home office tax deduction?
Rental property improvements
If you rent out part of your primary residence, you could recoup some of the annual repair and maintenance costs through depreciation when filing your taxes. You might be able to deduct the cost of repairs from your annual taxable rental income — but the rules about what qualifies are pretty strict. Since rental income can be tricky, we recommend working with a tax pro to keep you on the right side of the IRS when figuring out the deductibility of any rental property improvements or expenses.
Improvements made through special mortgage programs
Using a home equity line of credit (HELOC), home equity loan, cash-out refinance, or a renovation loan like the FHA 203(k) loan to make home improvements could translate to tax savings. With these loan products, you may qualify to deduct the interest on your taxes when using the money to pay for IRS-qualifying capital improvements.
Dig deeper: Mortgage interest tax deduction — how it works and when it makes sense
Energy-efficient home improvements
You may be eligible for a yearly tax credit of up to $3,200 if you make energy-efficient improvements to your primary residence. Credits include:
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Up to $1,200 annually for costs and improvements, including up to two exterior doors ($250 each), windows and skylights ($600 total), and home energy audits ($150 total).
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Up to $2,000 annually for qualifying water heaters and heat pumps.
Improvements must have been made Jan. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2025. Keep in mind that these are technically tax credits — not deductions — so they work a little differently.
Learn more: Tax credit vs. tax deduction — what’s the difference, and which is better?
Clean energy improvements
You could claim the Residential Clean Energy Credit if you install qualifying clean energy equipment at your primary residence between 2022 and 2032. With this nonrefundable credit, you can claim 30% of the improvement cost for items including, but not limited to, solar panels and water heaters, wind turbines, fuel cells, and geothermal heat pumps. The equipment installed must be new. You can use IRS Form 5695 to claim the credit. Again, remember that this tax benefit is a credit rather than a deduction.
How to claim qualifying home improvement expenses on your taxes
Sometimes, you can claim your home improvement tax benefit quickly and regularly — for example, a tax credit for energy-efficient upgrades or interest paid on a HELOC that goes toward significant repairs. But when it comes to capital improvements, it’s usually a matter of delayed gratification.
You typically can’t claim most capital improvements in the same tax year as the expense. Instead, these improvements add to the cost basis of your home — a valuable number that impacts your tax liability when you sell your home for a profit down the line. These steps can help you track expenses and claim your tax benefits.
1. Track your home improvements
Keep detailed records of every home improvement you make, including receipts, invoices, loan statements, and contractor agreements. If you make improvements over time, develop a filing system by tax year. Consider taking before-and-after photos.
2. Determine current deductibility
As we explored above, some expenses could qualify for a current-year tax credit. Here’s a good guideline: You can usually claim tax credits in the year you incur the expenses. Most tax deductions that increase your home’s cost basis can’t be claimed until the year you sell your home.
3. Claim your tax benefits
If you qualify for tax credits in the current year, you’ll claim these credits using the appropriate IRS form or schedule. If you use tax prep software, the guided prep option will usually help you identify your eligible credits and deductions for the current year and help you enter those figures. If you have questions or aren’t sure how to claim your tax benefits, contact a tax pro for advice so you don’t miss out on valuable savings.
Read more: How to file your tax return for free
How home improvements translate to tax savings
Everyone wants to make a profit when they sell their home. Luckily, the IRS respects that and lets homeowners enjoy some of that profit tax-free — provided they’ve owned and lived in the house for two of the five years prior to the sale. Single homeowners get $250,000 in tax-free profit, and married couples filing jointly get double that — $500,000. The profit above and beyond these figures is subject to capital gains tax.
For the 2025 tax year, the capital gains tax brackets are as follows:
Now, let’s look at your home improvement tax savings in action.
A real-world example of home improvement tax savings
Say you bought a house in 2015 for $300,000 and completely renovated your kitchen five years ago to the tune of $50,000. If you sold that home in 2025 for a sweet $625,000, you’ll earn a tidy $325,000 profit. If you’re single, $250,000 is tax-free — leaving $75,000.
Because you file taxes as a single person, the IRS says you get $48,350 at the 0% capital gains rate. Now, you’re staring at a 15% tax bill on the remaining $26,650. But wait a minute: That $50,000 you spent on the kitchen remodel gets added to your tax basis.
$300,000 (original purchase price) + $50,000 (kitchen remodel) = $350,000 (new cost basis)
Now, your new IRS profit is:
$625,000 - $350,000 = $275,000
The IRS gives you $250,000 in tax-free profit.
$275,000 - $250,000 = $25,000 net profit
Then, the IRS gives you up to $48,350 at the 0% capital gains rate, which is more than your $25,000 profit, bringing your taxable profit to $0. That’s a huge tax savings.
Original tax bill without the remodel added to cost basis:
$27,976 x 15% = $4,196.40
New tax bill with the remodel added to cost basis:
$0
Dig deeper: Capital gains tax on real estate — How much you’ll pay when selling your home
Tax-deductible home improvements FAQs
What home improvements are tax deductible per the IRS?
You can write off home improvements on your taxes if they meet IRS qualifications for capital improvements. Capital improvements must add longstanding value to your home, extend its useful life, or adapt it to new use.
Can you claim home renovations on a tax return?
You can, but it ultimately depends on the type of renovation you’re making. Simple repairs, such as a coat of paint or upgrading window treatments, don’t qualify for a deduction. Those things simply maintain your home's value. Other renovations that meet the IRS definition of a “capital improvement” may eventually be deductible when you sell your home. Renovations that fall under this category include (but aren’t limited to) a new roof, home additions and ADUs, kitchen remodels, or installing energy-efficient windows. While you can’t claim the deduction in the year you make the renovation, you can use it to increase your home’s cost basis in the year you sell to save on capital gains taxes.
What house expenses can be written off?
Some house expenses can be written off on your taxes, though their deductibility depends on whether you itemize and how you use your home. For example, you can sometimes deduct mortgage interest and property taxes if you itemize your deductions. You may also be able to deduct the portion of your home you use as a home office, provided you use it exclusively as a home office and nothing else. General maintenance, like plumbing or cosmetic repairs (fresh paint, landscaping) aren’t generally a thing you can write off.
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