topic Home improvements in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Home improvements

HZEPT — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:40:55 GMT

Can I deduct the money I received from my mortgage refinance for home improvements such as replacing rotting eaves and adding a slab and pergola?

Re: Home improvements

xmasbaby0 — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 20:56:49 GMT

If those expenses were for your own home and not a rental property that you own, no, you cannot deduct repairs or improvements to your personal residence. Save your records of the improvements for someday when you sell the house.

Re: Home improvements

Cynthiad66 — Wed, 06 Apr 2022 21:00:27 GMT

Home improvements to your personal residence is not deductible. You should add these improvements to the basis of the property which could reduce the gain if sold.

You add the cost of capital improvements to your tax basis in the house.

Your tax basis is the amount you'll subtract from the sales price to determine the amount of your profit.
A capital improvement is something that adds value to your home, prolongs its life or adapts it to new uses.

There's no laundry list of what qualifies as a capital improvement, but you can be sure you'll be able to add the cost of:

An addition to the house
Swimming pool
New roof
New central air-conditioning system

Capital improvements are not restricted to big-ticket items, though. Other qualifying improvements include adding:

An extra water heater
Storm windows
An intercom system
A home security system