How Much Does It Cost to Stage Your Home?

November 20, 2023 by Hannah Stephens

Selling a home can be a stressful experience. In fact, respondents to a 2019 study described selling their home as more stressful than having a baby, teaching a teen to drive or even being fired from work. Perhaps one of the most anxiety-inducing aspects is the time it can take to sell — especially if you're worried about your home's resale value or need to move quickly.

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Home staging could be worth considering if you want the best possible offer without your home languishing on the market. A 2023 report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that 81% of Realtors believe home staging makes it easier for buyers to imagine themselves living in a property. Even better, 21% of Realtors said that house staging increased a home's value by between 1% and 5%. So, what exactly is home staging, and how much does it cost to stage a house?

What Is Home Staging?

Home staging involves showcasing your home to make it more appealing to potential buyers. Often, this means rearranging and updating furniture and adding neutral home decor. Staging your home can make it easier for buyers to picture themselves living there, potentially increasing your chances of selling.

How to stage your home depends on several factors, including the condition of your existing furniture and decor. Sometimes, decluttering your home and removing items like family photos is enough to depersonalize it and boost its appeal to a broad range of buyers. However, many sellers transform their homes more radically by renting premium furniture, redecorating and updating their landscaping.

You can often tackle a small-scale house staging project yourself. Alternatively, consider hiring a professional home stager to improve your home's appearance. This option offers several advantages — professionals often have a selection of neutral furniture and home decor items, and they'll likely know how best to highlight your home's potential.

How Much Does Home Staging Cost?

According to HomeGuide, home staging costs $800 to $2,800 (CAD 1,095 to CAD 3,831) on average. How much you should expect to spend depends on the size of your home and whether you hire professional services.

Hiring a professional home stager to plan your project but making the improvements yourself could cost as little as $500 (CAD 684). At the other end of the scale, you could spend as much as $5,500 (CAD 7,525) on full-service house staging. These services typically include shopping for home decor, layout plans and packing services. You'll pay extra for renting furniture and other decor items — HomeGuide estimates that most homeowners spend $500 to $700 (CAD 684 to CAD 958) per month on rentals.

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What Factors Impact the Cost of Staging a House?

The cost of staging a home depends on what service level you need. Most professional home stagers charge between $200 and $500 (CAD 274 to CAD 684) for an initial consultation, which involves walking through your home and generating ideas for maximizing space in each room. Your stager will likely offer the following home staging options.

Level 1 Home Staging

A level 1 home staging service includes an initial consultation and a plan to alter your home's layout and decor. This option is the cheapest because you'll make the recommended changes yourself. Most home stagers charge around $500 (CAD 684) for level 1 home staging.

Level 2 Home Staging

Level 2 home staging services cover your initial consultation. Your stager will create a plan to boost your home's appeal using your existing furniture and homeware, but you'll usually do most of the work yourself. Expect to pay around $800 (CAD 1,095) for level 2 house staging.

Level 3 Home Staging

If you book level 3 home staging services, your stager will help you rent replacement furniture and decor. They'll also arrange the furniture inside your home and help you store your existing items. These services usually include an initial consultation and cost around $2,000 (CAD 2,737), as well as furniture rental fees.

Level 4 Home Staging

Level 4 home staging includes the same services as level 3 staging, plus reorganizing and decluttering your home. Your stager will usually manage other contractors to redecorate your home. Expect to pay around $4,000 (CAD 5,473) for level 4 home staging, not including monthly rental fees.

All CAD conversions are based on the exchange rate on the date of publication.