When it comes to renovating your home, you can’t beat experience.
If you’ve ripped and replaced a kitchen, or asked a builder to take a sledgehammer to a bathroom, you’ll have benefitted from the many lessons these moments offer, as well as picking up a few scars along the way.
If you’ve never commissioned a major home renovation, then it pays to double-down on every detail or avoid surprises. This is especially true if your project is part of a grand plan to maximise the potential value of your home ahead of a sale.
The harshest realities include the risk that your costs will blow out and the work runs over time. This will reduce your return on investment and impact on the funds available to purchase your next property.
The most popular upgrade ahead of a sale is the replacement of the kitchen, which if done properly, can add 15% or more to your asking price.
If you’re considering whether to take this path, here’s a list of issues that can blindside you if you’re not forewarned!
- Big money decision – Remaking a kitchen can be surprisingly expensive. If the aim of the project is to increase the value of your home ahead of a sale, ask your real estate agent for an appraisal of your home before committing your cash. As agents, we know what sells and what buyers want. There could be other areas of your home that would offer a better return on your investment.
- Rip and replace – Only do this if the structure of your cabinets are in bad shape. Otherwise, maintain the basic structure and replace the doors, drawers and handles. This will save you thousands of dollars.
- Light it up – It’s easy to forget the importance of lighting in a kitchen. Key areas are the food preparation area, stove and sink.
- Sweat the small stuff – Be specific about the placement of electricity sockets, and how you’ll ventilate the kitchen. Kitchens are full of gadgets these days all needing power.
- Twice the impact – Buyers expect modern kitchens to have two sinks. Don’t settle for anything less.
- Plumb job – If you reorganise the lay-out of the kitchen, your plumbing and electrical wiring costs will escalate dramatically. Only change the layout if absolutely necessary.
- Uniform appliances – If you’re installing a new stove, oven and microwave, use the same manufacturer. Mixing brands in the kitchen leaves the impression of a piecemeal makeover.
- Counter argument – The countertop can be an expensive item. If you were staying in the home for years to come, perhaps stone or marble would be a great investment. But if you’re about to sell, you’ll find there are great looking alternatives in lower price brackets.
- Off the wall – Wall-mounted taps are the height of fashion, but you need a style of kitchen that can pull it off. They make cleaning a lot easier but hark back to a bygone era. So, choose your taps carefully.
- Unbox immediately– Building materials tend to turn up all at once and it’s tempting to put aside, say, the cartons of tiles until later. Don’t do that. Check everything when it’s delivered. You don’t want to discover the tiles are the wrong shape or colour as the tiler walks through your door.