If you’re planning on selling your house, it might be time to start thinking about which home improvements you can make that can add value to your property. There are a ton of small stylistic changes you can make to make your house more attractive. But if you really want to bring your house’s price up, you need a bigger improvement.
Many real estate experts agree that the two most important rooms in a house are the bathroom and the kitchen. In fact, the National Association for Estate Agents (NAEA) says that a new kitchen is the second best way to add value to your home. The only thing that came up before the new kitchen was adding a bedroom. But that’s not always possible, so a kitchen remodeling might be a way to go.
The kitchen is the heart of a home, and oftentimes it’s a room that can make or break a sale. For that reason, let’s dive into how much value a new kitchen can add to your house, as well as what your renovating options are.
Does a New Kitchen Add Value to Your Home?
In short, yes, it does. Though several factors affect the actual value that a new kitchen adds to your home, it’s estimated that a new kitchen can increase the value of your home by 5-15%.
That’s not a bad increase, but as we said, it will depend on many factors, including:
- the state of your kitchen
- the cost of the work
- the overall value of your house.
So in order to calculate how much value a new kitchen adds to your home, you need to have all the information listed above. Once you map out the amount of work and the costs, you can see how that fits in the overall listing price.
Increase in Value Vs. Return on Your Investment
It’s important to note here that an increase in value and getting a big return on your costs are not the same thing. Depending on the state of your kitchen, a renovation can turn out to be a costly investment. However, that doesn’t mean that our initial statement doesn’t stand. It simply means that, if your kitchen is in bad shape, you might not get all the money back you invested.
So, is it still worth it to renovate the kitchen before selling your house? Yes, it absolutely is. A bright, airy kitchen can sell a home. Similarly, an outdated one might stand in the way of the sale. If your kitchen is old, run-down, or dysfunctional, it’s likely that it will put potential buyers off, especially if they’re looking for a move-in ready home.
Therefore, to get the best out of your kitchen, you need to consider some things before you start the renovation.
Your Kitchen Should Match the Rest of Your House
First, you need to put together a budget for your kitchen. You need to make sure the price bracket of your kitchen matches the price bracket of your home. Let’s say that if your house is worth around $200,000. In that case, it makes no sense to invest $20,000 or more into renovating your kitchen. You simply can’t get that much money back on the house in that price range.
Likewise, you don’t want to risk dragging the price of your home down by underinvesting in kitchen renovation. So if your house is worth $800,000 or more, you need to make sure the kitchen matches that price.
In order to decide on the best look for your kitchen, consider also the age and style of your home. For instance, a modern-style kitchen won’t work if the rest of your house has a rustic feel to it. Similarly, if you have contemporary furniture in the rest of the house, a kitchen from the 70s will stand out (and not in a good way).
DIY or Professional Help?
Before you begin with the kitchen renovation, you need to figure out which tasks you can do yourself and which will require the help of a professional. That will, naturally, also depend on the amount of work that needs to be done.
If your kitchen needs a complete renovation — new floors or countertops, knocking through the walls, pipe installations — you should hire professionals. No matter how crafty and capable you think you are, there are things you can’t figure out with YouTube tutorials. And you don’t want to cause more damage by trying to break down a wall to make an open-plan kitchen, only to find out it was a load-bearing wall.
On the other hand, you might not be able to afford a complete renovation. Or you might feel like your kitchen doesn’t even need one. In such cases, it would be a good idea to choose DIY upgrades that fit your budget. Any work you do to make your kitchen better will add value to your home.
But DIY methods for the kitchen renovation aren’t so simple either. If you would like to do the renovation yourself but aren’t sure where to start, here are some of the most effective DIY tricks to get the best out of your kitchen.
Repaint Cabinets
Buying and installing new cabinets is one of the most expensive parts of a kitchen renovation. Instead of spending almost half your budget on new cabinets, you can try to work with what you have. More often than not, cabinets just need a fresh coat of paint to look brand-new. Just make sure to use paint that is specifically made for painting cabinets. Also, don’t forget to wait long enough for your cabinets to cure. Your cabinets will get a completely new look with no mess and no costly installations. For an extra touch, you can also add new hardware for your cabinets and drawers to make them pop.
Repaint the Countertops
If you paint your cabinets, it only makes sense to also paint your countertops. After all, you don’t want the disparity between the two parts of your kitchen to be too jarring. However, painting the countertops is a bit more complicated than it’s the case with the cabinets. This video explains the process step-by-step, and you should stick to the rules if you want the countertops to last a long time. Just like with the cabinets, you also need a special type of paint to get the best results.
Light Up Your Kitchen
Light fixtures will instantly improve any room, so they are a great choice to add a cozy feel to your kitchen. The least expensive but still eye-catching lights to add to your kitchen are under-cabinet lights. To get the best effect, you should go for the warm white tone, as bright white ones might make your kitchen look cold and uninviting (see Litever LED lights on Amazon).
In addition to under-cabinet lights, you need a statement chandelier, like this one, to seal the deal. Place it above the island or the dining table and it will be the first thing buyers notice when they walk into the kitchen.
Conclusion
If you’ve been in two minds over remodeling your kitchen, you can rest assured that it’s the right call. It’s the room that is a major selling point, so it’s worth investing a certain amount of money into making it better. In the long run, it will add value to your home and make it easier to sell. Now, no one knows your home better than you do. So it’s up to you: will you remodel the entire kitchen from scratch? Or do you think a fresh coat of paint and some light fixtures are enough to make it stand out? No matter what you decide to do with your kitchen, house hunters will appreciate it once you put the house on the market.
Related: Does Converting a Garage Add Value to Your Property?
