Home renovation requires a different perspective when you’re making improvements to sell your home. Like staging a home, you want to make changes that will accentuate what makes the home attractive; but unlike staging, home renovations make changes on a deeper level, changes that will require more time and money investment.
The most important consideration is determining what renovations are most important: the ones you have the best chance of recouping in the house sale. Real estate experts agree that buyers expect basic systems like air conditioning, heating, and plumbing to be working and energy efficient. After that, they say the biggest cash outlay should go to upgrading the kitchen and bathrooms. That’s where buyers tend to focus their attention. Finally, modify other rooms and features as the budget permits, ones that will transform the house from so-so to sensational.
Here are some some suggestions on easy interior upgrades that can pay for themselves:
Walls, Floors, Doors and Windows
- Paint and wallpaper. A fresh coat of paint is the easiest way to freshen up a house. Consider wallpaper in areas like accent walls in bedrooms and bathrooms. Wallpaper creates texture and interest. Consider grasscloth, and other interwoven styles with textured finishes. Wallpaper can simulate the look of tile. Use it as an alternative to crown molding.
- Flooring. Eliminate all or some of the big areas that have wall-to-wall carpeting and replace with more modern flooring options like a high-quality laminate, ceramic, or hardwood. If you already have wood floors but they’re severely worn, have them sanded and re-stained. If you’re handy and have the time, rent a drum sander and do it yourself.
- Replace that creaky, dented, scratched entry door. Economical fiberglass composite front doors resist the elements better than a solid wood door or even metal. Add French doors off of a bedroom leading to a pool or patio or back yard, a not very expensive renovation project that creates style and a sense of spaciousness.
- Garage door. If your old garage door needs more than a coat of paint and is outdated and worn out, a new garage door may just be the makeover that can transform the look of the house. A modern aluminum door with sleek lines has elegance. A carriage-house style is more traditional. Or go with a wood-grain fiberglass for economy and durability.
- Window treatments. Don’t leave windows bare. Use curtain panels, gauzy white sheers, or bamboo shades, whatever matches the theme and color scheme of the room.
Kitchens and Baths
- Kitchen cabinets. Refinish the cabinets, stain or repaint. Add new modern knobs and pulls and striking coordinating backsplashes.
- Kitchen sink. Kitchen sinks are easy to replace. Get rid of a stained, scratched sink with popular stainless steel.
- Replace Formica countertops. Opt for versatile, economical solid surface tops like Corian or Silestone.
- Kitchen and bath fixtures. Another inexpensive replacement opportunity. With so many finishes and styles— Brushed nickel, polished brass finishes. How about a waterfall faucet and raised bowl sink to create a peaceful ambience.
- Bathtub and shower. Call in a surface restoration company to recoat your porcelain, ceramic or fiberglass tub instead of replacing it. Replace shower curtains, choosing interesting patterns and prints. Match the window treatment or let the curtain add color to a boring bathroom. If you’re thinking of adding a whirlpool tub, consider a walk-in shower instead, a feature that’s attracting more buyers than a fancy tub.
- Replace old lighting. Use floor lamps in dark corners. Overhead, it’s trendy and less expensive to instead track lighting instead of recessed lighting. Replace or add decorative ceiling fans.
Conversions and Additions
- Adding a deck is sure to add value. It creates the feel of more space without adding on to the house or to the heating and cooling expenses.
- Room conversion. Show buyers new possibilities by converting an unused bedroom into a study, media room or gym without building on an addition. Change out the furniture and equipment and voila, you have a new feature to add to the listing.
- Building a sunroom is a hefty investment if you start from scratch, but you may be able to convert an existing room or open porch, adding usable square footage without starting major construction project to make it pay for the investment. Add energy-efficient windows and include passive heating and cooling techniques like shading and ventilation to control temperature.
Accept that your home needs fixes and a facelift after years have passed. What was stylish then may be outdated now. Renovations show the prospective buyer the house systems are functional, walls, ceilings, floors, and cabinets are modern and attractive, and there are no repairs or renovations that have to come out of their pocket. It says this house is for me and it’s worth the listing price.
