REMODELING YOUR KITCHEN FOR RE-SALE
Doing what you want can sometimes get you into trouble, especially when doing a kitchen remodel for resale. Your mindset and your thinking have to be different when remodeling to keep Vs remodeling to sell. Here are 5 keys to help you on your next successful kitchen remodel for resale.
1. Cabinet Style
You may like Traditional style (Raised panel) over Modern (flat slab doors) or the opposite, but a Transitional (shaker) style door appeals to many home buyers today according to a recent report by Houzz. You might want to think about merging both styles to capture a lot of buyers rather than leaning to what you like. There are circumstances when you are selling a particular type of home for a specific type of buyer; say a Tudor, craftsman or contemporary style home which would lend itself to certain style to go with that theme. The type of buyer you would be seeking out here is the kind who are in the market for that type of home so you would need to make sure that you stay within that context.
2. Color
Buyers today are looking for nice open concept, a trend which we are seeing a lot of over the last few years. We thought it was a fad or a thing but more and more customers are opening up their kitchen to the rest of the home. More and more are also keeping it clean and simple; mostly soft color tones, whites and greys, a lot of neutrals colors, perhaps a different color Island in Either Cherry or Espresso color. The walls are also neutrals. Sometimes with a bold focal wall (it’s risky) but if it’s done right it can help. Stay away from bold colored cabinets, bold colored walls and rustic or dark colored cabinet all over. Dark cabinets can work in some spaces but remember you are trying to appeal to a lot of people. Trust me… simple works.
3. Layout
One of the things we’ve come to realize is that customers tends to layout a kitchen the way they cook rather than having it design to be functional. You may like to have your Range on the right side to your sink and the Refrigerator on the left because you want to be in one place cooking; everything within arm’s reach, (some layout you really do not have much of a choice). However, new buyers are looking for work triangles, functional layout to achieve better work flow. Here’s a good place to seek professional help to achieving that. This is one place where you probably need to spend some money to make it happen. You do not want to put your home on the market only to find out that potential buyers would walk into the kitchen and see repair dollar signs $$$
4. Budget
We should have probably started with this at number 1. However, the big question is, how much money should I spend on my kitchen when remodeling to resell? The answer is “We really do not know”../ its all relative and alot of factors can determine cost, but here are a few guidance.
(a) Try to differentiate between a WANT and a NEED. You might want a subzero Refrigerator but what you really need is a GE profile model.
(b) You might WANT Custom Cabinet but semi-Custom or Stock would do the same thing and achieve the same result.
(c) You NEED a professional to do a good job of designing and installing the cabinets.
(d) You NEED good material and good cabinet construction.
(e)You NEED to upgrade countertops, appliances, backsplash, floors etc. These will give you the biggest return on your investment.
If your home is worth about 200K and you are spending about 90K on a kitchen remodel to resell, you might NEVER see that money back. According to The NKBA, you should try to keep your budget about 15-25% of your home value. That is a good start. I’ll talk more about ways to help with budget in more up-coming articles.
5. Play it safe
Do not go overboard with pull outs, spice racks, expensive accessories and extra upgrades. These are all good and if they are in the budget then put them in, but if they are not, they can cost you! For every enhancement try and weigh the cost vs value.
Use laminated flooring when you can get away with it in the area, if not, use wood. If you can fit the new kitchen into the existing space, then do so. Moving plumbing, opening up walls, increasing the kitchen footprint can be costly, though the rewards can be tremendous. If it is not necessary, then do not do that. Good designers can solve a lot of these potential problem. Invest in one.
Call us to now to schedule an appointment to see how we can help you maximize your income on your next remodel.
See you next Time.
RAJ Kitchen and Bath Team
Services provided by RAJ Kitchen and bath, LLC:
Kitchen Renovation / Kitchen Cabinets /Countertop /Bathroom Renovation
Bathroom Vanities / Custom built-ins/ Closets/ Consultation
Project Management / Kitchen design /Interior design
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