renovations

Last week we talked about what you should be doing six months out from listing or selling your home. So now let’s look at the reverse…what NOT to do.

Don’t go above and beyond

You know that list that your Realtor gave you about what needs to be fixed and what doesn’t? Don’t go above and beyond. What does that mean? Well, fix and update where they say needs it. Your Realtor understands the return on investment of updates and upgrades to your home.

What they don’t want you to do is to start ripping and tearing everything out like you’re on Property Brothers on HGTV! Most renovations won’t give you much bang for your buck. This is especially true if you are doing renovations to your specific taste. Sure, baths and kitchens usually do give you a decent ROI, but that pink tile and $800+ bidet you’ve been dying to get for your bathroom that you just KNOW buyers will LOVE will most likely kill off any money you should have seen from the renovation.

Don’t DIY the renovations

Another don’t: unless you are truly a professional in the home renovation field, don’t do any renovations yourself. Sure it looks easy on HGTV or DIY Network. It’s not and you could very quickly find yourself in way over your head. Leaving projects unfinished is much worse for your home’s value than not updating in the first place. Not to mention that what you destroy you’re going to have to pay a lot more to fix than if you paid a professional in the first place.

Think plumbing fix that ended up in a flood ruining carpeting and hardwoods. Now you have to fix the plumbing AND the flooring. But even if you don’t have any disasters, the long reaching consequences will have a future buyer shelling out more later to fix your fixes.

Actually, the only DO that I’ll say here that you should do is STOP WATCHING fix-it networks. Your future buyer will thank you!

You know the old saying, kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. If you walk into your bathroom and you are underwhelmed with how it looks, buyers certainly will be too. That means it’s time to do some remodeling. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, but making your bathroom a welcoming retreat will sell your home.

Update without breaking the bank

Did you know that the average bathroom is between 400 and 800 square feet? So while it isn’t the biggest room in your house, it certainly is one of the more expensive to update. In fact, an average bathroom remodel is $10,000 or more. Obviously the more high end you go the more expensive it will be. There are ways, however, that you can make your bathroom look fabulous without breaking the bank.

A stand up shower

One way to update without going super high end is to install a stand up shower. These days bathtubs aren’t always a necessity, especially if there is more than one full bath in the home. When installing a shower, think about things like shower heads with adjustable settings and temperature controls. Remember that putting them up higher isn’t a bad thing, but if you can’t consider choosing a shower head that you can hold as it can help taller people.

Update the tub

Bathtubs are still a big deal. If you only have one full bath, don’t remove the tub. Choose a new one that has things like in-line heaters, adjustable jet speeds, foot massage jets and foot rests. You don’t have to get an oversized tub, even a standard sized tub with jets are a luxurious upgrade.

Change out the faucets

Remember to update all the faucets. Make sure that your tub faucets are at least similar metals as the sink. Don’t mismatch! If you have noticed mineral deposits on faucets and shower heads, think about adding a filtration system, water softening or neutralization (depending on your water type) to your home.

Flooring and quick bathroom remodeling tips

Also look at the flooring and consider an update. If you have old vinyl on the floor, think about putting down bamboo or tile. Bamboo will appeal to the environmentally conscious crowd.
Some quick bathroom remodeling tips and fixes for the bath that is in good shape but just looks in need of some TLC, try regrouting tile walls and floors and recaulking existing tubs and showers, updating light fixtures and maybe a new medicine cabinet or mirror.