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Kitchen Reno and Value of Home

wrkrwood's picture

Kitchen Reno and Value of Home (post #186866)

wrkrwood on Sun, 03/28/2010 - 11:34
in

Hi,

Thinking of doing over my kitchen. Cabinets, floors, counter.


Did some reading on how kitchen budget should be 8% of home price.


But I'm wondering if there are any purchases design ideas for the job that can increase the value of the home.
Should I consult with an appraiser first?

 

best,

ww

-A +A

Unless there are major (post #186866, reply #1 of 4)

by DanH in reply to wrkrwood [original] on Sun, 03/28/2010 - 11:45

Unless there are major deficiencies, nothing you can do in remodeling will return more than your investment.  Do what you want for YOU, not based on some formula.


We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature's inexhaustible sources of energy -- sun, wind and tide. ... I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that. --Thomas Edison

Contrary to the mantra of all (post #186866, reply #2 of 4)

by Amish Electrician in reply to wrkrwood [original] on Sun, 03/28/2010 - 13:04

Contrary to the mantra of all the TV (Realtor-driven) shows, IMO 'resale value' has little or no role in kitchen planning.

If you listen to all the double-speak of the 'experts,' there are enough vague terms and qualifications that make clear that they're not saying what you think you heard them say.

IMO, any remodelling should be done with an eye, first, on function. That is, design it to how YOU use it, today. You have no way of anticipating what someone else will want five years from now.

I was looking at some homes recently, and it was hard for me to contain my laughter at some of the realtors' remarks. For example, they seemed to expect me to object when I was told that the current owner was taking the 60's-vintage fridge with them. Or, they presented to me a clearly illegal laundry arrangement, beaming with pride at the 'improvement' the owner had made (but, alas, the old machines were also being taken away).

A lot of times, the choice of 'open design', a combination bar/ counter, or a kitchen island has more to do with the specific layout of  both the kitchen and the house, than it does with any design fashion.

Moreover, the new owners are quite likely to redo the kitchen as soon as the sale is complete ... without any regard to your recent expense.

Finally, I would like to vent for a moment:

All too often, a 'kitchen remodel' is simply replacing the cabinets, counters, and appliances. Lipstick and mascara. Left completely unaddressed are the poor lighting, inadequate ventilation, small drains, and completely obsolete electrical. A modern kitchen needs SEVERAL dedicated circuits, at least a 3" drain, and modern (daylight) lighting.

Thanks! That was some great (post #186866, reply #3 of 4)

by wrkrwood in reply to Amish Electrician [original] on Sun, 03/28/2010 - 15:06

Thanks! That was some great info! -ww

remodeling kitchens (post #186866, reply #4 of 4)

by sunsen in reply to wrkrwood [original] on Sun, 03/28/2010 - 15:40

It's kind of funny to see how many recently "remodeled" kitchens get remodeled upon new ownership. Almost every remodel I've done the first thing that goes is the kitchen, no matter how new. Seems like a wasted effort to me if the intention is for sale. Unless of course it's really unacceptable.