7 DIY Kitchen Upgrades to Increase Your Home’s Value in Howard County
Maryland’s home sales increased upwards of 10.4% in 2021. Trends show that isn’t going to stop and the best way to have your home at the top of the heap and get the top dollar is to upgrade your kitchen.
The thought can be scary. Kitchen remodels can cost between $20,000 and $50,000 if you can find a good contractor. In many cases that doesn’t include the appliances. But there are things you can do yourself.
More potential buyers have started cooking at home more, but even before that trend began, the kitchen has always been the room that has the most impact. DIY is more accessible and more viable than ever before. In order to increase the worth of your home before you sell, you have the ability to create quality, with the help of online courses, books, and apps.
The following 7 DIY tips for upgrading your kitchen require your time, effort, and less money than going through a contractor. They can increase the selling price of your home, and some are simple. We’ve included tips that are projects you can do as well as checklist items to complete before your real estate agent begins showing your home.
We all have it. Gadgets we don’t use taking up counters space. Aunt Sarah’s commemorative plate collection. Bread and chips on top of the refrigerator. Get rid of the clutter. Pack up any cookbooks, knick-knacks, or extraneous food items. Remember potential buyers don’t want to picture you in the kitchen, they want to see themselves.
Neutral colors and light citrus colors are always a smart choice in a kitchen. By taking time to prep the walls, wash, and prime if necessary and to pick the right kind of paint a good paint job will not only change the look but makes a kitchen more resistant to mold and mildew, stains, and dirt.
Rather than replacing cabinets try thinking of things to change that aren’t as costly. Sanding, staining, or painting cabinets — otherwise known as refacing cabinets — can get rid of scratches and stains that have acquired over the years. If your cabinets have panels that can or need to be replaced, think about using glass instead of wood.
Handles and knobs can be replaced with finishes that match the appliances and hinges on the doors should be scrubbed and cleaned.
The backsplash is often overlooked by sellers, but not buyers. There are many options to choose from. Peel and stick tiles come in a variety of designs, colors, and textures and many hardware stores actually offer free classes on how to do the job. Sometimes just a good scrub and a little grout touch up will do the trick.
Carpets are not a choice for most people in a kitchen. Linoleum, tile, or wood floors are preferred. But over time the luster of the floors, chips, stains, or cracks can all affect the appeal.
Refinish wood floors. Replace tiles that are cracked or chipped. Replace linoleum. All of these are tasks that DIYer’s can accomplish with patience and a few tools. Sometimes you can even check local discount stores or Habitat for Humanity Restores for inexpensive materials. Replace or steam clean any area rugs that you may have as well.
The most intimidating task is replacing countertops. Again, go to the hardware store. They can walk you through what materials will suit our needs, whether it’s the ever popular granite, marble, or even cement. Butcher block, quartz, and epoxy resin countertops are also good choices. The epoxy resin can even resemble marble when you’re finished…at a much more manageable cost.
The two-handled knob faucet is not popular anymore. People want either a single handle, pull out spouts, or two-handled faucets that they can turn on and off without using their hands.
Replacing strainer baskets and the metal pans under burners also make a dramatic difference.
However, one of the most important things you can do, and one of the items that are on buyer’s checklists, is lighting. Under the cabinet, overhead, and running lights around the baseboards are all excellent options. LED lighting often requires updated ballasts, but with more companies offering traditional inputs, changing over is good for your home, your power bill, and the environment.
Finally, clean like you’ve never cleaned before. This is beyond spring cleaning. Clean any skylights, vent fans, under the oven and the refrigerator. Potential buyers should believe this the way your kitchen always is and not think that you’ve just sprayed bleach in the sink. Windows, window treatments and the tops of the cabinets are often overlooked. Organize your cupboards. Just like the medicine cabinet, they will open them.
Small pots of herbs in the window, a small wine rack on the counter, fresh flowers, or a bowl of fresh fruit make the place feel lived in without feeling cluttered and take time to put small appliances, refrigerator magnets, and other items you keep handy on the counters away from view.
The most important room in a house has always been the kitchen. We cook there, eat there, celebrate there, and we commune there. It’s where memories are created, children are taught, and it’s usually the place we start and end our days.
Make it a place that the buyers want to be, and they may well start a bidding war for your home. Contact Vsells & Associates today for help selling your home. Let the bidding begin!!
Whether you are buying or selling, we at VSells & Associates make it our mission to guide our clients through the whole process. We make moving simple, straightforward, and as stress-free as possible.