Giving a Kitchen Sex Appeal
Kitchen is the heart of the house
A kitchen is the most important room in the house for home buyers. You can have small bedrooms, but if the kitchen is lacking in any of a number of different areas, the house falls to the bottom of many prospective buyer's list.
Obviously, as you approach the selling process, this is not the time to install a custom $20,000+ gourmet kitchen. Do that in your next home. But, if the kitchen is lacking, be prepared to invest some cash now in fixing up that kitchen.
Here is a list of kitchen defects that might effect the sale price:
These items can definitely hinder the sale, but they are also the easiest to fix. The overall general goal of your kitchen update is to make it bright, clean, fresh and functional. Things need to look new in the kitchen— they don't have to be new.
Most important is that the kitchen needs to reflect the asking price of the entire house. Selling a $300,000 + house with Formica countertops isn't going to work. Likewise, selling a $125,000 house does not require granite countertops.
Lighting Options
New fixtures should be stylish and provide adequate light. Consider installing under cabinet lighting to reduce shadows in work areas. If you have glass doors on upper cabinets, in-cabinet lighting options will add an air of sophistication for little cash.
Countertop Options
Formica: for do-it-yourselfer's, formica is one of the easiest fixes and well within a handyman's repertoire. However, if you have to have someone else install them, compare prices with other materials. You'll find the difference in price between upper end formica tops not that much less than granite tops installed.
Formica brand products come in a variety of colors, finishes and styles.
Solid Surface: Solid surface countertops are durable, easy to clean, come in many colors, and are water resistant. But they're also vulnerable to scratches, easily discolored by heat, and expensive.
Granite: Granite countertops are the top of the line and expensive, but compare total prices for granite installations compared to so-called cheaper options. The difference in price for the best is not that much.
Cabinet Options
Replacing cabinets with new may be the only way to update the kitchen to match the asking price, but it is a major construction project and usually involves replacing just about everything in the kitchen from, countertops and sinks, appliances, and new flooring.
Painting Cabinets: Painting cabinets might be an option in some situations. Cabinets are already painted and just need freshened up. It really depends on the surface materials used in the cabinets, and the asking price. Painted cabinets would typically be found in lower-priced properties.
New Hardware: Just about any older cabinets can get a new look with updated hardware (knobs and hinges) especially if existing hardware are original, which are usually dated.
Resurface Door Fronts: This is usually done by a contractor specializing in resurfacing doors. They put a new laminate surface over the original doors to give it a new appearance. However, the cost of resurfacing by a contractor can be close to the cost of replacement. Compare pricing options.
Replace Door Fronts: This can be almost as expensive as buying new cabinets unless you do the work yourself. It is time consuming.
The advantages of resurfacing or replacing door fronts is that you do not disturb the basic kitchen's foundation. Meaning that you're not faced with an entire kitchen rehab. If the flooring, countertops, and walls are ok, then replacing or resurfacing cabinet door fronts is a viable alternative.
Replace Cabinets: This is obviously a major investment, especially if there are lots of cabinets. But in some cases such as a 1950s house with original plywood stick-built cabinets that may have looked good in 1950, but today, they have lost all appeal and should be replaced.
Replacing cabinets allows you to give your entire kitchen a brand new look, but it carries a steep price because of everything else that needs to be replaced at the same time.
Like anything, there are different price levels to be considered. There is no reason to go top of the line when replacing cabinets for a quick sale. For example, you don't need to have self-closing drawers or solid wood construction. You just want cabinets that look good when complete.
Unfinished Cabinets: Unless you're a skilled woodworker, stay away from the unfinished-type cabinets. They are definitely less expensive, but require an extreme amount of skill to finish properly and look good. If would be foolish to invest that time and effort in replacing the cabinets and not have a good wood finish. No buyer will appreciate all the effort you put into them if they don't look good.
Flooring Options
Flooring is a critical element in any kitchen. If it shows signs of wear or is outdated, then it should be replaced.
Carpeting: Never use carpet in the kitchen. There are just too many things that cause carpeting to fail in the kitchen and become unsightly, unsanitary, and cause odors. This does not apply to small area rugs that might be used as accents.
Vinyl: Sheet vinyl is the least expensive. Avoid vinyl tiles in the kitchen. Tile edges do not seal tight enough to keep water from seeping underneath and quickly causing damage to the under-layment.
Tile: tiling the kitchen is an attractive, and expensive option depending upon whether you do it yourself or hire a professional. Sub flooring is a critical component for tiles to remain in place. Grout can be a problem, and must be sealed properly after installation to protect it from water and stains. Properly installed tiles can add substantial appeal to the kitchen.
Wood: Hardwood floors have made a big come back in the kitchen. They give the kitchen a warm cozy feel and the new finishes available are highly resistance to moisture. Laminate flooring is another option, but one that I don't care for. The veneer surface is very thin and at least in my house, things are always getting dropped in the kitchen. If you drop a pan on a hardwood floor, you might get a dent that just adds to the character of the wood. On a laminate floor, you get the dent, but you also expose the inner layer. Moisture is a big issue with laminates. Any spills must be removed immediately. The sub-floor must be absolutely level and without movement.
One point on flooring is to consider where the kitchen flooring ends and the other flooring begins. Adding tile or hardwood may cause the flooring height to be different than the abutting floors. Consider how this difference in height will be handled and if it might create a safety issue.
Walls / Back splash
Kitchen walls are faced with a number of degrading forces: moisture, dirt, grease, and the necessary cleaning to keep the walls looking good. Careful consideration should be given to what kind of back splash used around the countertop.
Paint: this is the least expensive option, but to be successful, a quality enamel paint should be used that will stand up to the wear and tear placed upon this area. Enamel paints have a stronger surface that will last longer.
Tile: provides almost as many color options as paint, plus the added element of texture and design layout. Tile also is more resistant to water and wear than paint.
Formica: offers numerous design options, is extremely wear, water, and stain resistant. Is fairly easy to install and looks good when edged properly.
Sinks / Disposals
Stainless Steel: offers a variety of styles and new finishes given the kitchen a completely new look. Although stainless steel will scratch easily, the scratches give the finish a nice patina. Cheaper stainless steel sinks are made from a thinner metal and will flex. Can be mounted underneath or above the countertop.
Enameled: sinks are heavy and come in a variety of colors. Enamel sinks will scratch, but not easily. They also will chip if something is dropped on it, especially on a corner. Chips are difficult to repair.
Fixtures: today there are so many different options for sink fixtures it can boggle one's mind. Coordinate the finish with the cabinet hardware for a more unified look.
Appliances
Appliances should be clean and in good working order. If an appliance is more than 8 years old, seriously consider replacing the appliance. An inexpensive appliance is better in selling the house than a more expensive model that is showing its age.
