Remodeling a Kitchen for Resale

The kitchen, often considered the heart of the home, is a natural gathering place for families.  So, if you are thinking of selling your home, it is important to ensure that your kitchen is resale-ready.  Don’t get nervous!  This does not mean that you need to consider a full kitchen remodel.  Cabinet refacing, updating finishes, a fresh paint job and a few other minor tweaks could do the job.

According to Remodeling Magazine, a minor kitchen remodel will recoup about 80 percent of its cost, while a major midrange kitchen remodel will see only around a 65 percent return on investment.  Good news for the minor updates!

 

Six Tips to Make your Kitchen Resale-Ready

Dedicated kitchen remodelers, such as Desirable Kitchens & Refacing in Pittsburgh, PA, work with you to find the most cost effective and time efficient way to upgrade your kitchen, while adding resale value to your home.  In order to get your kitchen ready to put your home on the market, there are six important tips to consider.

 

1. Research your neighborhood and area – Research homes in your neighborhood by looking online or talking to local realtors to see what the kitchen must-haves are for your area. They will be able to provide you with the pros and cons of various upgrades, as well as identify those kitchen features currently being marketed and attracting buyers.

 

2. Avoid overly personalizing – When choosing items to remodel for resale, consider upgrades that appeal to the masses. You want to stick with simple style schemes and décor.  A unique décor accessory, whether it is lighting or personalized drawer pulls, may seem perfect for your taste, but may turn off a potential buyer.

 

3. Paint – Choosing a new color to wash your walls is an inexpensive upgrade that will transform the look of your kitchen. Stick to a neutral, simple shade.  Consider using natural paint or paint with low-VOC or no VOC, which makes your kitchen more eco-friendly, and reduces the amount of toxins that can potentially be released in the air.

 

4. Reface your kitchen cabinets – If your cabinets are in good condition, there is no need to tear them out and replace with new ones. Upgrading the doors, trim, color, and hardware with cabinet refacing is quicker and less expensive than a full kitchen remodel.  It allows you to keep your current kitchen intact, while completely transforming its appearance.

 

5. Upgrade countertops – Buyers are looking for durable, solid, beautiful countertops. Granite has become a standard in many homes today.  So, if you still have dated laminate countertops, you may want to consider spending the extra money to upgrade.  Quartz countertops are also becoming a wanted item.

 

6. Stage the area – Potential buyers want to imagine themselves living in your home. In order to help them visualize this, be sure to stage your kitchen well.  Be sure it is clutter free and kept clean at all times.  This includes your pantry and cupboards, which an interested buyer will most likely open. Be sure there is an easy flow to the kitchen with regards to tables, chairs and any other moveable items.  Decorate with fresh flowers or fruit to present a cozy, lived in space.

 

Don’t underestimate the value of a newly upgraded kitchen.  Give your kitchen the attention it needs before placing your home on the market.

 

Remodeling Kitchens in Pittsburgh and the Surrounding Area

Desirable Kitchens & Refacing, located in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, PA, works closely with you to determine the best options to upgrade your kitchen for resale.  For years, they have been transforming kitchens in western PA with customers’ needs always first.  From cabinet refacing to granite countertops to flooring installation, the team at Desirable Kitchens & Refacing has the right solution for every customer – every time!  For a free consultation or more information, call 412-515-0582 or visit https://www.pittsburghdesirablekitchens.com.

For years, in order to achieve a fresh new look for your kitchen cabinets, replacing the entire cabinets was your only value-added option.  Yes, you could paint over your cabinets, but depending on the composition of the cabinets, your job could end up looking like a young child was set free in your kitchen with paints and a brush.

Today, cabinet refacing has become a close substitute to cabinet replacing.  To better understand the difference, you will need to know what is involved with each.  Cabinet refacing entails the removal of drawer faces and doors and installation of new ones.  Your existing cabinet boxes remain intact and veneer is added to them during refacing.  With cabinet replacing, your existing cabinets are completely removed and replaced with new cabinets.  This is often considered a full kitchen remodel.

 

 

Five Factors to Consider

 

Which is the right option for you?  Pittsburgh’s Desirable Kitchens & Refacing suggests considering five factors when choosing whether to reface or replace your cabinets.

 

1. Overall Layout – Are you satisfied with the current layout of your kitchen? If yes, then refacing is a great option for you.  If you are looking to make minor (or major) changes to your kitchen’s overall layout and design, then cabinet replacing would be the best long-term and cost-effective solution for your home.

 

2. Condition of Cabinets – Are your cabinets structurally sound? If yes, then there is no immediate need to replace with new ones.  Refacing your existing cabinets will save you time and money.  If your kitchen cabinet boxes, doors or drawers are in poor condition, refacing will not correct the problem.  New cabinets will need to be installed.  Additionally, if you are not satisfied with the placement of your existing cabinets, whether they were poorly installed initially or they do not functionally serve your needs, then cabinet replacing is your best option.

 

3. Cost – What type of budget have you allocated for your kitchen transformation? Typically cabinet refacing costs 40-50% less than cabinet replacing.  Depending on the type of refacing desired (and the size of your kitchen), expect to pay anywhere from $1000 to $9,000+ for cabinet refacing.

 

4. Time – Are you looking for a quick, hassle-free kitchen transformation? Cabinet refacing is a quick and simple process when hiring experienced professionals, such as Desirable Kitchens and Refacing.  Most refacing projects are completed in 3-5 days or less—without the mess and the hassles of a remodel project that could leave you without a kitchen for months.  During cabinet refacing, you are still able to utilize your kitchen.  With cabinet replacing, more removal and installation is involved which translates into more time and disruption in the kitchen.  Depending on the time you have and the disruption you can afford, cabinet replacing may still be a feasible option for you.

 

5. Environment – Are you concerned about how eco-friendly these two options are? With cabinet refacing, there are less items being thrown into the landfills, which makes it the more eco-friendly choice.  Unfortunately, cabinet replacing involves the disposal of complete cabinets—boxes, doors, drawers and hardware—which ends up sitting in a landfill.

 

Cabinet Refacing in Pittsburgh, PA

Dedicated kitchen remodelers, such as Desirable Kitchens & Refacing in Pittsburgh, PA, work with you to find the most cost effective and time efficient way to upgrade your kitchen, while adding value to your home.  From cabinets to countertops to flooring, you will want to choose what is right for you.  For years, Desirable Kitchens & Refacing has been transforming kitchens in the Pittsburgh and surrounding areas.  For a free consultation or more information, call 412-515-0582 or visit https://www.pittsburghdesirablekitchens.com.