How much values does house renovation add

[WalksWithTurkeys]

I know a Google brings up lots of results, but I read a lot of conflicting advice. Some say replacing a horrible old kitchen with a new one adds 50% of the cost to the house value. Some say more. What do people here think based on experience?

Obviously I have an agenda. I modernised a 1969 house replacing the nasty original kitchen and bathroom, hanging new doors, and repainting. Oh and redoing the garden. The only substantial costs were the kitchen and bathroom, which were done for me. The garden was horrible, and is now very nice, but no landscaping as such, just levelling, sowing new lawn, replacing and planting shrubs and tidying. Two recent valuations are a fair bit higher than expected, and I think the modernisation added on ~10% to the house, meaning I have recovered costs. The total price rise has been ~30% in 4 years, assuming the valuations are about right.

 

[joe-90]

You were doing your bathroom years ago and got taken to the cleaners. It needs doing again by now.

 

[conny]

You were doing your bathroom years ago and got taken to the cleaners. It needs doing again by now.

Especially if its Avocado!

 

[OwainDIYer]

It depends on the location and type of property and target market.

Generally kitchens and bathrooms sell houses, but that might not add to the value - just means yours is the one that sells quicker. First time buyers and young families usually want a cheap kitchen that looks clean. Older more affluent buyers either want a really nice kitchen with solid wood carcasses and top notch appliances which they'll keep or a basic kitchen which they'll rip out and put their own design in.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

Thanks Owain. Yes, that is sort of what I figured. I suspect the 50% return on a kitchen or bathroom often quoted refers to the average. My house was really bad, so the improvement is huge. A few years ago I saw houses where they had put in cheap kitchens, and I factored in to the purchase price the cost of ripping out a brand new kitchen, and putting in a decent one. Same with brand new cheap carpet, though I supose that is less cost. Cheap kitchens are okay in starter homes, not nicer ones.

I suppose another way to phrase the original question is this. Given two identical houses, in identical locations, one cosmetically tatty, with ugly 40 year old kitchen, bathroom room etc, and one in excellent condition, with modern kitchen etc, appropriate to the house and locatiom, what sort of discount does the tatty one get?

Joe-90: You are obnoxious, I suggest you take your moronic remarks elsewhere.

 

[longdogs]

As Owain says, Kitchens and bathrooms help sell the property. If the kitchen is manky, it will put people off. But if you fit a cheap one, they will buy then rip it out and fit another. Quite pointless really.

 

[JBR]

Joe-90: You are obnoxious, I suggest you take your moronic remarks elsewhere.

He's a strange one, is our Joseph. He can sometimes be quite sensible and even helpful, but he does love to wind people up and encourage argument. I think it's a mental aberration and I don't think he can help it. On the other hand, he doesn't seem to take offence to statements such as my last sentence! The best advice is to ignore him as he'll just take anything else as an invitation to continue what he enjoys doing the most.

 

[joe-90]

Thanks Owain. Yes, that is sort of what I figured. I suspect the 50% return on a kitchen or bathroom often quoted refers to the average. My house was really bad, so the improvement is huge. A few years ago I saw houses where they had put in cheap kitchens, and I factored in to the purchase price the cost of ripping out a brand new kitchen, and putting in a decent one. Same with brand new cheap carpet, though I supose that is less cost. Cheap kitchens are okay in starter homes, not nicer ones.

I suppose another way to phrase the original question is this. Given two identical houses, in identical locations, one cosmetically tatty, with ugly 40 year old kitchen, bathroom room etc, and one in excellent condition, with modern kitchen etc, appropriate to the house and locatiom, what sort of discount does the tatty one get?

Joe-90: You are obnoxious, I suggest you take your moronic remarks elsewhere.

You seem to have a short memory. You were at the small claims court after getting shafted by cowboys. You do remember that don't you? It was a few years ago now so your bathroom is hardly new.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

You seem to have a short memory. You were at the small claims court after getting shafted by cowboys. You do remember that don't you? It was a few years ago now so your bathroom is hardly new.

I was not at the small claims court. Now **** off and troll elsewhere.

 

[joe-90]

Oh yes you were. Is your memory failing?

 

[joe-90]

Do you remember this thread?

//www.diynot.com/diy/threads/checkatrade.304193/

 

[JBR]

Nothing to do with me, but I took the trouble to look through all four pages of the thread mentioned, knowing what sort of person Joe is, and could find no mention of WWT going to the Small Claims Court.
I should mention that I, too, have recently been on the receiving end of accusations made by Joe. In my case he accused me, and continued to do so for some time, of having announced on this site that I voted against Proportional Representation years ago yet, despite my requests, he was unable to provide any evidence of my having done so.
I also see from this (rather old) thread that Joe's attitude towards other forum members has not changed over time. He loves to wind people up and it seems that he was doing the same several years ago. I wonder whether he has some sort of personality disorder and, if such is the case, I feel sorry for him.

 

[joe-90]

Maybe you can explain why he is talking about getting 'Expert witnesses' then? (he can't)

 

[JBR]

And when he is proven to be wrong, you can be sure that he won't apologise. He can't!

He should change his moniker from 'Joe-90' to 'Village Idiot'.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

Quite right, I did not go to the SCC. Trading Standards sorted out the cowboys. Joe90 is a rude and aggresive person, who thinks he knows everything, he has ****ed me off on many occasions. I have had arguments where I say a product is good, having used it, and he says categorically that it is rubbish, despite never having used it. An absolute idiot.