Spring Home Improvements for Resale: Part 2

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Created on Wednesday, 25 May 2011 15:17

Last week we talked about the #1 room to improve for maximum resale value for your home: the kitchen. Well, if you’ve ever spent time watching home renovation or real estate shows on TV, you’ve probably heard the phrase “kitchens and baths sell homes”. So it might not come as a surprise to learn that bathrooms is the second room that we recommend that all potential home sellers bring “up to snuff” before putting their homes on the market.

#2 Your Bathroom

Bath room improvements can return up at a 95% on investment, particularly if the original bathroom was in poor condition and brought up to a high standard with a modest budget. Although people spend relatively little time in the bathroom, it’s unlike any other room in your house, with concerns of privacy, cleanliness, and water-control. The trend in the past few years has been to view the bathroom (particularly a master or ensuite bathroom) as a sanctuary for the homeowner, with a greater emphasis on aesthetics and high-end finishes that make the room feel like a spa.

Unfortunately, bathrooms are also one of the most expensive rooms in the home to renovate, as almost all the fixtures (tubs, sinks, toilets, showers, lighting) are permanent elements. Additionally, bathrooms require hard-surface floors and wall coverings (at least around the bathtub or shower) generally in the form of tile or stone, which is expensive to purchase and even more expensive to install. Home buyers are aware of this, and few are willing to buy a home that requires a bathroom update without a significant consideration in price.

If you’ve decided to take the plunge with a bathroom renovation, focus on quality fixed elements in neutral colors. It’s no surprise that the avocado greens and power blues of the 60’s and 70’s have gone out of style, so opt for clean white fixtures as the replacements. Flooring, tile and paint should also be neutral. Keep in mind that you want your new bathroom to appeal to the widest possible audience, and reserve colors for accents like towels and accessories. If your bathroom is a four piece, keep it as such – it almost never pays to replace a tub and shower with a shower-only enclosure. Finally, be aware of details – loose facets, grubby grout, poor lighting, or lack of storage can all be a big turn-off for potential buyers who are going to examine this room closely.

In a Budget Crunch?

Unless you happen to be a master plumber or stone mason, you will almost certainly need to bring in professionals for a bathroom makeover. You can save on costs by opting to do some of the demolition and removal of old fixtures yourself. You may want to consider if you can keep some elements like the tile and simply re-grout for a fresher look. Additionally, look at trading off costs in one area against another for big impact – perhaps by going with a more inexpensive floor tile in order to afford a better vanity or high-end facets.