Blog
Industry NewsRecarpeting hardwood floors is a home repair ‘don’t’
Looking for ways to add more value to your home? Some home renovation projects will add more appeal to your home than others. If you are thinking about updating your home or getting it ready to sell, consider my following home staging don’ts:
- Don’t over personalize a space: Adding custom window treatments, a handpainted mural or wallpaper may make a space look pulled together but chances are the home buyer will not have the same taste as you or not have the sofa or bedding that matches these items. Instead, keep things simple. Plantation-style shutters or wooden blinds are a better option than fabric window treatments and freshly painted neutral walls are a better sell than wallpaper.
- Don’t replace, reface: An updated kitchen is definitely a selling feature but adding new cabinets can be costly. Consider refacing or even painting your cabinets for a new look. The money you will save can be put towards other enhancements like granite countertops or new appliances. A smaller updated kitchen is better than a large outdated kitchen.
- Don’t break the bank on costly light fixtures: Adding lighting to a space can definitely make it feel brighter and more spacious but new fixtures can really add up. When selecting a new chandelier for the dining room or sconces for the bathroom, look at home improvement stores for fixtures that have the look you love but cost less than handmade or antique fixtures.
- Don’t recarpet hardwood floors: Remove the carpet and showcase this selling feature. Taking carpet out costs far less than covering up the floor with new carpet. If the floors need to be refinished expect to pay about $500 per room vs. $1000 to recarpet that same space!
- Don’t replace carpet with carpet: If you do not have hardwood floors under your wall-to-wall carpet consider adding hardwood or laminate wood floors. This will give your home the updated look buyers love. Laminate wood flooring can cost as little at $1.50 a square foot!
|
About Kate: Kate Hart is president of Hart & Associates Staging and Design in Main Line, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties and is a graduate of the University of Virginia. Her work has been featured on HGTV, The Fine Living Network and CNN Headline News. |
Related posts:
Print This Article
Great article! This is my experience. Most folks want hardwood flooring and stainless steel appliances. New paint is always helpful from top to bottom. Harry@HarryMcCarty.com
I’m happy to agree with Marc on this one. Nearly all laminates being installed are considered cheap, quick, noisy floor coverings. Suitable for rehabs but not move-up homes. For both my buyers and sellers, slapping down the eighty seven cent or buck fifty stuff in a day or two is considered a waste of time and money. Better think in terms of 3 to 4 bucks a sq ft & at that point you’re getting close to solid wood, carpet or tile
You may want to rethink the laminate wood floors. Every buyer I’ve dealt with thinks laminate wood floors are cheap and would have preferred carpet or vinyl flooring instead.