Does a kitchen renovation sell a house?

Kitchen renovations are said to be a major selling point. However, there is more to think about than the kitchen. In general, you shouldn't spend more than 5 to 10 per cent of the value of your house on renovations. Spend too much and you won't get a return on the money you've invested in renovations.

1. Consider all your renovations first 
2. Do your sums
3. Renovate the kitchen
4. Consider a kitchen makeover
5. Does a kitchen renovation sell a house?

Consider all your renovations first

Buyers are looking for properties they don't have to spend too much money on. An unrenovated home will not attract as high a selling price as a home that has been renovated. Keeping in mind the 5 to 10 per cent rule, look at your house and consider all the renovations it needs. They might include:

• Painting the exterior and interior
• Repairs
• Garden maintenance
• Pressure washing the driveway, pavers and patio pavers

Repairs can include anything that makes the house look dated. They can include fixing sticking doors and windows, replacing flyscreens, replacing worn curtains and blinds and other things that make the house look worn or dated.

Buyers look at the streetscape first. If a fence is broken or the paint is chipped and faded, it will detract from the value of a home. If a driveway is dirty, potential buyers will notice. If the exterior needs painting, it will lower the value of the home more than the cost of having the house exterior painted.

Inside the home, walls should be painted a neutral colour. Curtains and blinds should look new and flyscreens should not be sagging or torn. The house should look bright, cheerful and uncluttered.

Look at the floors. If you have carpeting, have it cleaned. If you have hardwood floors, do they look good? If not, it may be time to have them sanded and polished. Look at the floors in every room of the house. In many cases, you can refresh them by giving them a good cleaning. If they are worn, consider replacing the flooring. Buyers will notice your floors and will look for flooring that is not worn.

The backyard should look well-maintained and clean. The garden may need some garden maintenance and the patio pavers may need cleaning. If you have decking, it shouldn't look like it needs sealing.

Do your sums

Look at everything that needs repair. Make a list and get quotes for all the repairs you need to do to make your house fetch a higher selling price. The list should include DIY projects like replacing curtains and items that require a tradie's services such as plumbing and electricity. If you don't have time to paint, get quotes from painters to find out how much painting will cost.

Don't leave anything out and when you do your sums, add 10 to 20 per cent to account for extra expenses. Initial quotes can be lower than final quotes after tradies have inspected the home. That extra buffer will help get a more realistic cost of the renovations.

Look at the total amount and then think about how much you need to spend on the kitchen. An immaculate kitchen won't be a major selling point if you have neglected the exterior, the bathroom and interior painting.

Renovating the kitchen

Kitchen renovations can be inexpensive or very expensive depending on where you spend the money. A budget kitchen renovation costs between $10,000 and $22,000. A mid-range renovation can cost up to $35,000. Spending more on a kitchen renovation may not add to the value of the house. Try to keep the cost to a minimum, but don't overlook quality inclusions.

The least expensive kitchen renovation has melamine doors. Melamine is a durable finish and comes in a variety of colours. Dress melamine up with door handles and have a good looking kitchen at a low price. Melamine is flat. If you want rolled edges or a pattern, vacuum formed doors are a little higher in price.

Laminate benchtops are the cheapest benchtops available. Laminate comes in a wide variety of colours, designs and patterns. Choose a half-rolled or rolled edge and the front edge can be double thickness.

Better kitchen builders use good quality hinges and drawer runners. They may cost a little more, but they are reliable and the drawers will always be easy to open. Spend a little more and get metal drawers. It's worth spending more on these inclusions because the kitchen will last longer. Buyers will open your kitchen doors and drawers. If they see quality hinges and drawers, they will be impressed.

If you're handy with tools, consider purchasing a flatpack kitchen. Many come with quality hinges and drawer runners. They are easy to put together using common tools. You may need to hire a handyman to help install them and the benchtop should be professionally installed. A plumber will have to install the sink and an electrician can install power points, lighting and the appliances.

Many flatpack kitchen makers have online kitchen planners. Measure the kitchen carefully and choose cabinets that fit your kitchen exactly. If there are gaps, you may be able to get filler pieces. Take time when you design the kitchen and make sure the cabinets fit into the space in the kitchen. While you may have to hire some trades to finish the kitchen, a flatpack kitchen is less expensive than having a new kitchen installed.

In most cases, a budget kitchen renovation will attract a higher selling price, but an expensive renovation may not. It depends on the house, though. People looking at a typical family home aren't looking for expensive kitchens with gloss polyurethane doors and granite benchtops. If the house is expensive, they will be looking for a higher end kitchen. This is one reason the 5 to 10 per cent of the value of the home rule applies to all houses. You can spend more on a more valuable home.

Consider a kitchen makeover

The kitchen is important, but how much should you spend on a kitchen renovation? A budget renovation might cost $10,000. A more expensive renovation can cost $25,000 or more.

Take a good look at your kitchen and think about ways you can improve it without overspending. If the cabinets are in good condition and the layout is good, you may be able to spend your money on minor renovations in the kitchen and save money for other repairs and renovations. For example:

• Paint the doors, drawer fronts and panels instead of replacing them
• Update the drawers if they are sagging or sticking
• Replace the benchtops if they are worn
• Paint the kitchen if needed
• Replace old light fittings with modern fittings

If you need to replace the benchtops, don't look at expensive materials. Buyers aren't necessarily looking for granite benchtops. They may want another type of benchtop material and granite would be a waste of money. A good quality laminate benchtop will cost far less, but make the kitchen sparkle.

Does a kitchen renovation sell a house?

A kitchen renovation can help sell a house, but only if other renovations have also been done. Overspend on the kitchen and you may not be able to do the other necessary renovations. Why should you not overspend on renovations? Professional home renovators have discovered that if they exceed 10 per cent,  they don't get a healthy return on their investment.

Don't make the mistake of focusing just on the kitchen. A new kitchen may look great, but if you haven't done other renovations, the kitchen may make the rest of the house look worse. Achieve a balance and the kitchen can help sell a house.