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Many homeowners have one misconception regarding their home improvement. They think that every home remodelling project will increase their abode’s aesthetics and its value. This statement is partially true! Not all renovation projects will increase your home’s resale value.
In the beginning, some projects will amaze you, but it will also push down your home’s selling price. In addition to this, they are not worth the expense and your time.
Keep reading this post to know the 12 home upgrades you should avoid if planning to renovate this winter. Further, we have also provided five vital tips to convert your old home into a modern and new one.
12 Home Remodelling Projects Which You Should Avoid
Fancy lighting fixtures
Your guests will fall in love with your ornated lightings, but it generally doesn’t please the potential buyers. Many homeowners fit ceiling-mounted lights in their dining areas and hanging pedant in the kitchen or bedroom. Further, it can look outdated after ten years or so, probably when you’ll head towards selling your home.
You can switch to new lights for your abode, but lavish and expensive lightings aren’t required. Instead, swap your old ones with energy-efficient lightings and keep it simple.
Kinky tiling
A few homeowners like to get creative with their tiling and fall into the trap of quirky tiling. Changing it to simple wood or ceramic would look classy on your floors or walls. But if you’ll install black and white tiles or white and blue ones, then it would be just a waste of your money (and time too).
For resale purposes, it could seem like a distraction to many buyers. So, when you want to renovate your floors and walls with tiles, choose sober white or brown tiles.
Too many designs on the wall
Adding wallpapers can be an ideal option to liven up your space creatively. But at the same time, it can be complicated to peel it off. Some might even get a headache removing the same. Additionally, too many wallpapers can always scare people.
So, keep it minimal, or else adopt the idea of fresh paints. It will also be beneficial to you at the time of selling your home. Not all potential buyers will like your choice of wallpapers. Hence, neutral-coloured paint on the wall will avoid wallpaper mistakes.
Creating a sunroom
Whether you call it a solarium or a patio room, it can make you feel like a retreat in your very own home. It has a lot of drawbacks, which you should consider while taking up this project. The room majorly contains windows that are porous when it comes to heating and cooling. It would be beneficial in winter during the daytime but harder to keep cool on summer days.
So, if you’re making this addition to increase its resale value, then you’re considering the wrong renovation project. The return on investment will be pretty lower than other projects.
Building a fancy kitchen
Everyone wants their heart of the home (kitchen) to look out-of-the-box; also, it’s a project for which everyone saves up. But you may get disappointed after knowing that you’ll get comparatively lesser during your house sale than you’ve invested.
According to a survey, the average cost of a royal kitchen renovation was $68,490 in 2020, but the selling price was a mere $40,127. Hence, look around your kitchen and hunt for worn and torn areas that need repair. Also, purchase mid-range appliances rather than jumping for high-end ones.
Planting messy tress
Making your landscape look green is a good idea, but it’s vital to do your research before planting anything. Experts suggest avoiding plant trees with leaves or flowers that may create a mess in your garden.
Furthermore, you should avoid planting tall trees beside your home; its strands will grow and make a hole in your roof. If you’re in this situation already, then learn what to do if your roof is leaking. Coming back to the point, give the nod to trees like Eastern red cedar, crepe myrtle, or Colorado blue spruce.
Conversion of garage to another room
It might seem like converting the garage into a gym or living room a healthy idea. Even for millennial parents, this conversion is a money-saving concept. But if you’re planning to sell your home down the road, buyers wouldn’t consider it as a great idea.
Garages are for parking vehicles and storing items, and everyone wants their purposes to be solved. So, if you’re planning to take up this project, then think from a long-term perspective.
Swimming pool addition or renovation
Unless you’re living in a hot region, investing in swimming pools isn’t worth it. It’s the opposite of the well-liked belief that swimming pools add value to your home. Even HouseLogic also said that it could increase the resale value by up to 7% only in some circumstances.
Additionally, the maintenance expenses of a swimming pool are out of many homeowners’ budgets. Hence, its addition or renovation can limit the number of buyers and the amount of selling price.
Artistic in-built aquariums
Aquariums might seem like marine dreamlands, but creating a new in-built one comes at a cost. Though it will make your home look fancier, you need to spend a lot on its maintenance too. In addition to this, not everyone likes to create their zoos with fishes.
When you go out to sell your home with in-built aquariums, potential buyers can hesitate to take care of your large tank. Hence, choose a standard size fish tank and exhibit your fishes. It could lessen your stress of maintenance and finance struggle too.
Grandeur bathroom
When you hire an interior designer to upgrade your bathroom, it’s easy to get carried away with their high-budget ideas. Well, beautifully decorated can make your bath enjoyable, but not the bank balance of potential buyers. It can add value to your home but only to some extent.
Moreover, the hard-to-clean bathtubs and over-personalised fixtures can increase unnecessary expenses. In a few years, they can also become outdated. Hence, place a simple yet beautiful walk-in shower, which usually occupies less floor space.
Knocking down walls
Some homeowners love to combine two small rooms to make a massive master bedroom. Generally, many young couples (without children) fall in love with this concept. However, this is a wrong move if you are planning to stay there for long years. Plus, this would knock down your one room, losing its purpose.
When you want to do family planning in the future, you want to upgrade it again. After all, every kid wants a separate room. So, try simple tricks to make your space look big rather than knocking down the walls.
Built-in hot tub
There’s a lot of excitement about built-in hot tubs amongst homeowners. But believe us, it is a gamble, just like swimming pools. Interior designers recommend you saying it would add up the home’s value, escalate the home’s aesthetics, etc. The truth is they take up more space and need maintenance frequently.
Also, if you have small children, then it would be a safety hazard for them. In case you’re in love with it, then consider installing portable hot tubs instead of built-in. You’ll be able to move it whenever and wherever you want based on your comfortability.
As you can see, here were the 12 renovation projects in which you might waste your precious time and money. Still, if you’re owning an old house and want it to bring in good and modern shape, then the below-given tips will assist you in the entire task. Have a look:
5 Important Tips to Consider While Renovating Your Old House
Create a team to aid you
Since your house is old, you need a team of professionals to determine the amount of work that needs completion. The team must have an experienced inspector and contractor. They’ll guide you properly about the conversion of an old home into a new one. Before hiring them, you merely need to tell them about your ultimate goal and rest your house in their hands.
Begin small
Regardless of size, 10-15 years older homes need more upgrades. In case you don’t have an unlimited budget, then begin small. Look for areas that need urgent renovation and invest in them. Crashing the whole mansion without budget consideration would be foolishness.
Keep an eye out on water damage
When you own a traditional house, there are high chances of water damage. It has long-term effects like dry rot; on top of that, bugs usually love wet environments. All of these can harm your health too. Hence, look for the signs of water damage around the ceilings, floors, and windows.
Look at your roof and windows too
Though kitchen cabinets and bathroom tiling can tempt you for renovation, you must look at the foundation of your home. That is your roof; after that, consider windows as they will secure your life. Check if there is any damage to your roof and windows and replace it if needed.
Embrace technology
Usually, older homes are technology deprived. It might be an expensive part of any renovation but think of the long run. Hence, while executing the upgrades, inculcate technology for your need, not for aesthetics purposes. It will turn your old house into a modern one, allowing you to enjoy the vibe of technology.
Conclusion
We understand everyone seems to look exciting about the home renovation projects. But not all are good for the long run. Hence, we hope the above information will help you make an informed decision for your next renovation project.
Author Bio:
Hi, I’m Eleena Wills. Being a writer and blogger, I strive to provide informative and valuable articles to people. With quality, constructive, and well-researched articles, one can make informed choices. I cover a wide range of topics, from home improvement to hairstyling and automotive.
