Do I need a new bathroom or kitchen?

A question we are frequently asked by those preparing a house for sale is "Do I need a new bathroom?" or "Do I need a new kitchen?". A number of vendors answer the question themselves and decide that, in order to sell their house, yes they do and embark upon a costly upgrade to their property.

Fortanna's answer to the questions would be, as in other circumstances: "Not necessarily". It is true that the kitchen and the bathroom are hot selling points in a property but to achieve viewer appeal, it is not always necessary to replace them.

The bathroom and kitchen must be scrupulously clean and shining with hygiene. Can you achieve this in your existing format? A thorough clean or regrouting might be all that is required.

A bathroom suite might be perfectly adequate but not white. This is not necessarily a disaster - can you use towels or other accessories to complement the colour rather than drawing attention to it?

Old fashioned or unattractive tiles - can these be toned down with other colours or perhaps painted over?

Kitchen handles and/or doors can be replaced if the layout is sound. Amazing results can be achieved for the cost of a tin of kitchen door paint.

Improving lighting and light fittings can make a surprising difference to the feel and appeal of a kitchen or bathroom

A cheap, hurriedly replaced kitchen or bathroom is not necessarily any more of an asset than the existing one and may leave you out of pocket. Viewers need to be able to feel the kitchen or bathroom is liveable with. This is a popular area for refurbishment in a new home and may be fairly rapidly replaced anyway.

What about the context of the rest of the house or garden? A kitchen or bathroom improvement alone is unlikely to secure a sale. Consider the whole of your property, inside and out, rather than concentrating on one or two areas alone.