There is a common sentiment among realtors that kitchens sell houses. Therefore, if you are thinking about selling your house, or you simply want to increase the value of your property, you have likely looked into kitchen remodeling projects.
While full-scale kitchen renovations may not necessarily be advisable for all properties, especially for mid-range homes, there are a number of trendy remodeling projects that are sure to increase the value of your property.
Replace the Countertops
There are a lot of things to consider when looking at a kitchen, but nothing makes a first impression quite like the countertops. Clean, quality countertops can turn a rundown kitchen into a modern and trendy space in short order.
When considering your options, there will be a number of attractive surfaces on the market, but it could be worthwhile to look at your budget and factor in the cost of quartz countertops. There are a variety of quartz countertop colors to choose from so you can be sure to choose a color that potential homebuyers would love like white, grey, or blue.
Quartz surfaces offer a number of desirable features that will be attractive to buyers, including the following:
- A nonporous constitution that allows for easy cleanup and prevents staining, a major advantage over concrete and marble surfaces that are readily marred by wine, coffee, and tomato-based spills
- As quartz surfaces are capable of getting fully cleaned, buyers can feel confident that they are free from the insidious buildup of germs and bacteria that plague other surface materials.
- While offering the same durability as stone surfaces, manufactured quartz is a bit more forgiving, meaning it is less likely to crack or chip in the face of unexpected or unusual trauma
Upgrade the Kitchen Window
A kitchen is meant to evoke pleasant feelings, as the savory aromas and anticipation of a delicious meal are known to make people happy and excited. To augment these feelings, most kitchens are designed with vinyl casement windows over the sink, allowing for the flow of natural light to put some extra pep in your step as you go about your kitchen chores.
Over time, this window may get stained by errant kitchen debris, bugs splattering against its surface, and/or the general degradation caused by time and weather. In addition, the window’s seals are likely to become cracked and brittle, allowing for the unwanted flow of dirt, air, and moisture into and out of your kitchen.
In order to increase the pleasant ambiance, you are trying to create in a kitchen, replace the window to allow light to flow more clearly. Furthermore, there are some really great processes for weatherproofing windows available, which will help you save on HVAC costs–and energy-efficient homes are more valuable.
Add Energy-Efficient Appliances
Continuing the trend of energy efficiency, adding appliances that are Energy Star certified is a great way to increase your property value, as buyers are willing to pay a premium for features that will save them money over time.
Furthermore, as society becomes increasingly conscious of the effects of climate change, there is a strong push to create net-zero energy-efficient homes–homes that contribute as much renewable energy as they consume in non-renewable energy.
By equipping your kitchen with energy-efficient appliances, it will show that your property has an eye toward the future, making buyers confident that their dollars are being well-invested in trends with staying power. When choosing your appliances, it may be a classy touch to install some matching handrails on which to hang your kitchen towels and/or extra cookware.
Redo the Flooring
Kitchen floors need to be durable and easy to clean, as they will be bombarded with a steady stream of dropped trays and beverage spills. A growing trend in home flooring involves the use of stained concrete, as it is nonporous, easy to maintain, and resistant to even the most blunt-force trauma, making for a solid upgrade over your old tile or wood surfaces.
Matt Lee is the owner of the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.
