If you are considering selling your home, you may be reluctant to spend good money on a house that you are ultimately leaving behind. Also, you may be unsure of which investments will lead to the biggest payoff. One thing is for certain, you don’t want repair issues causing potential home buyers to look elsewhere! So which upgrades are best when it comes to selling your home? While there are many answers to this question, one of the best areas to get “the most bang for your buck” is in your home’s plumbing system. While perhaps not the first thing on your mind in preparing your house for market, simple plumbing repairs and easy updates to your kitchen or bathroom are almost always a good idea, and the return on investment can be tremendous! Below are a few tips on upgrading/repairing your plumbing and, in turn, increasing the value of your home.
Try making small changes first:
A nice bathroom says a lot about the overall condition of your home. That being said, there is no need to completely remodel your bathroom. By making small upgrades to fixtures such as showerheads, faucets, sinks, or even a new toilet, the overall look and feel of your bathroom can be greatly improved. You will want to fix obvious problems like clogs in sinks or tubs, and services like drain cleaning are often inexpensive. Also, things like dirty grout or stained caulking make a bad first impression, but are easy fixes. You may not have to replace, but instead use a reputable move out cleaning service. Also, consider going green with these upgrades. Adding low flow devices to your showerheads and faucets is an easy way to be eco-friendly, and so is installing energy-efficient toilets in your bathrooms. Considering that today’s energy-efficient toilets use only 1.5 gallons of water per flush, compared with 20-year old toilets that use 5 gallons, and five-to-seven-year-old toilets that use 3.5 gallons, these simple upgrades will offer instant value to a potential home buyer!
Repair existing plumbing problems:
Obvious problems such as leaky faucets, slow drains, running toilets, and water spots on your ceiling are a dead giveaway that you have some plumbing issues in your home. While you may have been living with these issues for a while, unattended leaks will increase your water bill, and are a warning sign to potential buyers that other. More serious problems like slab leak repairs that come up during inspection can halt a sale. As such, it is a good idea to have plumbing issues properly repaired before putting your home on the market. You don’t want a new buyer moving in and needing emergency 24/7 drainage service.
Add some inexpensive upgrades to your kitchen:
As with bathrooms, there is no need to completely remodel your kitchen to elevate the aesthetic appeal of this space. Performing simple upgrades like replacing faucets, adding a new sink, perhaps replacing tiles or backsplashes, or even installing a new garbage disposal can add charm and value. As the kitchen and bathroom are consistently reported as having one of the biggest effects on resale value, it is worth looking into how even small, inexpensive changes can have a big impact!
Add a water filtration system:
Adding a whole house water filtration system can be a great option and is an amenity that may pay off when it’s time to sell. Instead of wasting money on bottled water, or constantly replacing filters, you will now have easy access to pollutant free water that may eventually pay for itself! You can call water companies directly, or, if you live in a rural area, it’s best to call a company that specializes in well drilling. They will often offer water filtration services that are more affordable.
Looking to the future:
Unless they have been replaced, older homes probably have older pipes. This can be particularly scary for potential home buyers, as the cost of pipe replacement and/or water damage repair can be incredibly high. If your home was built before or during the 1970′s, there is a good chance your pipes are made of galvanized steel. These types of pipes are prone to rusting on the inside, causing them to eventually grow shut. Sewer lines in older houses can also be an issue, as they can be made of clay, concrete, iron, Orangeburg, or other materials that are prone to rust and root intrusion. While this is a potentially larger and more expensive job than some of those mentioned above, having brand new, modern plumbing installed in your home will seriously increase your home’s value. It will always be a big selling point.
And don’t forgot to look outside of plumbing upgrades, such as making your home is solar ready for the next buyer or checking the condition of the AC system. These are top selling points. Don’t overlook the old standby, which is curb appeal. This is hands-down the biggest bang for your buck. Even fresh mulch will often give you a 5-10x return on what you spend making a great first impression.
If you are thinking about selling your house, let the team at All Masters Plumbing advise you on any plumbing upgrades or repairs you are considering. We can talk you through the process, and provide different options based on your circumstance to increase the value of your home before you sell!
