This article http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/realestate/2003035832_realhowto04.html?syndication=rss is a good start. We've worked through many, many remodeling projects with customers over the years, with resale in mind.
(I've threatened to start a diary on this site for awhile detailing what we do for our clients in preparation for market. I've held off because I am afraid of sounding more like a handyman than a Realtor. I'll leave it up to you: if you think I should start a diary, let me know. Thanks, Bill)
Now back to the subject at hand. The Times article touches briefly on a few items. Here they are listed in order followed by our respective comments
1. neutral colors An outdated sentiment. Look at builders' model homes. They are full of bold colors today. Neutral is not the norm, especially in more expensive homes. But bold does not mean wild. We refer to the careful selection of coordinated colors today as designer bold. There are some great resources to help you put togther your pallette of home colors that will make you look like a designer. One that we use is a little known series of brochures developed by Olympic Paints. These can be found at the paint kiosks at Lowes stores, featuring themed colors groups such as "Wine Country" and "Sea Breeze". These brochures offer contrasting colors selected by professional deigners that will give your home a professional, up-to-date look without making dozens of trips to the paint store and buying several pints of sample colors that are close, but aren't quite right.
2. kitchen first While kitchens are high on everyone's list, it is the most expensive room in most homes. Judicious selections are key. Think appliances first, then floors and counters. Cabinets: If cabinets come into play, they should precede everything else. Refacing is often an expensive bad idea. A pretty surface might help, but if cabinet hinges, shelving and interiors are worn out, it's time to consider replacement. While cabinets can cost as much as $200/linear foot, there are many affordable alternatives at the big box stores. Hire a good finish carpenter and get a bid for replacement before signing a refacing contract. If your cabinets are ok in appearance, dress them up with some new pulls, and possibly hinges to match, for an up-to-date look. Appliances: Stainless steel sinks are in, porcelain is out. Get your appliances to match, preferably stainless. If your downdraft cooktop is worn out, consider replacing it with a gas unit and an overhead hood. Most folks know that downdrafts don't work very well. Don't overspend for high end name appliances. We did, and we've had more service calls in the past 3 years than we did in the prior 14 with our Amana, GE, and Maytag products. Floors: Tile or hardwood. Pergo and similar products are ok, but not in homes valued over $500k. Just say no to vinyl, regardless of how pretty it is. Counters: Tile or granite slab. Corian and similar products, in spite of all their known benefits, never garner much value compared to the expense. The colors never seem quite right, and buyers just aren't impressed by it. Don't use marble or travertine in the kitchen. They are too soft and stain too easily.
3. lots of paint This is a no-brainer
4. hide flaws We hadn't thought of this one. It's creative, but can become too personal in taste, and too expensive. Somtimes it's just better to make the repairs and repaint.
5. focus on floors No doubt fresh flooring will impress buyers, but be careful. If your new "builder-beige" bottom of the bin carpet is installed over your original worn out pad, buyers will not be fooled. They'll see that it's new, but if it feels like they're walking on plywood, you may have just thrown away thousands of dollars when a $300 pad upgrade would have made all the difference. Cheap carpet works with a high quality pad.
6. cost-cutting ideas Cute ideas, but stenciling a fake backsplash is a poor substitute for the real thing that screams "I'm trying too hard and I don't have any money!"
7. keep options open This is a great idea that I have not previously considered. Keep those undefined areas flexible for multiple uses. Staging dictates that we at least vignette each room for some type of use. But if your dining room is being used as a woodshop, better move the woodshop to the garage. We've seen may formal areas, either dining rooms or living rooms, set up with a pool table. That may be fine, and fun, while you're living there, but it will definitely hurt your bottom line when it comes time to sell.
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Comments 6
Shelly,
Please tell me more about your situation. We’d be grateful for the opportunity to help you. Perhaps you could write to us direct: ClientCare@PenguinHomes.com
Thanks,
Bill
i need a house!
Cara, Your cabinets, and expectations, sound like they’ll work. You are correct in that it is a good idea to avoid painting the interiors. It involves a lot of extra work and the results are often less than stellar. I recommend that you call Pat Berry dba Pat The Painter 206-579-0053. His credentials are without peer. You might have to wait until the rains arrive for his services, as this is a frantic time of year for most painters, regardless of ability or specialty.
The critical thing is that to get a nice finish, the paint must be sprayed. The doors will need to be removed, all hardware removed, and sprayed in an isolated area, such as your garage or basement. The frames will be sprayed in place, so you’ll be without a kitchen for at least 3 days to allow for prep, multiple coats of primer and paint. Actually a week is more like it to allow sufficient curing time.
Pat is usually so busy he doesn’t return all calls. Mention my name and he will call you. If he doesn’t return your call within a few days, let me know and I will make certain that he calls you.
Bill
Bill:
Thanks for getting back to me and for asking so many pertinent questions. As I said, I’m having trouble finding anyone who specializes in this work and and as you suggest, I don’t just want a housepainter who says they can paint cabinets too. My kitchen layout works for me and the cabinets themselves are in good shape. It’s just the dark color that doesn’t work. Below are answers to your specific questions. Any referrals you can give me to qualified painters would be appreciated.
1) My expectations are to have the same looking cabinets sprayed a smooth epoxy finish white. I don’t want the initial reaction to be, “Oh, you painted your cabinets.”
2) My cabinets are a very dark stained solid wood. I’m not sure what type of wood they are because the stain is so dark. They’re physically in good condition. The doors are smooth without any detail work (or much grain for that matter) and it’s a style that doesn’t look too dated. The box and shelves appear to be solid wood. It’s a small kitchen – 8 cabinet doors and 5 drawer fronts. The doors do not fully cover the frames so they would need to be painted to match.
4) When you say “just the frames, doors, and end panels” is that excluding the interiors? I’d suspect that would add quite a bit of cost and that’s something I would consider eliminating after getting estimates for both.
Thanks again,
Cara
Cara, Cabinets can be nicely painted for a great updated look and I can get you someone that can do it. However, there are a number of considerations:
1. Most important is “what are your expectations?” Good painters know what it takes, and the price is usually prohibitive. If steps are skipped to keep the price down, good painters also know that you may be very disappointed with the results.
2. What type of wood are your cabinets? (oak never looks good painted because the grain is too heavy and always shows through)Fine grain woods work best.
3. Painting cabinets is very difficult, time intensive work. The prep work is the most difficult i.e., thorough cleaning, sanding, filling, sanding some more, tack rag and vacuum to get all the dust, bag off the entire area, then spray at least one coat of primer, possibly sand and tack rag again, then spray 2 to 4 coats of finish paint.
4. If it is just the frames, doors, and end panels that you want painted, it may be a practical approach.
To have the work done properly, as set forth above, sometimes becomes cost prohibitive compared to the price of replacement cabinets. You have to be certain that your existing cabinets are worthy of the expense. Are they solid wood or particel board? Often the face frames and doors are solid, but the box and shelves are not.
Do you have any experience with painters who repaint kitchen cabinets? I’ve seen this done really well for relatives in other cities and often see it mentioned in articles about inexpensive ways to update a kitchen but can’t seem to find anyone is the Seattle area that specializes in this. Do you know anyone?
Thanks, Cara