If you're planning on selling your home, don't neglect your bath. A bathroom redesign can add significant value to your home, in many cases recouping the cost of the redesign in the sale. Here are seven ways you can boost the value of your home simply by making a few changes in the bath.
Add a bath. The biggest way you can increase value to your home is to add another bathroom. Particularly if your home has significantly more bedrooms than bathrooms, or if you have only one bathroom, your buyers will appreciate an extra bathroom they can use for guests or for the kids. Adding a bath could potentially add more value to your home than any other changes made to your existing bathroom.
Glass shower doors. Glass shower doors give a feeling of expansiveness and luxury to any bathroom. They make small bathrooms look larger, and make large bathrooms look enormous. Clear glass is often the best, particularly if you have elegant tilework in your bath, but frosted glass can also give an elegant look.
Sleek Taps. Consider updating your taps for another upgrade that could potentially increase your home's value in the eyes of buyers. Sleek chrome and stainless steel are metals that look good in any bathroom, and many homeowners are updating old ceramic taps for a more sophisticated modern look. If your taps haven't been replaced in decades, you may see more interest from buyers if you modernize in this area.
Better lighting. Lighting in the bathroom is tricky-you need to get lighting that's bright enough for your daily toiletries, but not so bright that it's harsh. Make sure your bathroom is well lit-lights near the mirror and sink are key, as well as plenty of lighting in the shower and bath area. Incidentally, you don't need to replace your existing lighting to give a more well lit look-simply add small sconces or lamps for task lighting in key areas.
Improved flooring. If your bathroom has old vinyl or linoleum on the floor that hasn't been changed in years, you might want to think about updating it-especially if it's cracked or stained, or if the colours or patterns are dated. When choosing a new floor for your bathroom, look for a neutral colour-not every buyer will love a bold colour choice. Linoleum and vinyl can be attractive and cost-efficient choices, and many come in natural patterns that imitate wood or stone. Ceramic tile and stonework can be more costly, but are likely to add more value as well.
Chic countertops. Luxury bathroom countertops in marble or granite can go a long way toward impressing buyers. If you have countertops in a dated colour or in a laminate that's cracked, stained or fading, you should definitely look into replacing it before you put your house up for sale.
A new coat of paint. If your bathroom has bright colours on the walls, consider repainting in a more neutral colour before you put your house up for sale. The more neutral the colour palette you choose, the wider variety of buyers you'll appeal to. Even if they plan to redesign the bathrooms themselves, the wrong colour on the walls can subtly turn buyers off. If you're using dated colour schemes that were trendy in a past decade, chances are you'll get more interest in your home if you update your wall colours as well.
New accessories. Adding little touches like new heated towel rails, elegant soap dishes, attractive curtains and towels that match your décor can make your bathroom look homey and stylish-and appeal to buyers. Consider updating your bathroom accessories, get rid of clutter and organize your bathroom before buyers come to see your house. Update or clean your shower curtain and make sure the rest of the bathroom is sparkling. In addition, decorations such as a vase of flowers or a few pictures on the wall can make a bathroom look attractive and inviting.
Your bathroom can add a great deal of value to your home-if you handle the upgrades the right way. Even small, impermanent touches like updated accessories and task lighting can make a big difference. With these bathroom upgrades, you're likely to increase your home's value-and its buyer appeal.