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Risky Remodels

19 July 2017

Nine Remodels That Buyers Might Not Like

Whenever homeowners remodel, they start estimating how much financial return they will get because of the changes made when their houses eventually sell. But sometimes the remodeling can make it harder to sell a house.

Rosie on the House No curb shower

Of course, you never know if something you do – however attractive it might be – can turn off a buyer. But here are some possibilities that might be an issue:

1 | Removing a bathtub

Many homeowners are getting rid of rarely used bathtubs and replacing them with showers. But you don't want to get rid of every, last bathtub in the house. A tub can sometimes be necessary for someone who's ill, for a family with small children or for the family dog. Putting a tub back into a bathroom can be a difficult project.

2 | Removing a closet

This might not seem like something anyone would do, but some homeowners remove doors and frames from closets to add space to a room. That might happen in a home office when a closet becomes a niche for a desk and computer. Remember that in a bedroom, if you remove a closet, that space is no longer considered a bedroom when you sell a house. A bedroom also needs a door. You might want to save the closet doors or buy new ones and put everything back the way it used to be before you put your home on the market.

3 | Removing a bedroom

If you have an extra bedroom you rarely use, you might want to remove the wall between that room and another bedroom so that you can create a luxury master suite. The difficulty is that the typical American home, according to the U.S. Census, has three bedrooms and two baths. It's probably what most buyers are looking for. So, keep that in mind before you knock down that wall. Of course, if you already have five or six bedrooms, that's another story.

4 | Turning a garage into a game room, office or extra bedroom

Rosie on the House Garage door Maybe this is a necessity, but most buyers want to use a garage for their cars, particularly in Arizona in the summertime. In addition, if you're doing it, you need a building permit to make it legal, particularly if you're making plumbing and electrical changes. If you go ahead with your plans, you'll most likely want to make the new floor level. But the most restrictive consideration will be the zoning requirements for your neighborhood. Call your city's Zoning Department and explain what you want to do and they will tell you if it's allowed or not.

5 | Turning a carport into a garage but doing it poorly

Doing this can add immense value to a home if done properly. But if this was a do-it-yourself project and you simply slapped some walls on the old carport and cut a door into the kitchen, the project is not going to meet the building code. Before trying this, you need to get a building permit and have a professional do it properly.

6 | Papering the walls

Rosie on the House Wallpapering Wallpaper was out of style for years and years, but if you look at home design magazines and websites, it seems to be on a rebound. But removing it and going back to painted walls is very expensive, and some buyers might shy away from the possibility.

7 | Painting rooms in unusual colors

Although this is a cosmetic issue that can easily be fixed, that paint job may be too overpowering and become the main way that buyers describe your home: "The house with the purple bedroom."

8 | Getting too trendy

The latest hot and in style things might not always work. Vessel sinks might be harder to clean. The island you're putting in the kitchen might take up too much space. Subway tiles on the kitchen backsplash might be getting too common.

9 | Overbuilding for your neighborhood

Rosie on the House Whirlpool bath Putting a $75,000 kitchen in a $200,000 house might be a bad investment. Adding a luxury master suite on your home might change your home's layout too drastically, compared with other homes in your subdivision.

Finally, here's something we talk about frequently at "Rosie on the House." When you're remodeling, hire a licensed and insured contractor for anything you do. Check out your potential contractor at azroc.gov – this is the state of Arizona's website that gives you information on contractors and their history. Get three bids for any major remodeling job and seek lots of advice about whether your plans will add value to your home or not.

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