Urgent: I need a Decorator and Real Estate person's opinion

amother

OP ↓

Tue, Jan 07 2025, 10:00 pm

I recently bought a house thats about 20 years old. I expect to sell it within 10 years.

The kitchen is in decent condition, so my plan is to just paint the cabinets white (its natural wood now) and change the floor and do granite counters

1- for Kashrus purposes, and
2- to update the kitchen, and
3- to add value to the home.

If I want to update the kitchen and spend $10,000 on more modern looking granite counters and backsplash, when I sell the house in 5-10 years, will the granite be usable to people who want to keep the current kitchen layout, but change the cabinets, because in 10 years the cabinets will be 30 years old?

Or, if they change the cabinets, even if they keep the layout, does the granite have to go? In which case Ill be spending $10,000 that does not add value to the house, because if owners want to replace the 30 year old kitchen, the counters have to go, too?

I definitely dont want to put in formica counters, and granite/marble/quartz are all about the same price.

WWYD?

tia

nursemomma

Tue, Jan 07 2025, 10:11 pm

I’m not in the field but I know that you can technically re-use the stone. However, the labor of removing, storage and re-installation costs. Also, keep in mind that if there are any holes cut for faucets, sinks, cooktops etc. the new kitchen will have to match up exactly (not to mention actually layout of the kitchen). And styles change every year, let alone 10 years from now.
If you’re doing it only for the value of the house, just skip or do Formica.
For yourself, go with what you like best. But granite is the strongest and most durable.

amother

↑ OP

Tue, Jan 07 2025, 10:20 pm

amother Amaryllis wrote:

Countertops are not something that are usually reused.

Ok, so if I despise formica, is there a cheaper option that makes sense?

Redoing the whole kitchen adds at least another 30,000 to costs (which involves demolishing current cabinets, getting rid of them, cost of new cabinets, installation of new cabinets), because of the size of the kitchen.

amother

Apple

Tue, Jan 07 2025, 10:39 pm

lamplighter wrote:

Of course it adds value to the house. They will pay more for the house that has a more modern kitchen.

Not necessarily. If the house is in a Jewish area, you will be paying for the location of the property, not for the building itself. So many garbage houses are sold at an obscene price because, well, they are in a frum neighborhood.
Make the kitchen for you to enjoy.

amother

Marigold

Tue, Jan 07 2025, 10:58 pm

Hi.
I'm in the real estate field and based on my experience ( maybe also based location) . The cheapest granite stone vr custom laminate fit to size countertops , is approximately the same price.
Also a kitchen that's used for 10 years won't help you with the resale value.
I'd say do whatever you will enjoy today.

amother

Canary ↓

Tue, Jan 07 2025, 11:14 pm

Do whatever you want for yourself because in ten years your kitchen will be used.

This is especially true if you paint wood cabinets as painted finishes are not as durable as wood finishes especially when they are done in old cabinets. Painting cabinets is relatively expensive if done properly as it is not like painting a wall. The doors have to be cleaned and stripped and primed and painted in an environment with no dust or they look amateur. Better to have wood cabinets

Your cabinets are now 20 years old and probably don’t have the same functionality as newer cabinets and the doors will be 30 years old when you sell. aAnyone buying at that point is realistically going to need to do a major remodel on what is now a fairly old dated kitchen that is close to the end of its useful life.

Whatever counters you get will not be usable if someone remodels unless they don’t change the cabinets. No one is going to remove the counters and guarantee that they won’t break.

As posted, at this point the least expensive granite is about the same price as good quality Formica.

amother

Mistyrose

Tue, Jan 07 2025, 11:50 pm

Don't plan on resale and values because it will be "old" by then and they will probably redo entirely.

Put the money in for your use. Ask what the least expensive slabs or remnants are.

amother

Powderblue

Yesterday at 12:06 am

Change the counter top, don't paint the cabinets.

Painted cabinets don't last. For sure not 10 years. Natural cabinets are nice. And will age better in these 10 yrs, than paint.

The counter top is obviously bothering you. It will bother a buyer too. So change it now, enjoy it, and buyer will like it too.

Doesn't matter if buyer rips out. If it looks better they pay slightly more.

mizle10

Yesterday at 7:28 am

amother Powderblue wrote:

I agree.

Painting cabinets is not a great option.
10 years is a lot of wear and tear on a kitchen.

If you want to install granite for yourself then go for it but don’t do it for the resale value, it will be an old kitchen regardless.

amother

NeonGreen

Yesterday at 8:15 am

I would do what I want and not worry about doing things for value of the house in 10 years
thats a long time away although time flies but the value of the house will be the value of the house
The countertops wont make a difference in the price of the home

amother

Feverfew

Yesterday at 8:26 am

Also buying a starter home. My contractor said anything you put in will double in value. Which is hopeful because we’re making a new kitchen and other repairs which will cost a lot.

I’m going for a classic kitchen flat cabinet look which should still be “in” in 5-8 years when we sell iyh.

↑ lamplighter ↓

Yesterday at 8:43 am

I would not paint cabinets, it's expensive and they look bad pretty quickly.
In my experience, people will pay more for a house that has a fresher kitchen, not because they want to keep it but because it gives an overall feeling of a more valuable/fancier house.
Either way the best idea is to do what you want, it's going to be 10 years who knows what will be in 10 years, change the counter if you want to change the counter.

↑ lamplighter

Yesterday at 8:44 am

amother Feverfew wrote:

What does it mean anything you put in will double in value?

Also I wouldn't take a contractors word for such a thing. He makes money over everything you change Wink

amother

Pumpkin ↓

Yesterday at 8:53 am

Like the person above said ; Granite today is not in style and is considered a low budget option. A 30 year old kitchen will probably be replaced regardless unless it is very high end and did not age or wear.

amother

↑ Pumpkin

Yesterday at 8:55 am

Also adding that if you are getting quoted granites and marbles and quartzes as the same price go elsewhere they are not at all in the same price category and something doesn’t make sense.