These Home Upgrades May Be Common but They Aren't Always Worth the Cost
Whether you’ve already found your forever home or are just settling into your first, it’s perfectly natural to want to customize your space to your liking. However, home upgrades aren’t exactly cheap - and many of them don’t actually pay off in the long run.
Luxury Bathrooms
Believe it or not, but the bathroom is arguably the most important room in your house. It’s the one place you can truly “be yourself”, the one room that promises total, complete privacy. But if you’re thinking about transforming your lavatory into your own royal potty complete with fancy tiles and high-end finishes, here’s our advice: don’t - it almost never pays off.
Swimming Pools
There was always that one kid on the block who was lucky enough to have a swimming pool in their backyard, but if you’re planning on finally becoming that kid yourself, you may want to reconsider. Swimming pools are expensive to install and maintain, and potential future buyers tend to view them as more of a liability or safety hazard than anything else.
High-End Kitchens
Maybe you’re a real wizard in the kitchen and want to transform your space into a suitably magical area, opulent in its design, grand in its scale. Unfortunately, high-end kitchen remodels rarely pay off in the long run - mid-range upgrades, on the other hand, are usually far more feasible.
Sunrooms
Ever wish you could enjoy the outdoors without actually, you know, going outside? A sunroom may be the solution - just don’t expect it to offer anything of value whatsoever beyond being a pretty place to relax. In some countries, sunrooms don’t even add to a property’s livable square footage, despite being an entirely new addition to the main structure.
Home Gyms
Before transforming your spare room into a dedicated workout space, ensure you’re committed to the lifestyle for the long run. Often, home gyms are converted back into their original spaces after a while, and hold literally zero interest for buyers who aren’t interested in the lifestyle.
Home Theaters
The problem with going to the cinema is that you actually have to leave your house - so, what if there was a way to bring the cinema home with you? A home theater may be the answer, but you’ll want to be sure you don’t plan on reselling your house later, since they’re fairly niche and most buyers would prefer a more generalized entertainment area.
Wine Cellars
Unless you’re a mediaeval baron living in the countryside, there’s little use for a wine cellar. Still, some folks insist on adding an entirely separate room for their precious fermented grapes anyway. Needless to say, wine cellars are expensive to build, and appeal to only a very, very small pool of buyers.
Smart Features
Look, maybe one day everything in our homes will be fully automated, but we’re not quite there yet. Smart features sound, well, smart on paper, but they’re often quickly outdated and outmatched by newer technology. Additionally, most buyers will be overwhelmed by overly complicated and high-tech systems.
Wall-To-Wall Carpeting
Carpeting is great if you’re living somewhere cold and need a bit of extra insulation - it can also be pretty cozy, provided you get the good kind. Let’s face it, though, most people want hardwood floors instead, so wall-to-wall carpeting tends to be yanked up and replaced, anyway.
Wallpaper
Wallpaper is a truly genius concept, allowing homeowners to customize their spaces without the need for fancy paintings, expensive photographs, and frames. That said, when it comes time to resell your house, buyers may be turned off by your particular taste in wall adornment.
Garage Conversions
Depending on where you stay (and whether you plan to stay there for the rest of your life), a garage conversion can be a great way to add some extra space to your living area, especially if you don’t own a car. For everyone else, however, it’s more of a money sink than anything else.
Landscaping
There’s nothing better than the smell of freshly cut grass in the morning - or so we’ve been told. Don’t go overboard with your landscaping: expensive water features and custom gardens generally don’t appeal to the average buyer.
Hot Tubs
This one hurts. Hot tubs are great for relaxing and detoxing after a long, hard week… but it’s hard to deny that they’re also super expensive to install and maintain. Worse still, future buyers may be put off by their presence, viewing them more as a safety or health hazard than anything else.
In-Ground Trampolines
A trampoline can provide endless fun for your kids, but it’s best to stick with the above-ground options. In-ground trampolines are not only more expensive, but they’re also much more dangerous —a point future buyers will not simply dismiss.
Decks and Patios
Decks and patios are great little spaces to enjoy some fresh air and entertain one or two people at a time, but a couple of chairs and perhaps a table are all you really need. Don’t make the mistake of overdecorating your patio - the results rarely justify the price, especially in colder climates.
Home Office Additions
Having your own home office is in itself a huge boon, but you’ll want to avoid expanding your space, as this rarely offers a return on your investment. It’s much more financially feasible - (and, honestly, a lot more sensible in general) - to simply convert existing space instead.
Luxury Fixtures and Faucets
Tired of touching the same old stainless steel faucet every day? Got some money to waste? A designer faucet may look nice, but really, what value are you actually getting from it? Indeed, these luxury brands tend to go out of style quickly as well.
Custom Closets
It’s easy to understand the appeal of custom closets. They’re much more manageable and tend to be cleaner than regular built-ins, but you’d do best to avoid going for something overly complicated and elaborate, as this could potentially turn off future buyers.
Skylights
A skylight can be a great way to add a bit more natural light to your space, but that depends entirely upon its placement. Additionally, skylights are prone to leaks, which can cause even more hassle for both you and any potential buyers in the future.
Basement Bars
If How I Met Your Mother is anything to go by, most people have - at some point - considered buying a bar. Most people give up on this dream, but some settle for building a bar in their basement instead. While definitely awesome, future buyers may prefer the basement to be more of a “blank slate”.
Attic Conversions
Attics typically serve as storage spaces, but chuck a bed or a couch up there and you’ve got a whole other room added to your house. There’s just one problem: building codes. “Livable spaces” must comply with certain restrictions; attics do not.
Built-In Aquariums
Most people would settle for a nice kennel for their dog, but if you’re really into fish, a built-in aquarium may sound appealing. Unfortunately, they’re incredibly expensive to maintain, impossibly difficult to remove once installed, and appeal only to a very, very niche group of people.
Excessive Security Systems
Look, there’s no denying that the world is a scary place, and you should take any precautions you can to protect yourself. However, excessive security systems can be difficult to maintain and tend to be too complex, which may deter prospective buyers.
Exotic Flooring
Most people would gladly settle for hardwood or carpet, but others insist on being different. Bamboo and cork floors may add a certain feng shui to your abode, but they’re limited in their appeal and extremely difficult to maintain.
Luxury Laundry Rooms
Doing the laundry is hardly the most enjoyable household chore, but wasting money on fancy finishes and upscale appliances won’t make it any less tedious. Most buyers just want a clean and functional space to wash their clothes in.
Double Ovens
Double ovens are great if you’re thinking of starting your own catering business. Otherwise, they’re a totally unnecessary energy vampire, since most people simply don’t cook enough to warrant two whole ovens.
Elevators
Firstly, if you live in a house that can actually accommodate an elevator, spend your money elsewhere. Secondly, these things only really appeal to elderly buyers who need a little extra help navigating from one floor to another. These are hardly the kinds of elevators you’ll find in a luxury hotel.
Saunas
Unless you plan on hosting your golf buddies every weekend, having a sauna is more of a money sink than a real luxury. It’s expensive to maintain, and probably won’t appeal to any future buyers (unless they happen to be the aforementioned golf buddies).
Elaborate Fencing
There was once a time when a white picket fence was enough, but some people insist on taking it further with decorative iron or stone fences, which, while definitely nice to look at, may put off potential buyers.
Custom Paint Colors
Painting the walls of your house can be a good way to spend a weekend with a bunch of guys in overalls you’ve never met before, but you’ll want to avoid any bold or whimsical shades so as not to put off any potential future buyers.
Dog Washing Stations
Dogs are probably the most popular pet in the world, but not every prospective homeowner is going to appreciate all the work you put into your custom-made dog washing station, especially if, you know, they don’t have a dog.
Greenhouses
Unless you’re a devoted gardener, a greenhouse is pure luxury excess and nothing more. Most buyers simply don’t garden enough to warrant one on their property.
Luxury Garage Upgrades
If you truly love your cars and enjoy being around them as much as possible, it makes sense to upgrade your garage space with attractive epoxy floors and custom storage solutions. Just be warned, however, that these don’t add any value to your property at all.
Over-Personalized Exteriors
From walls to fences, patios to gardens, anything on your property that can be seen from the street should always be treated with caution if you ever decide to customize it. More “unique” decorations can severely hinder curb appeal.
Unpermitted Additions
Whatever you do, always get permits for every addition you make. Unpermitted additions don’t count towards your property’s value and, worse, may even cause legal issues for you further down the line.
