Recovering the Costs of Renovations in Your Home Sale Price

When showing your home to potential buyers, the bathroom is one place that any money you invest, will be almost fully returned in your asking price. The bathrooms and kitchen are the most important rooms in your home when it comes to resale value.

If you don't upgrade your bathroom, you may find that most buyers will factor in their estimated cost to remodel it themselves, and subtract this from their offer. But, you would be wise to upgrade it yourself to increase its attractiveness, and to draw in those buyers that are not interesting in purchasing a home that will require extensive renovation (i.e. the young and the old). "Most people today want the new or updated house so they don't have to fool with it," says sales agent Mary H. Raymond.

Fortunately, bathrooms rate very high in a cost v. value ratios chart. The money you invest in renovating your bathroom can be almost fully reclaimed in the sale price of your home. Consider this table, (available at Remodeling Online -- www.remodeling.hw.net) showing the cost v. value table for several areas of renovation in your home. You will see that based on these 2003 numbers, a Mid-range Bathroom remodelling project you will recoup almost 93% of the money you invest.

So, not only is an upgraded bathroom a significant factor in your ability to sell your home, you will recoup almost all of the cost you invest in tat upgrade by asking a higher purchase price.

Here are some simple tips for improving your bathroom that you may want to consider as possible upgrades before listing your home on the market.

• Replace old light fixtures with a new styles
• Replace your existing sink faucet with one of the new look brushed nickel models with pull handles
• Consider replacing the handles of the vanity doors. New, modern handles that match the new light fixtures and faucet can instantly increase the visual appearance your bathroom.
• Be sure to purchase a nice shower curtain and a matching set of towels. Then, take that nice set with you when you move.
• Purchasing a new set of soap dish or toothbrush holder that also match the new faucet, and light fixtures further extends the look of a modern and practical bathroom.
• Consider installing a wall phone in the bathroom for the ultimate in convenience
• At a minimum, be sure to repair any chips in your tub, or sinks. But, you can also hire a professional porcelain refinishing service and completely refinish worn bathtubs. This can give you tub the look of new for a fraction of the cost of replacing it.
• If the tiles in the tub area, and the tub could use replacing, consider paying to install a one-piece pre-formed tub enclosure that looks like a tiled wall, and install it overtop of the existing wall. This gives your bathroom an immediate update, and costs a fraction of a complete bathroom makeover.
• Consider modifications to your bathroom floor tile. Paints on the market are available that allow you to paint over your existing tiles. Choose a light, neutral shade such as off-white or cream tones to give your bathroom a spacious feel.

Here are some more tips from the "Cost vs. Value Report", Remodeling magazine © Hanley-Wood:

• Avoid down lights at the vanity. Instead, provide a pair of decorative light sconces flanking the mirror for even illumination.
• Use simple tile patterns and accents to liven up the character of the room.
• Always use a pressure-balanced shower faucet to avoid scalding.
• Consider a banjo countertop that extends over the toilet for more counter space and built-in shelves for towel storage.
• Use a shower curtain rather than a glass enclosure to make the room feel less closed-in. A large mirror also can make a small bath feel bigger.
• If the full bath is to be used only by adults, raise the height of the vanity to 36 inches to make its use more comfortable.
• If the toilet is next to the vanity, consider a banjo countertop with a full mirror at the vanity. It will maximize the sense of space.
• You can give a bath a custom touch by adding a few decorative or hand-painted tiles as an accent within a shower wall or backsplash.
• You can use glass block to replace the window, or as a divider wall between the sink and the toilet.
• Sometimes it's possible to replace a section of solid wall between the shower and master bedroom with glass block.
• If budget tradeoffs are necessary, look for ways to save money on things that don't read as either high- or low-end. Specify a budget toilet, for example, and use the savings to buy a nice faucet that will add a touch of class.