Is it worth renovating the kitchen before selling?
Short answer: No, renovating the kitchen shortly before a sale very rarely pays off. A prospective buyer does not necessarily share your taste, and the difference in sale price between properties with a renovated kitchen and those with an older one is generally not large enough to justify the work. The exception is when the flat is otherwise in good condition, the kitchen is the only thing letting it down – and the kitchen is small.
Why does it rarely pay off?
Two reasons weigh heaviest.
Taste. The kitchen is the most personal fitted element in a flat. You choose the colours, materials, handles and layout to your own taste, but the buyer has their own. A buyer who would have accepted an old kitchen and planned to redo it their way now gets a new kitchen they would never have chosen – and does not pay extra for it.
The price difference. The difference in sale price between properties sold with a renovated kitchen and comparable properties with an older kitchen is generally not large enough for the cost to come back. You pay for the work today and get a fraction of it back in the sale price.
On top of that, once a seller has decided to sell and buy elsewhere, the appetite for large works is usually at its lowest. Their mind has already moved on to the move.
When can it pay off after all?
There are cases where it does pay off, particularly where three things come together:
- The flat is otherwise in good condition. Floors, paintwork and bathroom are sound.
- The kitchen is the only thing dragging the overall impression down. Replacing it improves the picture of the property substantially.
- The kitchen is small. The work is then manageable and the cost stays within sensible limits.
Size is the key point. Costs mount quickly if you have a large run of units and perhaps an island as well. At that point the project stops being a repair and becomes a renovation, and a renovation is rarely justifiable before a sale.
What should you do instead?
If the kitchen is old but sound, it is usually better to fix what can be fixed cheaply:
- Clean the cupboards inside and out, along with the oven, extractor hood and taps.
- Change the handles.
- Go over the doors and hinges so that nothing hangs crooked.
- Replace old, yellowed switches and sockets.
- Clean or renew the sealant and grout along the worktop and sink.
- Clear the worktop of everything that does not need to be there.
This costs little, takes a short time and makes the kitchen look maintained – which is an entirely different matter from old and neglected.
How do you know what applies to your property?
This is not a question that can be answered in general terms. It depends on the condition of the property as a whole, the size of the kitchen, what comparable properties in the neighbourhood have been selling for, and which group of buyers the property appeals to.
Baldur Jezorski, licensed real estate agent (löggiltur fasteignasali), can help you assess whether it is worth it in your case, before you pay for work that may turn out to be unnecessary.
In short
- Renovating a kitchen before a sale very rarely pays off.
- The buyer does not necessarily share your taste.
- The price difference between properties with a new and an older kitchen rarely justifies the cost.
- The exception is a small kitchen in a flat that is otherwise in good condition.
- In a large kitchen with an island the cost mounts quickly and the sums rarely work.
Frequently asked questions
Should I just replace the cupboard doors or the worktop? That is often a more sensible middle course than a full renovation, particularly if the carcasses are sound and the layout works. The cost is a fraction of a new kitchen and the change in appearance can be considerable.
What if the kitchen is unusable rather than merely old? Then the position is different. A property that is not usable as it stands appeals to a much narrower group of buyers, and it is worth getting an assessment of whether repairing it or selling in its current condition gives the better outcome.
Get in touch
Before you pay for a new kitchen it is worth getting an assessment of whether the work will come back in the sale price. Contact Baldur Jezorski, licensed real estate agent (löggiltur fasteignasali), on 450-0000 or send a message via 450.is for more information on whether renovating the kitchen before a sale is worth it in your case. Free and without obligation.
Related articles
- Which renovations are not worth it before selling?
- Which renovations pay off most when selling?
- Is it worth painting before selling?
Thinking of selling? Get a free valuation from Baldur Jezorski, licensed real estate agent in Hafnarfjörður, reply within 24 hours.
Algengar spurningar
Is it worth renovating the kitchen before selling?
No, it very rarely pays off. A buyer does not necessarily share the seller's taste, and the difference in sale price between properties with a renovated kitchen and those with an older one is generally not large enough. The exception is when the flat is otherwise in good condition, the kitchen is the only thing letting it down and the kitchen is small.
Should I just replace the cupboard doors or the worktop?
That is often a more sensible middle course than a full renovation, particularly if the carcasses are sound and the layout works. The cost is a fraction of a new kitchen and the change in appearance can be considerable.
What if the kitchen is unusable rather than merely old?
Then the position is different, because a property that is not usable as it stands appeals to a narrower group of buyers. It is worth getting an assessment of whether repairing it or selling in its current condition gives the better outcome.