What are the most important jobs before selling? Please help me plan!

[aforestgrewandgrew]

We'd like to move next year but before then we need to finish "updating" our house on a shoestring and I'm trying to prioritise.

We moved into a house that needed a lot of work and we got a fair amount done - then the baby came! A few years later we never really picked up where we left off.

These are the jobs that I reckon we need doing before we sell. Which do you think are the most important (bearing in mind we probably can't afford to do all of them!)

Also if you have any tips on doing any of this really cheaply I'd love to hear them!

New kitchen units
New kitchen appliances
Decorating all rooms
Laying carpet throughout
Sorting out wild garden
Getting rid of woodchip in front room, replastering
Put door on new downstairs toilet
New curtains & rails for bedroom, dining room, front room
Decent looking furniture

Which do you think would add most / least value for sale?

[runningLou]

For looking good in EA's pictures I would say the wild garden, the woodchip, and a quick repaint in a neutral colour and (cheap) carpet throughout if there are bare floors atm
From a potential new owner's pov I would say definitely toilet door. Carpets, curtains and decor etc not so much of a problem as would probably change anyway, but it needs to look habitable and like a home.
Kitchen - could you just replace unit doors give appliances a good clean?

[Finola1step]

That's a heck of a list!

Not sure if I'd be spending money on new kitchen, appliances and furniture. Unless you are aiming for top end of budget kind of sale.

Talk to a local estate agent re current selling conditions.

But from your list, a coat of paint throughout and perhaps sort out carpets if really necessary. And the toilet does need a door. And possibly the wood chip. Cut back garden.

But I wouldn't be throwing money at it.

[YelloDraw]

New kitchen units - no. Can you just paint them to give them a lift?

New kitchen appliances - no.

Decorating all rooms - yes if they need it, like are currently in orange or something, or v tatty. Cheap, easy, makes it look fresh and smells nice and 'new'.

Laying carpet throughout - do you have nothing at the moment? Like, just underlay or tatty floorboards? If so then yes.

Sorting out wild garden - yes.

Getting rid of woodchip in front room, replastering - yes

Put door on new downstairs toilet - absolutely!

New curtains & rails for bedroom, dining room, front room - maybe, it is quit easy to do and won't cost much if you go for basic IKEA curtains and rods.

Decent looking furniture - why bother if you are going to move? Only get stuff you will want in new house. Use what you have to good effect or only get a few pieces.

[aforestgrewandgrew]

Yes it is indeed a heck of a list - I must admit I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed!

I could probably get away with deep-cleaning the appliances, but the kitchen is from the 70s. And not in a good way! I did look at replacing the doors by buying a second hand kitchen off eBay (looking for shoestring options, you see!) but the units are 500mm wide, most modern ones are 600mm wide.

At the moment it looks a long way off sell-able, I think we'd struggle to get anywhere near its potential value as it has other issues (not the prettiest on the outside, seriously tiny garden). But it has got a lot going for it in that it's in a sought-after area, near a choice of good schools and a huge park. I think we need to al least bring it up to a standard that another family would be happy moving in even if there is still a bit of work to do.

I'm certain we'd make more back than we spent if we stick to the basics - I'm not looking for high-spec. In our old flat we created a new kitchen for about £1k for example.

[aforestgrewandgrew]

"yes if they need it, like are currently in orange or something, or v tatty."

Try crayoned by a toddler!

DD went through a phase of writing on the walls any chance she got. Only the dining room escaped her "art"!

[aforestgrewandgrew]

Plus we painted the kids rooms crazy colours they chose, I guess this needs to go before selling.

[aforestgrewandgrew]

Does anyone know where I could get cheap but decent looking replacement 500mm cupboard doors?

[Blossomdeary]

What a pain that you will be slaving away to get it really nice for someone else to enjoy!!

On the subject if kitchens - we have recently moved into a bungalow that had the dullest darkest kitchen you can possibly imagine. We had a lady come and paint all the units cream - such a transformation! Just like a new kitchen and much cheaper - and more environmentally friendly. If you do it yourself it will only cost the price of the paint. The change is unbelievable.

[aforestgrewandgrew]

Blossomdeary our old flat was absolutely beautifully decorated, minimal and uncluttered - for the 4 weeks prior to selling it and at no other point!

What kind of paint did you use for the cupboards? Would it really transform an ancient 70s kitchen?

My kitchen is kinda like this one (but worse!)

[aforestgrewandgrew]

That makes it look too nice! Think of a very well-used version of that ^^

[YonicProbe]

Bookmarking as I have a somewhat similar thread!

[TheCrowFromBelow]

Kitchens are one of the first things replaced unless they are top of the range,so I'd be tempted to leave it but there are a number of online companies that provide bespoke kitchen doors.
Unless there is nothing at your windows I wouldn't replace poles etc, if there is nothing then blinds might be cheaper to buy and install. Certainly don't buy new curtains. Repaint all rooms in white. I'd paint over the wood chip as well to be honest and focus on what you can do to make the garden appealingand mailing it look clean and liveable in.

[aforestgrewandgrew]

Ooh, do you?! Off to have a look ...

[Blossomdeary]

Two options:

• buy new doors
  
• hang about a bit and it will all come back into fashion!

[runningLou]

B&Q basic kitchen doors all come in 500mm width and are not expensive. You can just get plain white if you want.

[TheDivineMrsCampbellBlack]

New kitchen units DON'T BOTHER
New kitchen appliances DON'T BOTHER
Decorating all rooms - PAINT WHITE AND THAT'S IT
Laying carpet throughout DON'T BOTHER
Sorting out wild garden - DO THIS DEFINITELY
Getting rid of woodchip in front room, replastering DON'T BOTHER
Put door on new downstairs toilet DO, IT'LL BE CHEAP
New curtains & rails for bedroom, dining room, front room DON'T BOTHER
Decent looking furniture DON'T BOTHER

I think you need to get it so people can see its potential, so that means, clean, uncluttered, tidy and ideally white / cream walls. There's no point in doing anything else unless you're property developing, which you're not. People replace kitchens and bathrooms and want their own style quite often.

[runningLou]

B&Q very basic ivory/white slab doors 500mm are £15 each.

[aforestgrewandgrew]

Ooh they look like they'd do the job Lou, I'll look into that thanks!

Any tips for cheap work surface by any chance?!

[runningLou]

Cheapest thin worktop (28mm thick) around £40, thicker version (38mm) around £65 for a 3m long piece. That's from B&Q but when we were doing our utility we found cheaper at a local timber merchant.
My DM just got some kitchen worktops on Freecycle. Depends how big your kitchen is and how much you need.

[PurpleWithRed]

Garden and loo door only, magnolia paint to cover toddler art and price accordingly. While some will be put off by the rest of the list there will still be those keen get their hands on a project for a sensible price.

[IJustWantABrew]

You can buy this stuff called fablon from b&q and it covers kitchen cupboards and will basically look brand new. Check out a Facebook group called diy on a budget they will give you loads of ideas on how to do everything cheap.
I wouldn't replace the appliances simply because I assume you would take them with you unless they are built in, curtains again no.
Give everything a lick of paint and get rid of the wood chip. Definitely put a door on the toilet... or a sign saying whistle whilst in use.
Garden, probably worth doing that as well, even if you gravel/turf the lot.
Carpets... something cheap and cheerful or laminate which will be cheaper.

[aforestgrewandgrew]

I was really hoping people would say leave the woodchip! It's the only job I'm kinda scared of!

there will still be those keen get their hands on a project for a sensible price.

See that's the thing, I don't want to have to lower the price too much because it only appeals to people willing to take a project on.

I reckon if we can get to grips with doing most of this, it'll make us money. Just got to make a plan!

[TheCrowFromBelow]

Unless you can afford a top quality finish then replacing vast amounts of fittings will not actually net you lots more money, or at least no more than a general refresh and spruce up.
I would cost everything out and speak to an agent to see what buyers in your area want, and whether in their opinion replacing the woodchip makes a real difference or not. They may say that actually they have a lot of people looking for a project which will mean you can sell.
What are your plumbing and electrics like? These are the big money jobs and if they aren't done then most of your superficial decorating will be coming out anyway.
Far better to make what you have clean and tidy than waste money and time on stuff that going to be ripped out.

[Tanyaaah]

Don't gravel the garden!

[geeup]

Sorry to over complicate but this massively depends on where you are and who you are trying to sell to. In London and well off areas, most young families know they'll never get round to recarpeting/new kitchen cupboards/replacing a dodgy dishwasher etc so they are generally prepared to pay more for something "done". Whether this constitutes property development is debatable but I would certainly do most of the things you suggest:
New kitchen cupboard doors and appliances
Redecorate throughout (I actually wouldn't worry too much about the woodchip if it's freshly painted but it's arguable)
New (cheap) carpets or laminate flooring
Bathroom door (of course - don't you need one?!)
Tame the garden
It worked for me anyway (had a flat on the market that didn't sell, did those things and got over asking when I put I back on).
However my biggest advice, whatever you do, is declutter. Bin/charity shop everything possible, and put into storage everything you don't need day to day. People don't want to see other people's stuff when they're looking round. And that doesn't mean stuff it all in cupboards. If it looks like all your storage is packed to the rafters, people will think the house is too small for them. Keep the house very tidy and smelling clean, keep all surfaces clear and turn all the lights on prior to a viewing and it should sell. Good luck!