Ideas for sprucing up sad kitchen to sell house?

[ChubbyShcotsBurd]

Our kitchen is the best room in the house - big and room for dining. But the fitted units are old pine-effect panel doors and the worktops are a kind of pebble-dash beigey-buff - shabby. Also there's an oooold grey and stained carpet in there. It's painted magnolia [inspired emoticon]

We'd planned doing it up but are now seriously considering selling up. I'm skint but will find cash to lay cheap vinyl (what colour?) and paint white. Any suggestions on rest of room? Could be nice country-ish space with piney stuff but needs (cheap) love.

Also, we fitted a new cooker worth best part of a grand in the summer - do we just add cost to price of house or rip it out [gutted]

I had a similar kitchen when I moved in here - it was fairly new (but badly fitted - diy job to sell the house ) and orangy pine.

I lightly sanded the doors and painted them in F&B Parma Grey. (Which is a light blue really) Also changed the knobs. The looked much better and were much admired. I also painted the walls and tiles white (but it was a dark room so a cream colour might be better for you). If your cupboard doors are not solid pine you could use a melamine primer first to get a better finish. Cream might be a better colour for the doors too as it might appeal to more people...

If your cooker is fitted I would leave it tbh - is generally expected? Or you could say it is not included but are prepared to negotiate a price?

definitely new floor. and get it fitted well. other than that make sure it is really really clean. not sure about the cooker. if it is really nice itmight help sell the kitchen.

Cooker is nice ceramic Belling job with fan oven. Def improves look of kitchen.

Thought about painting doors but suspect melamine's shabby edges might leave it looking tattier. Will broach with DP though and possibly delegate!

Think a modicum of investment would really help you get maximum value for your house.

It may be worth doing as GFM suggested and then also investing in a new work surface. It deson't need to be that expsnive - and should pay off if the current one is as shappby as you desrcibe. it'll help ensure that your kitchen is the selling feature you think it should be.

I would have the doors replaced if I could afford it - you could even get DH to do it - just get some nice neutral ones from B&Q - could make the difference of a lot of money on your house and it sellingin less time.

We had lovely new expensive kitchen in our old house and it was what sold it - people were willing to pay a premium because they knew they wouldn't have to rip it out and pay a lot for a new one.

What I am trying to say is that you only have to get it looking as though it doesn't need to be immediately ripped out and replaced costing thousand because that could put someone off.

Our old kitchen was painted a crown colour called Box Tree that was lovely and we have laminate from Homebase but one that looked like tiles that wasn't expensive and east to fit!

Hmmm. Really will be a shoestring budget but I think maybe the new doors thing would be worth doing. OTOH it's not so shabby at a glance - just when cooking daily you get to know the tatty corners that need love.

Maybe I'll repaint and floor it first then reassess things ... some flowers and good lighting are powerful things

I think if you get it really clean and tidy, you will be most of the way there. When we looked at a house we put an offer in on, we didn't go round inspecting individual doors (we were probably stupid though), because it looked great at first glance.

upgrading the knobs on the cupboards / cabinets is always a good idea. checkout www.knobsorpulls.com for a good selection?

It depends on the market you are aiming for.

There's no point spending loads on a new kitchen if you are appealing to a market that would want to be adding value to the house by doing it themselves.

If your price is reflecting the need for work to be done - that would appeal to me more than a more expensive house with a fabby kitchen - which I may or may not like.

But yes - flooring - a nice laminate would lift the whole room.

But keep your estate agent on their toes and make sure you get feedback after every viewing and see if the kitchen is putting off people - then you may need to re-assess.

The kitchen busines can be another Merry-go-round business in life. Do prospective buyers really worry about the small things? You need to see the bigger picture.If it is just the kitchen that lets the house down then upgrade it!Tales are that a stunning kitchen has sold a house but if the rest is not right does pros buyer proceed?. No checks are made on kitchens like they are on the roof, ch etc by buyer so there you are. Energy rating may be only checkable point.??If new kitchen fitters will have to bring up to current standards

Get some boxes, put everything in the cupboards apart from the bare essentials into them. Put everything on the worktops in the cupboards. Clean madly. Consider changing worktops but if you can't afford to don't worry too much. Go for a tile effect lino if that is what you have to do. Stone colours are good.

Personally I just put an offer in on a place where there is no kitchen to speak off. Just four sad 1980s cupboards falling off the wall. So it's not the be all and end all. If it's priced right it will sell. :)

A few houses ago, I gutted the kitchen and had it totally redone. The people who ended up buying the house commented they wanted to have a house they could, 'fix up..'

Alas I have had that experience too ilove

I spent months sanding victorian floorboards and lovingly varnishing them and had someone walk in and say 'ah well this is nothing a bit of laminate won't fix'

And let's not talk about the chap who wanted to concrete over my beautifully landscaped front garden so he could put his caravan on it

We painted orange pine-effect kitchen doors in our old house and I was really pleased with the effect. Didn't bother with the primer, just did a few thin coats of eggshell using a gloss roller and put new handles on.

Have you considered the tile transfers? No real experience to speak of, but I've heard white tile paint and transfers work wonders. Best of luck!

you can but 2nd hand cupboard doors from ebay, cant hurt to have a look?

i carpet tiled our huge lounge for £300, new tiles from ebay, prof. fitted.
look £££

I'd consider decluttering and putting some really nice accessories such as kettle, toaster etc on show. Often buyers don't look at a room in detail but form an over view. That way, you could take the accessories with you when you move. It's amazing how many prospective buyers on programmes like the housedoctor comment upon things like ornaments and curtains that aren't even included in the sale price.

I would paint the walls and replace the carpet with vinyl (get it done well though). You could then put it on the market and see how you go. I guess it depends on your price. Definitely clean it to gleaming.

If you get feedback indicating the kitchen is putting off buyers, then you could paint or replace the doors (and maybe the worktop too). I'd also get any little jobs finished too so it's all up-together even if not too modern.

Do the floor and paint walls then I'd do worktops if doable as they can really make a difference. Sometimes just changing door handles transform a kitchen too.

FFS. This is a 3 yr old thread resurrected by some nobbo to flog their knobs! You have all wasted your time!

So report it and get MNHQ to delete that thread rather than being rude Decorhate.

However I am giving you credit for a bloody good screenname

I reserve my right to be "rude" to someone trying to advertise without paying. Would think you have been around long enough to be immune to plain speaking. Tbh I think I was annoyed because I was going to give advice & realised I already had - 3 years ago!

Ah I don't mind rudeness. It's a refreshing change to all the simpering that has been going on this week

But others may well have taken it to heart.

Seriously, report it. It'll be removed. But it may just be that someone has just bought knobs and was impressed.