Finish 'doing up' house before selling?

[HarrietOh]

I bought a house that needed some doing up. I spent quite a bit doing the main bedroom and living room including replastering walls and ripping out an old fire, and have updated tiles/flooring in kitchen.

What I have left is dining room there's old, painted overwallpaper (included the ceiling) but flooring was updated at same time as living room. Hallway also has old painted over wallpaper (including ceiling) and an old red carpet all the way through and upstairs. Other bedroom needs replacement carpet as looking tatty, and probably a more neutral wall colour.

Now my circumstances have changed it's looking likely I will sell this place in the next year. Do I spend the money on finishing updating it? I'm torn as I was going to continue spending money to do it all nice, have nice LVT flooring in hall and lovely carpet on stairs etc as I thought I would be here for many years. Do I now go with something basic/cheaper to look OK for selling, but seems quite wasteful if new owners might then rip out for something nice? However if I spend money doing it 'nice' seems a waste of money and it might not be to their taste anyway? Interested in opinions, I've never sold anywhere before and I obviously wasn't put off 'doing up' this house when I bought it!

I wouldn't bother, as long as you're happy to price it appropriately.

You're right that whatever you put in, whether 'nice' or 'basic', stands a good chance of being ripped out by new owners anyway.

Have it all clean clear and tidy, but don't do any more work. The estate agent should market it as partly refurbished and spell out the work already done, so a buyer can judge what they are taking on.
If the main rooms; kitchen, bathroom, living room and master bedroom are OK looking, people are often happy to take on redecoration of other rooms, kids bedrooms often have very individual decor anyway.

I wouldn’t bother. It sounds fairly cosmetic and not really “doing up” as such. Maybe get estate agents round to value and advise.

It wouldn’t cost that much to do those works though - or be very bothersome. I would do them - bet it shifts quicker if you do for more than you spent

Yes the “doing up” bits were definitely living room and main bedroom which I’ve done. The rest is cosmetic and so isn’t much bother to have done, but also wonder if that means people could also see that when they view.

Do it up cheaply and quickly. And neutral. Much easier than hoping someone with imagination/yen for instant returb falls in love.

If the bedroom wall looks particularly naff or dark then maybe paint that - wouldn't cost much. Maybe see what the EA says about carpets, you could always get a runner for the hall and a rug for the bedroom if they're particularly awful.
I'd leave the rest.

I would take off the wallpaper and repaint. Basic cheap carpet. Done

I hate the idea of doing it up cheaply just for someone to come in and rip it out - what a waste of landfill. I'm currently house hunting and we're having to deliberately discount many of the 'newly renovated' ones as they're either done to a poor standard or not to our taste. And then I'd be stuck with it as I'd feel too guilty to rip it out until it needed it! Let someone put their own stamp on it, it sounds like you've done the worst of it

It's probably worth having a valuation now and asking them to give an opinion - it can depend on the local market too.

People look at rooms and totally overestimate how much it would cost to simply repaint and carpet, so you are in danger of losing, say, £10,000 for work that would only cost £2000. If you've done part of the job finish it.

I would do the hallway if you can, as this will be a potential Buyer’s first impression of the property.

A second bedroom & second reception room wouldn’t leave quite the same negative impression.

Some things are worth doing, some are not.

Carpets, flooring, painting walls, fences, wont really make a difference to prospective buyers tbh (or me at least).

Building works, double glazing, bigger pieces of work that are a pain to do would make a difference. Bathroom and kitchen might be worth doing.

@CoffeeRunner

I would do the hallway if you can, as this will be a potential Buyer’s first impression of the property.

A second bedroom & second reception room wouldn’t leave quite the same negative impression.

This, I'd do the hall nicely but to a budget, so enough of a wow when the front door is opened, but not the best quality most expensive - look for cheaper options. Other rooms I'd freshly paint and cheap carpet or add a rug so it looks nice on photos at least and looks fresh in person.

It's a case of judging whether it badly lets the house down. Wall colours are by far the most noticeable thing and easy to change. Tatty or even coloured carpets (not patterned!) are probalby OK- spend your money on a professional carpet cleaner and you will be amazed. Don't worry about painted over wallpaper. Unless your house is in the £500k plus bracket and you are up against immaculately refurbished properties, the average buyer would rather choose decor themselves. Hall and stairs carpet costs quite a bit, putting in cheap carpet will just be a waste of money. Try and distract from it!

The carpet in the hall that goes upstairs and along the top hallway is bright red. It’s awful! I’ve been desperate to do the hallway but of course was leaving it till last.
The problem with dining room is I think one section of the wall behind the wallpaper is a bit crumbly... I’m thinking lining paper for the walls rather than getting them skimmed like I did in the other rooms. Definitely want to get rid of the textured wallpaper on the ceiling it’s awful! Luckily the beautiful ceiling roses are there.

I would just freshen up the paint and scrub it. Ask your EAs advice.

I hadn't completed our last house so I just painted the hall and whilst it sold under price to finish all I wanted to do would have cost more.

This isn’t £2000 of work. It sounds a lot more. It sounds shabby to me. People do like clean inviting houses. If yours isn’t then it will have to be priced to sell. The agent shouldn’t market it so people are disappointed when they turn up. Be honest and reduce the price. I would do everything because I think I’d make more money but if you don’t want to, you’ll have to accept the hit in price. You will also need to find a buyer who doesn’t mind condition - eg crumbly walls (!). Some buyers wouldn’t entertain that. It’s not cosmetic.

I wouldn't touch the wallpapered ceilings, you could open a whole can of worms. For similar reasons I wouldn't touch the diningroom paper I would replace the hallway carpet for something more neutral though.

@ShellieEllie

I wouldn't touch the wallpapered ceilings, you could open a whole can of worms. For similar reasons I wouldn't touch the diningroom paper I would replace the hallway carpet for something more neutral though.

Completely agree.

@ShellieEllie

I wouldn't touch the wallpapered ceilings, you could open a whole can of worms. For similar reasons I wouldn't touch the diningroom paper I would replace the hallway carpet for something more neutral though.

I removed the wallpapered ceiling in the living room so was hoping it would be OK in the dining room too as it's practically the same room anyway. The dining room wallpaper could be with being refreshed, but I could just paint over it in nice bright, fresh paint as it's looking a bit old and 'yellow' now.

When ours was part done our estate agent said to finish it and part done are more difficult to sell. But I think if stamp duty gets extended 3 months it might be worth putting it on asap as the market may fall back after that and price accordingly.

If anything looks dirty I would get that changed, old stained carpets never help sell anything and you could replace with say light beige / neutral plain ones. I would ask EA advice and go neutral. I'm not keen on very cheap, poor quality refurbishment but depends how much on for and what is the norm, look on Rightmove what you would be up against and who is target market and ask EA advice.

Painted over wallpaper? Yuk.

I would just stop now and put it on the market as is. From the descriptions you've given it doesn't sound like you'll be adding value with the changes you've planned. But that will very much depend on the area and price range you're in.

Personally, I'm always happier with somewhere that needs work and that I can get a good price for, then do up to my own taste and spec.

If you shop around you can actually purchase carpet quite cheaply, as others have said go for something neutral.
Reading between the lines part of the issue is deciding whether to make these improvements whilst you are still living there so you will benefit from them in the interim.
I am in a similar position having moved almost 3 years ago. I have replaced the windows, flooring and painted all the walls white.
Never felt settled here and keep wondering whether I should replace the bathroom suite with something I would enjoy whilst here or simply save my money and spend on my next house purchase.
I also need a new kitchen, but that is not going to happen.
As an aside I have painted over embossed wallpaper, I to was worried about what state the walls would be underneath. I have hung a lot of art work so I do not notice it too much.