How much do cosmetic updates add?

[PompomDahlia]

I'm moving into a new place shortly and trying to decide what needs doing to improve it. The house is in good condition but just very dated. The owners seem to have done some big improvements 10 years back, so there are lots of mid 00s features and fittings. It's not a forever home for us - we plan on staying for up to 10 years.

In your experience, how much value do cosmetic updates add on to a property? Things like changing a bathroom from travertine to a more fashionable marble, replacing anything beige, general sprucing up.

We might also add in a nice boot room built in storage in a currently wasted cupboard, but trying to weigh up cost/benefit

You might add what you've spent. But only if the price you paid initially reflected the work required.
Also take into consideration changes in the market, and that the house might be more appealing to buyers with the changes that you've made. Generally unless your adding space ie extension you would make back what you've spent

What I can say is that any cosmetic improvements you make now will be regarded when you come to sell it in "up to 10 years' time" as outdated and in need of cosmetic overhaul.

I have spent a lifetime doing things with property, and you need to either do it up, quickly, and re-sell it (which would mean painting it grey ), or intend to enjoy it for ten years, in which case you should make it your own and do whatever would help you to enjoy living there. You would obviously need to have an eye to not losing money, so you wouldn't want to spent £10k on a bells-and-whistles vanity unit which someone else would look at and rip out (and which you could do if you knew you'd be there for 40 years) - but there are lots of cosmetic things you can do just to make it a place that gives you pleasure.

At the moment, I'm doing something to my house which won't add huge value, but will make my life easier now, and won't lose me money in the long run either. So I will break even - which is fine, as I'm not planning on selling for a long while.

Our last two homes we replaced the old & failing double glazing in both houses. We replaced the bathroom in one house and, due to the market, we more than doubled our money.
In the next house we replaced the windows, kitchen and bathroom and had the driveway done. We did it because it was our home but no, we didn’t make back what we spent on it despite the increase in house prices. We were there 11 years and the property only increased by £15,000.

If you're going to be there 10 years, just make it how you like it. It's your home.

I agree with @Satansballsacks. In ten years the new buyers will be saying the same things you are. Just do what you want, though mindful that families want a bath etc. And you won't be able to tell if the updates you do will add value or not as the market itself will have changed in that time.

I get what people are saying about everything looking dated in ten years, but some improvements can be classic, and last a decade (or more). Like a nice big solid whit bath tub. Can't go wrong with that!

If you’re going to renovate a room, do the whole thing or not at all. I was constantly infuriated by houses we viewed that plonked a marble countertop in a 70’s kitchen and called itself (and tried to bill itself as) an updated kitchen.
Any house we viewed that tried that malarkey was an instant nope.

After 10 years of living there I would think that everything will be dated. So probably best to crack on and decorate, new carpets, kitchen at the very least. You don't need to do all that straight away but should before you put it up for sale.

Anything you do now will either need re doing in 10 years due to wear and tear or so or will look dated.

Surely you will do the house how you want, not what the next owner might want in 10 years time

I also suggest doing the house up how you like it, if you're selling planning in 10 years, I would keep all decorations reasonably neutral, so you don't have to do again before selling.

The most important thing to me is not updated features, but a well maintained home. I'm currently buying a 1930's semi that the vendor has lived in for 40 years. While the decor is that of an older person, it's is all immaculate. If I didn't mind the swirly 70's carpet, I could move in on completion! As it happens there's a couple of cosmetic things I plan to change before moving in, but I really don't need to; it's personal choice.

I disagree with the idea that any updates would be outdated in 10 years - if you are choosing REALLY classic things (white bathroom suite, wood floors etc): however, a lot of it will probably be worn in 10 years time

I agree you should do what you want to make it your home, & expect to refresh prior to sale if its a decade out

What are the 00s fixtures & fittings? how dated are you talking?