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Original poster

Before we sell - new carpets? 'Dress' the house?

38 replies

isthesolution · 09/08/2023 21:25

We are about to get our house valued with the hope of selling and going mortgage free.

House is a large old country cottage in the rural North England. We completely renovated nearly 10 years ago.

It needs paint touch ups, new carpets and generally sprucing up but I'm not sure how far to go. Really it's the upstairs carpets I'm debating - they are quite scruffy but I guess maybe £2000 just to replace them and then whoever buys will probably want to choose their own? But it doesn't look good for viewings if they are scruffy?

Also unsure on 'dressing' the house - we have quite plain walls and we don't have the beds 'dressed' etc. Do you think that will make a difference - is it worth doing?

The house has beautiful views, gardens, a lovely cottage kitchen and rustic reception room. Hubby thinks these selling points are all it needs. Any thoughts?

OP posts:
PillowsAndDreams · 09/08/2023 21:31

I'd say not too but your estate agent would probably know best.

cocksstrideintheevening · 09/08/2023 21:59

God no, why pay for that when your incoming buyer will potentially rip them out.

Digimoor · 09/08/2023 22:04

I would say don't bother but the best guide is the local estate agents - ask them

JayAlfredPrufrock · 09/08/2023 22:06

I’d say no. But my friend got another friend to dress her flat and bloody hell it looked fabulous and sold immediately.

I wouldn’t but new carpets but in my case I may consider vacuuming under the beds.

VioletPickles · 09/08/2023 22:08

Probably wouldn’t bother with carpets, but as long as it’s clean, tidy, declutterered, attractive to look at and smell, then it should be fine.

wineschmine · 09/08/2023 22:09

Definitely don't.

They will just rip up / paint over anyway.

You won't get your money back (plus time/effort/hassle) and it'll be terrible for the planet. So much waste.

And anyone that's going to buy your house will buy it anyway.

KievLoverTwo · 09/08/2023 23:20

Different coloured carpets in every room as well as the hallway upstairs would put me off because I would feel I need to replace them immediately. Otherwise no.

Your husband is right. Just make sure the photographer captures the lovely views from each window.

Colourful bedspreads will liven it up a bit and add a bit of life.

Twiglets1 · 10/08/2023 00:48

I don’t quite know what you mean by the beds aren’t “dressed” but I would certainly do inexpensive things to make your home look more appealing. Such as making up the beds with pretty duvet covers etc.
Wouldn’t bother with new carpets though.

AndyMcFlurry · 10/08/2023 00:51

No to new carpets.

yes to stage the house.
yes to repainting the walls if they are very damaged or dirty or an unusual colour.

SlowlyLosing · 10/08/2023 00:53

It depends on the price point of your house. If its aimed at the wealthier market they will probably be planning to update everything and will only care about layout and potential so as long as its clean and welcoming you're fine.

If further down the property ladder where people are putting all of their money into the deposit then a ready to live in house will certainly make a difference.

I do think people have generally decided before they even get upstairs though so if that's your issue I wouldn't bother.

fullbloom87 · 10/08/2023 01:08

We run an estate agents and I would say no to new carpets unless they're hideously awful like 70's hotel awful.
I would say dressing the house is a great idea, fresh flowers, nice bedding, declutter etc. nothing expensive. Mainly for photos and for first appearances.
Sounds like the house is lovely anyway but it won't do any harm spending a small amount on finishing touches.

CellophaneFlower · 10/08/2023 08:50

EA's will generally always tell you not to do much, as they're just desperate to get it on and sold, but it's usually advisable to spend bare minimum anyway.

Main thing is to massively declutter and have it spotlessly clean. I wouldn't spend lots of cash on cushions for beds or anything but simple duvets (ironed!) and really well made beds cost virtually nothing and make the place look well cared for.

No to carpets, although have them cleaned if it will make them look better, and I'd always be suspicious if I could smell fresh paint as I'd wonder if it was hiding damp patches!

Changingplace · 10/08/2023 08:54

I wouldn’t bother with new carpets, I’d declutter, make every room look tidy & fresh, mini jobs like touching up paintwork but don’t go mad or spend loads of money on it.

Moveoverdarlin · 10/08/2023 09:03

Going against the grain here but I would get new carpets just upstairs. Unless you go for a stupid colour, a new buyer wouldn’t rip them out. I moved in to an old cottage 5 years ago. Upstairs had relatively new carpets in a neutral colour. Guessing they had maybe been down for six months. I had young children and babies and thought ‘they will get marked anyway’ in the next few years, so will keep them and replace them in a few years. But 5 years on, they still look great. Viewers walking upstairs and smelling / seeing freshly laid carpet will make it stand out, just go for a neutral, light, oatmeal / sand colour - get same colour for stairs, landing, bedrooms.

I would also dress the beds and style the house. Even if you do it just for the agents photos and take back cushions, throws etc. For a couple of hundred quid you could go to somewhere like Home Sense and buy cushions, throws, wicker baskets, candles for shelves. I wouldn’t bother with pictures.

RoseBucket · 10/08/2023 10:31

How scruffy are they because not everyone wants to move home and immediately have to do work.

mumsworkneverstops · 10/08/2023 11:25

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Original poster
isthesolution · 10/08/2023 11:32

Thanks everyone. I'm really conscious of the upstairs carpets. Particularly in one room that's got daughters fake tan on it and another room that has been sons since he was a baby so a few marks on that. Carpet cleaning hasn't got these out.

I know these are minor things but hate people coming in to view and thinking how scruffy 😂

OP posts:
determinedtomakethiswork · 10/08/2023 11:43

Roughly how much will the house go for? If it's a lower price I'd replace the carpets as I'd think the buyers might not have the money to do it and might not buy it otherwise. If it's expensive I wouldn't bother.

lovemelongtime · 10/08/2023 12:22

Would a couple of light coloured rigs hide the worst of it and make the rooms look fresher? That way you get to take them with you, or sell them on

Campervangirl · 10/08/2023 12:56

Don't change the carpet, chances are the buyer will buy new anyway.
Clean the carpet, throw a couple of cheap rugs down.
The walls touch up with paint, if there's any damaged wallpaper paint over it.
Put all nic nacs away and tidy up.
When I sold my house last year it needed a new kitchen, EA said not to replace it, I still got full asking price

Echio · 10/08/2023 14:38

Re carpets - I think in the circumstances a large older house there really is no need for new as this is the kind of property buyers will want to make their mark on. But I do get you want the house to appear cared-for etc

Two options if you don't feel you can let it go...
1 - get them professionally cleaned (cost maybe £200?)
2 - do v cheap rugs (eg ikea) over the worst areas / strategically place chairs etc. Rugs may come in handy as a buffer between things when moving even if you don't want to use them in your new house.

The house I bought used rugs - I was dubious about the state of the carpet underneath but thought 'well I can just use a rug too anyway if I don't want to replace it'

ShakespeareInTurmoil · 10/08/2023 14:46

I helped my DM sell our old family home when she was downsizing a couple of years ago. We had a similar debate as the bedroom carpets were all pretty ropey, my old bedroom especially and the master (most used bedrooms). They were about 25 years old and had come with the house.

I arranged a carpet cleaner to come and we had them shampooed to within an inch of their lives. As well as cleaning the general grubbiness and brightening up the high traffic areas, the pile was brought up and they really did look a million times better.

A fraction of the cost of replacing and much the same effect! DM wished she’d done it years ago!

Gemstonebeach · 10/08/2023 14:50

I don't know anyone who has ripped up new carpets in a house purchase!

KnackeredBack · 10/08/2023 14:55

Currently selling. Our EA advised the following.

They can sell the odd bad point, but he always advises new carpets (unless clean and in good condition still) and a fresh coat of paint unless done recently. He stated the 'blank canvas' idea, so buyers can imagine themselves there.

His thoughts were that if a number of viewers are from out of the area (which 100% of ours have been so far), they don't know local trades and don't want to have to move in then arrange for work to be done even before unpacking.

ladyvivienne · 10/08/2023 14:56

I actually would - but you need to put down oatmeal coloured carpet, neutral, definitely not grey!

We put new carpet down and every single potential buyer noticed - we sold within 2 weeks. Carpets can be a big expense and who wants to move in all their stuff over someone else's grotty carpets - it's the mess of moving each room out to re-carpet too once you've moved in.

I would say £2k spent here could mean a quicker sale and easily £5k on the asking price.

Before we sell - new carpets? 'Dress' the house?