Just because a home improvement project is costly doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for your property – especially if you are planning to sell or rent it out. Although some upgrades can increase the value of your home and help you fetch a higher price in the market, there are some projects that do not add value to your home or pay off at resale.
To put it simply, these expensive house renovation projects cost more than what they’re worth, which makes them a waste of money for the sellers.
Costly Home Improvement Projects that Don’t Always Pay Off
Here are some expensive improvement projects that don’t always pay off at resale. So, if you’re looking to sell your property and want to increase its value, stay away from these seemingly alluring yet often pointless upgrades.
- Built-in electronic appliances
- Expensive wallpaper
- Wall-to-wall carpeting
- Room conversions
- Extremely personalized décor
- Swimming pool
Let’s discuss these costly home improvement projects in detail.
Built-in Electronic Appliances
Expensive built-in electronic appliances are one of the top projects that do not add value to your home.
Sure, the in-house theatre or a floor-to-ceiling media centre can make your home look really posh and luxurious, but your prospective buyers might see it that way. To a regular person, these high-end upgrades may seem like a waste of precious space. Not to mention, it would also increase their energy consumption, affecting their bills.
Owing to the fact that such installations can be extremely pricey, there is a good chance you won’t be making any profit from this investment. Actually, compared to how much they will cost you, these built-in appliances might not even have a big effect on the value of your house.
Expensive Wallpaper
Opting for a costly wallpaper might add a hint of elegance to your home, but it can also go to waste. In fact, among the home improvements that do not add value to your property, this one ranks pretty high.
Your décor choices might not align with those of the prospective buyer. Even if the wallpaper is brand new, the buyer might not take it into account. In fact, they might want to replace it with another or even remove it altogether to paint the walls.
Just like the built-in appliances, a costly wallpaper will not decrease the value of your home but it also won’t add to it, making your hard-earned money go down the drain.
Nonetheless, if you are set on using wallpaper, here is a handy guide on how to wallpaper a room like a pro that might help you out.
Wall-to-Wall Carpeting
Wall-to-wall carpeting is not exactly cheap. Depending on the quality and type of carpet you’ve chosen, the overall expenditure may fluctuate between several thousand and a few lakh. However, unfortunately, it is also one of the top home improvement projects to avoid for two major reasons.
Firstly, not all homeowners prefer having carpet-covered floors, especially if they have young children or pets. Cleaning up food and other stains from carpets can be quite hectic. Also, they can get worn out pretty quickly.
Secondly, your choice of carpet – including colour, texture and design – may not appeal to the buyer at all. Instead, they could be interested in wooden or marble flooring and might end up ripping out the carpet as soon as they buy the place.
For further information on the topic, check out the pros and cons of popular flooring materials in Pakistan before you make any decisions.
Room Conversions
Converting a room into a gym, home office or even a study can be a great idea if you’re planning to live in that house for a long time. But if you’re planning to put it on the market, there is no guarantee that the potential buyers will see these room conversions in a positive light. For them, converting these rooms back to their original state is going to be an additional expense, which may lead them to lower their buying price. In some cases, converting these rooms may not even be possible, which is something that would definitely decrease the value of your home.
Personalized Design and Decor
Have you thought about knocking down a wall between your kitchen and living room to open up the floor space? Are you tempted to install an additional window in a room that doesn’t really need one? Do you think tiling a wall in your drawing room will make your place look trendy?
Well, none of these home upgrades is going to increase the resale value of your house. No matter how good they look, these home renovations can result in a loss.
Therefore, if you don’t plan on staying in a home for a long time, it’s better to stick to simple design elements. The same goes for costly and extremely personalized home décor.
Adding a Swimming Pool
Splashing out on a swimming pool may sound like a really good idea, but depending on where you live and the type of property, it may not be a valuable addition to your home.
Building a swimming pool is definitely not a budget-friendly home renovation project. Of course, under the right circumstances, a pool can definitely increase the value of your house. However, there is a strong chance that it won’t really pay off at resale if you live in a middle-income area or a cold region. If so, what’s the point of making such a big investment, right?
So, what are some other useless home upgrades that don’t add value to your property? You can let us know by dropping an email at blog@zameen.com.
Meanwhile, if you are considering selling your home, here is a comprehensive guide on selling property in Pakistan that might help you out. In case you are confused about hiring a real estate agent, take a look at some of the major challenges of selling a house with a realtor in Pakistan.
To learn more about home improvement projects and selling property, stay connected to Zameen Blog – the best real estate and construction blog in Pakistan. You can also subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest updates about home décor, lifestyle and property trends in the country.
