Home Repairs vs Upgrades
Buyers often look for homes that require few repairs, and no one wants a deal to fall apart because the home inspector found an issue the buyers can’t absorb. A little prevention can spare you from the pain of watching a buyer walk away.
Upgrades are optional, discretionary ways to maximize the value of your home. Replacing new, good-condition carpeting with hardwood floors, for example, is an upgrade. Replacing old, poor-condition carpeting is a repair.
Upgrades can increase the value of your home. Repairs keep your current value from falling.
Below are some of the most common and important repairs:
Home Interiors
- Kitchen and Bathrooms – The kitchen and bathrooms of a home have the most systems, such as plumbing and electrical. That means they also have the highest likelihood of damage. Below are the items that should be evaluated:
- Kitchen appliances – Ensure the stove, dishwasher and microwave are working and have no issues and the same goes for the fridge if staying with the house.
- Sinks and faucets – Water features should run leak-free, and all drains should operate free and clear. The overflow drain, which prevents overfilling a bathtub, should be in good working order. Hot and cold options should operate as marked on the faucets.
- Bathtubs and showers – Fixtures, such as the shower head, should be fully operational, and drains should be free of clogs. The exhaust vent, which removes the steam from the shower, should be fully operational. Any broken shower tiles should be replaced.
- Cabinets – In both the kitchen and bathrooms, everything should be in good condition, free of water damage. Cabinets should open and close smoothly. Fix loose hinges, repair or replace stuck drawer tracks, and replace broken knobs or handles. You can handle most of these tasks yourself, with a screwdriver and a trip to the hardware store. Consider a fresh coast or paint or stain to bring them back to life.
- Other
- Flooring and Carpet – Everything should be in good condition. Replace or repair damage to tiles, wood floors (including a fresh stain), and carpet cleaning or replacement.
- Walls and ceilings – Repair nail holes, dings and dents in the drywall. If you see discoloration, such as water damage that’s been repaired, repaint the walls. Painting is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to refresh a room. Remove wallpaper that may not be appealing to buyers.
Home Systems
- HVAC – Your heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) should be in good working order, clean and free of leaks. Your thermostat should operate properly. Consider hiring an HVAC specialist to tune-up and assess your system’s condition.
- Water heater – your water heater should be in good working order and not leak. All pipes should be insulated.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors– make sure they’re in good working condition and less than ten years old. Test your detectors and replace the batteries if needed.
- Electrical panel and circuit breakers – Everything should meet current codes. If you have an older system, such as one that uses a fuse box, you may also want to get it checked or updated, since it may be hard for a new owner to find parts
Home Exterior
According to Remodeling Magazine, below are some of the highest return on investment items for repairs or replacement:
- Foundation – Your foundation, stem wall and retaining wall should be structurally sound. Hire a contractor to give you a professional opinion if you see any indicators of an unstable foundation, such as sagging floors, horizontal cracks in the foundation, and either horizontal or vertical cracks along any walls, interior or exterior.
- Garage door – The door and the remote should work and meet all local codes and safety criteria. You may need to replace the mechanism if a coil spring is broken, or if the door features large dings or dents.
- Exterior doors – Hardware like door handles should be in good condition, and weatherstripping should be intact, and most homeowners can fix those issues themselves. Sliding glass doors should be properly aligned on tracks. The door leading to the garage should be fire-rated and code-compliant. None of the doors should have damage, such as large dents.
- Roof – The roof shouldn’t have any broken or missing tiles or shingles as these protect your home from water damage. Replace any problem spots immediately. Cracks, bubbles, and blisters in the sealant are also common. Fix any damage to the underlayment, which is the layer underneath the roof shingles or tiles. Interior water damage can mean a roof leak. Hire a licensed roofer when needed.
- Eaves – The eaves are edges of the roof that overhang the exterior wall. Everything should be free of water damage. You may need to hire a contractor to replace some boards. Repaint any areas where the paint peels since the paint provides weatherproofing and protection.
- Drainage – Yard drainage should slope away from the foundation. If water collects by the foundation when it rains, you may need to have contractor re-grade the yard. If the downspouts eliminate rainwater at the foundation of the house, however, the water just sits there, then you have a problem that needs immediate attention.
Yard
- Landscaping – The trees, shrubs, plants and other vegetation around the property shouldn’t interfere. Trim back branches before they cause damage. Make sure no trees or shrubs are touching the home.
- Fencing – Wooden fences shouldn’t have any rotting or water-damaged boards. The gate on all fences, wooden or metal, should open and close smoothly. Rust or chipped paint needs to be fixed.
- Decks – The deck or patio should be structurally sound, with code-compliant guardrails. Support columns should be structurally sound too. The deck should not have water or termite damage. You might apply a coat of polyurethane over the deck to prevent future water damage.
Summary
If you’ve maintained your home throughout the years, you may not face these issues. Routine preventative maintenance, such as testing the smoke alarms monthly, weatherproofing the deck every year or so, and replacing missing shingles, shortens your repair list when you decide to move.
A home is an investment, and regular maintenance whether doing it yourself or hiring some help will help keep your investment strong.