My house...improvement help

[cinnaminny]

So I have a question about doing upgrades. So I live in a regular house moderate range, moderate neighborhood. We are paying off our house next month, we have lived here for 15 years, waiting for the kids to grow and graduate. This is actually my first house. (not my husbands first) We have remodeled bathrooms, we have switched out all of the flooring, we completely replaced a wall and window that leaked (the wall was severely damaged by the years of leaking) and during this we upgraded the front exterior of our house. Almost our entire house has been slightly upgraded. From the front door to the outlet covers. So we have put some bucks into our house.

Over time, but not all at once, we have changed or improved things in the kitchen to keep it current.
About 12 years ago, our first improvement we put in Dark Grey Corian counters. It was a concession on my part, but I wanted to change out the white tile counters so I went along... (I wasn't as bossy back then lol)

So here is my question, if I am selling my house in five years is it worth it to change the countertop to a quartz? I want a white quartz countertop. My guess is its going to cost me 7-10 to change the counters out and all of my appliances are getting warn out, so we plan on changing those too.

Technically nothing is wrong with my current countertop. But I would really love to change the counter and backsplash. But the last few weeks, I have been putting off getting quotes because I feel guilty. The next owner might come in and rip the entire kitchen out and start over. Or it might be a young couple who is not ready for anything like that.

We can afford it either way. I just don't know...

 

[iivye]

Since you said you can afford it I would change it. Five years is a long time and I think it would make you happy to see it each morning instead of just looking at the old one and wishing you had something different.

 

[china mom]

Don't focus on what the next owner might like/not like, rip out or keep. If you want quartz and can afford it, go for it. If you wait to upgrade your kitchen for too long, you won't get the enjoyment out of it.

I did that two houses ago. I hated my windows and finally replaced all of them... just in time to discover that I needed to move. I wish I had done it years prior so I could have enjoyed them.

 

[wgeo]

This is completely anecdotal - but I've watching all the houses for sale in my neighborhood for the last 18 months pretty closely. The ones that have some updating done are selling for about 20K more on average and are selling much faster. So I would lean toward doing the update expecially if you have the money and it would make you happy. Totally just my opinion of course.

 

[cinnaminny]

Thanks for the opinions so far! I really appreciate them. Sometimes I start looking at a problem and lose focus. I would be overjoyed to come downstairs in the morning and look at new countertops. I don't know if you all have experienced corian, especially dark corian but it scratches errr "petina" and its just annoying. Plus ugly. lol It also gets a weird soapy buildup.

Plus if the economy tanks we might end up being here a few more years than that.

Thanks so much!!

 

[cinnaminny]

This is completely anecdotal - but I've watching all the houses for sale in my neighborhood for the last 18 months pretty closely. The ones that have some updating done are selling for about 20K more on average and are selling much faster. So I would lean toward doing the update expecially if you have the money and it would make you happy. Totally just my opinion of course.

I can get behind that lol

 

[kdonnel]

Don't focus on what the next owner might like/not like, rip out or keep. If you want quartz and can afford it, go for it. If you wait to upgrade your kitchen for too long, you won't get the enjoyment out of it.

I did that two houses ago. I hated my windows and finally replaced all of them... just in time to discover that I needed to move. I wish I had done it years prior so I could have enjoyed them.

I have always been a big advocate for remodeling for yourself and not focusing on the unknown future. It is too hard to predict trends in style.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Don't focus on what the next owner might like/not like, rip out or keep. If you want quartz and can afford it, go for it. If you wait to upgrade your kitchen for too long, you won't get the enjoyment out of it.

I did that two houses ago. I hated my windows and finally replaced all of them... just in time to discover that I needed to move. I wish I had done it years prior so I could have enjoyed them.

But if you're upgrading now for a potential sale in five years, well, tastes and "what's in" change.

 

[Wishing on a star]

The current Corian has been there like 12 years...
You really really want to change out that compromise for the Quartz/Granite.

I say, if your budget is there... Go for it.
If you are there 5 years.. That is 5 years for you to have the nice countertops you really want!!!

We put in some Granite.. cheaper, not super-duper nice.
But, our cabinets, and the vanities in the baths have NOT been upgraded.
That would be a huge expense!!!
For sure, I want to re-do our master bath. It looks baaaaaddd.

 

[neverlandsky]

Had sand Corian counters for almost 7 years in our first home and loved them. Then had white quartz counters in our apt rental. The white quartz was a dream and so easy to keep clean. If you have 5 years before selling, quartz or a different Corian is the way to go. It’s granite that is becoming outdated and the colored glass backsplash. Can’t wait to get a house again so I can do white quartz and white subway tiles. Boring to some, yet it’s a timeless look.

 

[Christine]

Go for it, since you will be there at least another 5 years. No reason for you not to enjoy the product.

I would add though that I would not put top of the line countertop on top of aging cabinets.

 

[VandVsmama]

5 years from now, gray countertops and gray everything is going to be outdated. Just go with what you want.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

On the flipside -

You can't take the counters with you when you move! And what are the odds that a new buyer in a moderately-priced market going to appreciate the quartz? When we were buying our first house in 1997, we toured a 750 sq foot house with a tiny little kitchen that had granite countertops. We were all like....cool, $65,900 will get us granite countertops in THIS house. It didn't change our pricepoint, and we didn't really care if we had granite at the time....we were just happy to find a house that the mortgage company would finance for us LOL

My point is, in your price point as described, I would think that most buyers wouldn't expect, or think to want, quartz countertops, and would really be surprised to get them. But I don't think they would be willing to, or even be able to, pay more for them.

That all being said, if you can afford it and want to enjoy them for 5 years, go for it!

 

[SpartanMommy]

Do it! If you can afford it and it’s what you want, there’s no reason not to change it. Unless you are selling your house in the next few months, it’s not worth putting off what you want to do because you are worried future buyers won’t like it. It’s your kitchen, it should make you happy.

 

[sjrec]

Five years is a long time to enjoy new countertops. Especially if you’re replacing the appliances. And I think what you’re planning would appeal to most potential buyers.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Had sand Corian counters for almost 7 years in our first home and loved them. Then had white quartz counters in our apt rental. The white quartz was a dream and so easy to keep clean. If you have 5 years before selling, quartz or a different Corian is the way to go. It’s granite that is becoming outdated and the colored glass backsplash. Can’t wait to get a house again so I can do white quartz and white subway tiles. Boring to some, yet it’s a timeless look.

I think that some Granite is gorgeous.
Both Granite and quartz/marble are similar natural products.

Now, some ugly granites... and that ugly, busy, glass/tile pieces backspash and trim.
NEVER liked that.
Can't disappear fast enough!!!!

 

[cvjw]

Had sand Corian counters for almost 7 years in our first home and loved them. Then had white quartz counters in our apt rental. The white quartz was a dream and so easy to keep clean. If you have 5 years before selling, quartz or a different Corian is the way to go. It’s granite that is becoming outdated and the colored glass backsplash. Can’t wait to get a house again so I can do white quartz and white subway tiles. Boring to some, yet it’s a timeless look.

Wow, my designer said no to white subway tiles last fall, because they were already going out of style.

To each their own, I guess.

Op, if you can afford white quartz, get white quartz. I will say that we changed out our appliances last year and it was $10,000 plus just for those. We put in white granite, so it wasn’t as expensive as quartz. It is heavenly coming downstairs to a kitchen that you actually like, glass backsplash and all

The houses in our neighborhood that have been updated fly off the market. The ones that are the hardest to sell have the least updates!

 

[morgan98]

I think there is balance. If you have the money do to a nice upgrade and can enjoy it yourselves for some time before selling, go for it! I am a big believer is enjoying your house while you are living there as opposed to updating only to sell.

You are right in also thinking that you probably are not going to get your money back for the upgraded counter top. However, houses that are updated, seem cared for and have a cool feature or two sell much faster than other similar homes, generally for a slight bit more.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

So I have a question about doing upgrades. So I live in a regular house moderate range, moderate neighborhood. We are paying off our house next month, we have lived here for 15 years, waiting for the kids to grow and graduate. This is actually my first house. (not my husbands first) We have remodeled bathrooms, we have switched out all of the flooring, we completely replaced a wall and window that leaked (the wall was severely damaged by the years of leaking) and during this we upgraded the front exterior of our house. Almost our entire house has been slightly upgraded. From the front door to the outlet covers. So we have put some bucks into our house.

Over time, but not all at once, we have changed or improved things in the kitchen to keep it current.
About 12 years ago, our first improvement we put in Dark Grey Corian counters. It was a concession on my part, but I wanted to change out the white tile counters so I went along... (I wasn't as bossy back then lol)

So here is my question, if I am selling my house in five years is it worth it to change the countertop to a quartz? I want a white quartz countertop. My guess is its going to cost me 7-10 to change the counters out and all of my appliances are getting warn out, so we plan on changing those too.

Technically nothing is wrong with my current countertop. But I would really love to change the counter and backsplash. But the last few weeks, I have been putting off getting quotes because I feel guilty. The next owner might come in and rip the entire kitchen out and start over. Or it might be a young couple who is not ready for anything like that.

We can afford it either way. I just don't know...

Only you can really know whether you're out pricing your neighborhood, something you don't really want to do. But if you like and want the new countertops and are sure you're going to stay there for 5 years, I don't really see any issues with it unless you're out pricing the neighborhood.

 

[tvguy]

I don't know. When I sold my parents house all 4 Real Estate agents I interviewed before picking one to list it were firm on not spending a penny on any upgrades because the new owners will want to pick their own paint and materials. Sold it in 17 days and the new owners did rip everything out.

I do have to say it wouldn't be my style to remodel after only 12 years. Our house was 4 years old when we bought it exactly as it was built. Everything was 35 years when we finally did remodel 4 years ago. We remodeled with the intent that this would be the only remodel we would do and we will live here the rest of our lives (we're 61 now)
We selected Corian for the counters because it can be fixed if it burns, cracks, or gets chipped. Mine you, our remodel cost more than we paid for the house.