Kitchen worktop replacement, hob replacement advice

ashe

Hi there!

Our house is currently for sale and we are happy with pretty much every room except the kitchen, which we feel holds it back. We aren't looking to spend a fortune on it because our property is in a depressed area, but we want to give any kind of cheap sprucing up that we can. We are considering trying to add a new kitchen worktop, upstand and either cover or paint the tiles with PVC, tile paint or new tiles - open to suggestions.

Have had quotes around replacement door panels and removing the open shelving but its coming in between £3000-6000 and it would be crazy of us to spend that to sell when we area already in the hole for £20k on this property.

I've also been advised by a refurbishment company that if we wanted to replace the gas hob, the electric switch is going to be problematic because it cant be behind the hob.

So my questions are as follows:

1) Rough price we will be looking to pay to get a kitchen worktop installed? Measures about 500cm length in U shape

2) rough ballpark price to move the electric switch so that it will comply with regs? Or what information is needed to get a quote on this?

3) assume that the requirement to remove this switch is gonna mess up these awful tiles anyway, so we might as well take the tiles off and retile?

4) any suggestions in worktop colours? was thinking either a light wood to go with the awful cream, or a darker would to go with the cupboard accents? Light or white coloured tiles to keep the room light. The picture doesn't quite show it in the main photo but the walls are painted a grey shade.

http://imgur.com/a/aVm5V

Ganga

If you intend to sell the house,do not spend £6000 on the kitchen,reduce the price by £3000 and save money.

ashe

Yeah we have no intention of spending £6,000 on a refurb, we are thinking of £500 max on cosmetic changes to give it a slightly more modern appearance e.g. Worktop / tiles or whatever works best

We were overpriced but now are quite competitive but still think kitchen is putting people off

Le_Kirk

Have you had any viewings? If so what has been the feedback from the Estate Agent. Maybe potential buyers would want to go for an electric hob, in which case your work would be for nothing.

phill99

I run a property maintenance company and often have these discussions with people, especially about kitchen upgrades. My advice is to do nothing. As my Dad used to say 'You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear'.


Whatever you do will be a half hearted attempt at sprucing it up for the sale and it will be seen as this. Tile paint always looks awful. A new owner will refurb the kitchen and the property will be valued with that in mind.


Whatever you do will cost you money that you wont get back.


Allow the vendor to treat the kitchen as they want and stop stressing over it.

rach_k

If the kitchen is functional, I wouldn't do anything. There are so many choices for just the worktop that the chances of you picking something the potential buyer would choose for themselves are pretty slim, so as they walk around they're thinking, "Yep, the kitchen works but we'll replace that worktop asap so I'm going to knock £3k off what we offer". They'll do that whether it's 20 years old or something cheap you've just added.

Wassa123

Le_Kirk wrote: »

Maybe potential buyers would want to go for an electric hob, in which case your work would be for nothing.

Gas hob all the way!



I think your worktop looks fine, it's the brown/cream cupboards that make it look old. I'd probably just try and paint them or something.

zoothornrollo_2

Wassa123 wrote: »

Gas hob all the way!



I think your worktop looks fine, it's the brown/cream cupboards that make it look old. I'd probably just try and paint them or something.

This - you could paint them yourselves - just use a very good primer (zinsser bullseye).

ashe

Thanks guys, think the problem with that is the trim around the bottom and top of the worktops and the open shelving all being made of the same dark wood trim? Be difficult to paint all that to a high standard surely?

GraceF125

We did this (in 2015) using a local company that specialised in it. We replaced wall tiles, worktops, sink, tap, all doors, knobs plinths, shelves and pelmets etc plus a few additional bits and pieces and electrics. It cost around £2900. Minimal disruption, was completed in a couple of days.
Money well spent as far as I'm concerned. Made the kitchen look clean, new and more timelessly modern (shaker-style). I enjoyed my 'new' kitchen for a while, and it helped ensure we got top price when we sold earlier this year.

LandyAndy

That kitchen looks fine and perfectly serviceable. I wouldn't do anything to it.