Advice re selling house with or without fitted wardrobes

jarweb

This is regarding a rental property which we really would like to sell if possible.  It's the only one we have and we don't really want to do the rental thing any more.
We currently have fitted sliding wardrobes in 2 bedrooms which look slightly the worse for wear.  We are about to try to sell the house and wondering about the options for these.  To replace them would not be cost effective, we don't think, due to the potential value of the house. We have other vital repairs to carry out due to the state the property was left in by the tenant.  But to rip the wardrobes out will cost as well as we will probably damage the walls and will also mean we need to buy carpet in at least one of the rooms as the carpet does not go right to the back wall.
We're thinking if we clean them up as best we can and leave them in place and hope they don't put off potential buyers too much. They may look at them and say they need to come out but then that is their call what they put in place.
Just looking for opinions please ?
Thanks

princeofpounds

Unless the rooms are tiny box rooms, leave them in. Even if buyers don't like their cosmetic condition, they will appreciate and understand there is plenty of storage space. 

AdrianC

What's the problem? The doors look scruffy? Or the interiors?

Won't a coat of paint (with suitable primer) facelift them?

cattie

If they are not mirrored, you could smarten them up by using a primer such as Dulux's Difficult Surface Primer & then paint them with a satin finish paint. It would cost you in the region of £50 & give the wardrobes a good as new look.

Other than that I agree with leaving them in as buyers always appreciate seeing that there's good storage space.

NameUnavailable

I would leave them and let the new owners decide if they want to refurbish or replace them.

Whatever you do may not be to the new owners taste and unless you're going to redecorate the place to a high standard, again just tidy/clean and let the new owners do the rest.

jarweb

Hi
Thanks for the replies.
One room has 3 mirrored doors.  One of these is cracked in the corner.  The other room has one mirrored and two white-backed hardboard ones.  The mirrored one in this room also has a crack and the hardboard ones' white facing is damaged in a few places.
I thought about replacing the cracked glass with hardboard (due to cost) if I can dismantle the doors and also both the damaged existing hardboard ones. Can't find the white hardboard in big enough size and not sure if plain hardboard takes paint very well.  I thought it would kind of just absorb paint and go "fluffy"
Anyone painted hardboard ?  It's 3mm hardboard, not MDF or plywood.
My other thought was plastic adhesive - sticky backed plastic - to cover the hardboard.  Not sure if this would look worse.
Thanks


  

AdrianC

Do the doors dismantle to allow you to replace the mirror?

jarweb

I think the doors might dismantle.  But the cost of at least 2 replacement full height mirror doors is likely to be quite high. Maybe worth it in a house we were staying in for a while but we wouldn't recoup the cost while selling.  If I can get them dismantled I think I'd prefer the option of fitting hardboard to the damaged ones, if I am able to paint the hardboard.
I would hope to leave them in place but in as good a condition as we can get them.  As I said earlier, the price we are likely to get for the house really doesn't warrant spending thousands on refurbishment, especially when we will need to spend a fair bit just to get it up to a reasonable standard as it is. 
Thanks

AdrianC

I'm not suggesting replacing the doors - just the mirror glass on them.

A very quick google for a glass supplier that gives prices for mirror glass says 2100 x 500 x 6 with safety film would be just under £60 each. A local supplier may be cheaper.

es5595

You've also mentioned that you'll have to spend money on the house to do it up before you sell it. If you haven't already, I'd ask a local estate agent to two to come around, and whether the repairs you're considering are actually worth it. 
As in, like the wardrobes, a potential buyer could then chose the standard they want to repair it to etc, and you might be less out of pocket taking a few thousand hit on the sale price now, rather than spending a few thousand doing basic repairs to get it up to standard (along with the time and hassle), and then finding it doesn't make much difference to the price as the new owners want to re-wire the electrics or put in new state-of-the-art central heating etc anyway. 

greatcrested

The only reason to remove them would be if the room is small and you want to give an impression of greater space.

Otherwise, tart them up.