When to Splurge on a Big Upgrade Before a Move

Moving is a stressful time, even when you and your family have plenty of warning and time to prepare yourselves and your house. For many people, staging the home involves finishing long delayed home improvement projects in order to get the most money from the sale as possible, but sometimes, these projects are not worth the time or the effort. If you are considering a remodel, appliance installation, or construction project, take a look at the big picture before committing your time and money. Salt Lake City Movers will help you as you pack up and move out no matter what the outcome, but you could be better off by considering the total cost.

Is the Project Worth It?

The most important question you need to ask yourself before starting a pre-move home improvement project is, “Will the cost and effort of this project be worth it in the end?” If the project is something that you have been wanting for yourselves for years and years, the answer may actually be “no.” The reasons for this are simple. Creating your dream house is about you and your dream, meaning that not everyone may share your image of an ideal house. While many people do not want to buy a house with glaring repair needs, they also do not want to spend money taking out an addition you installed at great expense. Some of the projects to think twice about include:

Full kitchen remodels
Home theatre installations
Installing an additional bathroom at the expense of other finished rooms
Painting the exterior of the home
Pool installation

Necessary Upgrades

Of course, there are some projects that should almost always be completed at the risk of potential buyers refusing to even look at your house. A few examples of these are:

Finishing interior or exterior work – If your house does not have siding or flooring, you need to install it in order to get a good price for your home before your move.
Bathroom fixture repair – An essential part of any home is working bathroom features. If you must spend some money to have a professional plumber complete a bathroom remodel so that the toilet and shower work, consider it money well spent.
HVAC repair – The basic necessities of living in a house include providing shelter from the elements. If your house does not do so adequately, such as with insufficient heating or cooling, you may need to invest money in your HVAC units before putting it on the market.

Price Negotiations

If you do not have the funds to complete these types of projects, be prepared to reduce the asking price on your house to make up for incomplete work. Glaring defects in a house may lower the value much more than it would cost to fix, while others defects ultimately make no difference on price. If you are unsure of the current value of your house, have it appraised before beginning an improvement project so you can determine if the additional cost will be worth the effort.

Packing and Moving

Most people have more success selling their home when it is staged with furniture than when it is empty, but not everyone has that luxury. No matter when you need to move your furniture and other possessions, Salt Lake City movers can provide the assistance you need for as stress-free a moving process as possible.