How Much Value Does a Kitchen Add to Your Home?

The kitchen is no longer just a place to prepare food. It’s a place to entertain guests and eat with the family, and it’s increasingly becoming a social, shared living space in British homes. As a result, buyers are more and more interested in kitchens when buying new properties and they’re a fantastic way to add value to your house in preparation for a sale. 

Because of this surge in popularity, restyling your kitchen into one that’s attractive, hygienic, and fresh can add tens of thousands to your asking price. The question is, how much value does a new kitchen add to your home?  

In this guide, we’ll answer this question and more, explaining just how much value you can add to your home with a new kitchen, what to tackle yourself, considerations to make, and how much it might set you back.  

How Much Value Does a New Kitchen Add? 

If you are thinking about paying for a new kitchen, naturally you will want to know how much value it could add to your home. 

Of course, the increase in value will be partly influenced by the quality and design of the new kitchen. As a general rule, a new kitchen can increase the value of your home by between 5% and 12%. 

Magnet Kitchen estimate that a new kitchen can increase the value of your property by 5-6%, whereas Checkatrade estimate that a new kitchen will add between 10% and 12% to property value.   

This isn’t set in stone and can fluctuate based on how you renovate it. However, the fact that you can add such a substantial amount to your home’s value means it could be a savvy move if you’re looking to sell your house.  

Considerations to Make Before Improving Your Kitchen 

While adding up to 12% to your property’s value is enticing, you shouldn’t go into a kitchen renovated without making some key considerations.  

Don’t Overspend on Your Kitchen Renovation 

Kitchen renovations should be proportional to your home value, and if you spend over £20,000 renovating a kitchen in a £70,000 house, for example, you’re unlikely to recoup your money. The key is to examine the costs of renovating your kitchen and ensure that it makes fiscal sense.  

In some cases, kitchen renovations will fail to add any value to your property, so you should speak to a property expert before committing.  

How Much Might a New Kitchen Cost? 

As a ballpark figure, a full kitchen renovation can cost anywhere between £5,000 and £15,000, depending on how luxurious you want your new kitchen to be. This will depend on your location, kitchen size, the work required, and more, so there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.  

Doing it yourself can significantly reduce costs, but it’s important to be realistic because the DIY option might sound cheaper on paper, but there are usually unexpected outlays.  

How Long Can It Take to Install a New Kitchen? 

Kitchen installations vary substantially but on average, they’ll take between one and three weeks. This will depend on factors such as how much work needs to be done and whether you’re going down a DIY or professional route.  

The Style of Your New Kitchen 

While it’s tempting to choose a style you love, try and appeal to a broader audience when renovating your kitchen. This means keeping ideas in line with the age and interior of the rest of your property and going for clean, stylish, and simple choices rather than anything too bombastic that might put buyers off.  

The Logistics of Your New Kitchen Installation 

The logistics of renovating a kitchen are often overlooked but can be detrimental to your quality of life. Not only will you have to find a new place to eat family meals, for example, but the kitchen has evolved into a living space in recent years, which could become a shock when it’s unavailable. 

What a Kitchen Renovation Might Include 

Kitchen renovation takes many forms and can be as extensive or simple as you like. Ideas for renovating your kitchen to add value to your home include the following: 

Expansion 

Combining your kitchen and dining areas by removing an adjoining wall can create a wealth of new space and light within your home. Open-plan spaces have an incredibly modern feel and when designed well, will transform your kitchen into a highly appealing space to buyers. You can also explore the possibility of adding an extension to provide even more space.  

Bear in mind that even if you don’t remove any walls, your kitchen layout may need to be altered. 

Modern Appliances  

You don’t need fancy gadgets to make your kitchen modern.  

For example, stainless-steel appliances are a savvy way to uplift your kitchen’s aesthetic. They are easy to maintain and look newer for longer compared to matt or glossy finish appliances, too and could be a key factor when preparing your house for selling. 

Restyling or Replacing Key Features 

From the fridge to your kitchen table, sink, worktops, and oven, a renovated kitchen will usually mean replacing or restyling some features. Try and keep them consistent with the rest of the kitchen design and maximise space as much as possible. 

Refreshed Walls 

Kitchen walls can get dirty over time but repainting them doesn’t have to be costly. In fact, you can generally paint your kitchen walls yourself and give the entire space a new lease of life. This is great for people trying to sell their home and can make an older kitchen look brand new.  

The same goes for appliances and cabinets, too, and a clean paint job can do wonders for your asking price and also help you stage your home. 

New Worktops 

There are lots of worktop options available and materials to choose from. Relatively speaking, they can be an inexpensive but effective way to revitalise your kitchen space. They can also create a unique focal point that sets your kitchen apart and encourages a sale. 

Which Kitchen Features Add the Most Value to a House? 

Certain things aren’t worth fixing when selling a house, but there are many ways to add value to it with kitchen renovations.  

Storage Solutions 

A spacious kitchen is a godsend to home buyers and provides space to cook and entertain at home. This requires integrated appliances and innovative storage solutions that provide you with ample worktop space.  

Quality Appliances 

Larger, American-style fridges are increasingly popular in the UK, even though the desire for space has never been more apparent. This preference for high-end appliances isn’t limited to fridges, either, and Aga ovens, premium pots and pans, and visually appealing small appliances are seeing a surge in popularity.  

If you can match your appliances, be it colours or brands, you’re onto a winner with potential buyers.  

The Rise of the Kitchen Island 

A freestanding table or kitchen island is the dream of many homeowners in the UK. If you can manage to incorporate a sitting area into your kitchen space, you can add some individuality and increase the value of your home.  

A Unique Sink 

Sinks aren’t all about functionality and more people are favouring unique designs, be it stainless steel or ceramic. Don’t just stop at the sink, however, and get acquainted with different tap styles to add a level of opulence to your kitchen and give buyers more of what they want.  

New Floors 

Kitchen floors can see a lot of carnage over the years and are often victim to staining and dirt. Since the floor is such a large, dominating aspect of your kitchen, a new one can reflect your interior design style and tie your kitchen space together.  

Consider durability, how easy it is to maintain, and the style before committing to a new floor and bringing these factors together may lead to higher valuations for your house. 

The Kitchen Backsplash 

An extension to your worktops and usually featured behind the stovetop or sink, a backsplash prevents damage to kitchen walls. In the modern day, kitchen backsplashes are an opportunity to express your design flair and unique tiles that complement the rest of your kitchen’s design can boost its aesthetic appeal and value.  

How to Upgrade Your Kitchen Without Getting a New One 

Complete kitchen renovations can be complicated and expensive, but there are certain upgrades you can do yourself without breaking the bank.  

Replace Worn Cabinets   

Cabinets are typically the first thing people notice when entering a kitchen for the first time. Poorly maintained or damaged cabinets can therefore be a huge detractor for any potential buyer.  

Luckily, there are a few solutions. Providing that the units don’t need replacing, a simple swap of the old cabinet doors for new, modern ones can be a quick fix that you can do yourself. Sanding down and repainting the doors will also give a huge uplift with minimal costs. 

A Lick of Paint 

A paint job can revitalise any living space. In the kitchen, paint the walls and cabinets for a feeling of freshness and try a statement colour on one wall for a unique aesthetic. When it comes to painting, you can go for colours that reflect your wider interior design or something different to add a different atmosphere to your kitchen space.  

You can also create the illusion of space with light touches of colour and complement your kitchen with bold accessories.  

Let There Be Light 

New lightbulbs can make a huge difference for a small amount of money, and updating smaller appliances can bring new life to your kitchen area.  

In addition to new lights, adding a skylight or more windows to your kitchen can dramatically increase its visual appeal and the price of your home. However, these are often expensive additions to your property, and you should weigh up the costs against how much value they’ll realistically add.  

Changing cabinet handles will also make your kitchen look brighter and newer than it is, and you should also consider adding plants or new wall art to add a modern feel.

DIY vs Professional Kitchen Installation 

It may be tempting to go down the DIY route for your kitchen installation, but it brings an array of potential pitfalls.  

If you don’t have the relevant construction or interior design experience, you won’t have the tools or ability to plan your kitchen renovation. New floors, surfaces, and knocking down walls require professional expertise, too, so if you’re doing anything more than quick fixes, consider a pro.  

All in all, getting it wrong can be incredibly costly and not only bring down the value of your home but result in additional costs of rectifying your mistakes. However, if you are handy and know what you’re doing, carrying out your own kitchen renovations can add value to your home on a budget. 

Sell Your Home With Chancellors 

Installing a new kitchen can be a genuine way of adding considerable value to your home if you’re looking to sell. With the right know-how and savvy decision making, a renovated kitchen could be a very sound investment.  

Chancellors have extensive experience in the property industry. We offer a range of selling services to help sellers get their property sale over the line. Get in touch with one of the Chancellors branches to find out more.

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