Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa Dec/January 2020 | Page 43

“Y
ou can literally rebuild the place if you were so in-
clined (and had the budget for it) but most prop-
erty owners want to know which renovations ulti-
mately add the most value, as a means of building of their
investment,” said Principal at Leapfrog Polokwane, Floris de
Kock.
“It’s a far better bet to go for a style that
has remained constant over the years,
like a white sanitary ware and stainless-
steel fittings”
Kitchens
In most houses the kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s a space
that everybody uses, it’s the place where everything from
cooking to homework gets done, and it’s often the central
socialising point for both everyday interactions and when
guests visit.
“A nice kitchen almost instantly adds to the value of a
property,” De Kock believes. It’s a high-volume space which also
means to subject to far more wear and tear than something
like a lounge or bedroom. It’s also where we work with water
and electricity and food and laundry and pets and children,
which means it typically gets dirtier and more worn out than
even the bathroom.
“It’s probably safe to say that the kitchen needs to be
renovated and/or updated every 15 to 20 years. In some
cases cosmetic improvements will be enough to make it look
and feel like new and, in other cases, you may be better off
replacing everything from the cabinetry to the stove that only
has the one plate working anyway,” De Kock advises.
There are always cheap(er) ways to make improvements and
renovations but the kitchen is a space where you don’t really
want to cut corners. “It’s very likely that you’ll make back what
you spent on a kitchen renovation, and more, if you decide to
sell,” adds De Kock.
Bathrooms
Here it’s about optimising the configuration and opting for
fittings and finishings with a classic aesthetic of a high and
durable quality.
Steer clear of things that are too trendy, or too “right now”.
Gold-plated taps and a black bathtub might make your
bathroom look like one that belongs in an international decor
magazine, but it’s very likely that in a couple of years that very
look is the equivalent of those bright orange tiled bathrooms
of the late 70s and early 80s.
“It’s a far better bet to go for a style that has remained
constant over the years like a white sanitaryware and stainless-
steel fittings,” said De Kock.
Naturally one wants to personalise the space but rather
do that with accessories such as plants, prints, towels, mats
and the like. The main cost factor in a bathroom renovation is
around the location of the plumbing. “When you start moving
the toilet to where the shower is and remove the bath to add a
double vanity, the renovation costs are going to be substantial
because the plumbing will need to be reconfigured,” adds De
Kock.
While rearranging the layout might be exactly what the
bathrooms needs to be more practical, one often finds that by
simply replacing shower screen and doors, painting the vanity
or resurfacing the bath can make a very big difference without
breaking the bank.
Whether a full bathroom makeover is necessary or not will
vary from property to property and the preferences of different
people. “In some cases a R150 000 bathroom makeover will
add R250 000 to the value of your property and in other cases
R15 000’s worth of cosmetic improvements will do the same.
“There is no denying that an outdated, grimy bathroom
puts potential buyers off because in their heads they’re already
adding R200 000 to the cost of the property to account for a
renovation,” said De Kock.
The trick is to do it practically and cost effectively, and this
does not just apply to property owners who want to sell, but
to anybody who cares to look after and maintain the aesthetic
integrity of their home.
Extra space
Almost nobody says no to extra space. Whether it’s a scullery
that leads off the kitchen, an obscure corner that has been
fitted with cupboards or the back end of the garage that
has been extended by a meter or two, extra space is always
welcome.
“One only has to look at the rise of self-
storage facilities around the country
to realise that space is highly sought
after. A property that offers extra space,
especially cleverly designed and uniquely
optimised space, definitely adds to the
value of a property”
“One only has to look at the rise of self-storage facilities
around the country to realise that space is highly sought after.
A property that offers extra space, especially cleverly designed
and uniquely optimised space, definitely adds to the value of a
property,” De Kock believes. He adds that this is because while
a buyer can’t necessarily afford a bigger property that would
naturally offer more space they may be able to afford a couple
hundred thousand more for a property that addresses the
space need.
“It is always a good idea to consult a trusted property advisor
if you’re looking to do renovations as they’ll have valuable
insights to contribute around market trends and preferences,”
De Kock concludes.
SOURCE Leapfrog Property Group
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