12 DIY Projects That Are Secretly Lowering Your Property Value

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Customizing your space and adding your personal touch is exciting, and renovating your home or doing a DIY project is great, too. However, not every upgrade is a good idea for boosting the value of your property.

Some seemingly harmless or trendy DIY projects can negatively affect your home’s market appeal. If you don’t want to be surprised when you go to sell, consider the real impact of these common DIY pitfalls.

Expanding Rooms Through Removing Closets

You can turn a closet into extra square footage, but what if it’s a deal breaker for buyers? Storage is essential in closets and removing them makes a room feel less functional. If you don’t have enough storage, your buyers can feel cramped and less likely to view your property. A slightly larger room is often more appreciated than built in storage.

Using Bold Paint Colors

You may have bright, bold colors that you love, but they may drive away potential buyers. Paint is easy to change, but bright colors can feel small and overwhelming to have and can be time-consuming and labor-intensive to repaint. With neutral shades, people can imagine themselves in the space so it will appeal to a broader audience. Your home’s resale potential is better off if you choose timeless colors that don’t detract from your home.

Adding Cheap or Mismatched Flooring

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DIY flooring projects can save a lot of money, but the wrong materials, even if it’s a DIY project, can really hurt a property’s value. If your flooring isn’t consistent across the house, it can make spaces feel disconnected and give you a sense of poor planning. Durable, cohesive flooring materials help to increase a home’s value and appeal. Good floors also keep the home looking good and indicate the owner’s desire to pay attention to details.

Painting Over Natural Wood

Many people consider natural wood features such as cabinets or trim to be valuable additions to a home. Painting over wood is a trendy idea, but it does not keep the material consistent or even long term. Original woodwork is often appealing to many buyers because it brings in a warmth and character. Once painted, it’s difficult to bring back wood to its original state, which might scare off buyers.

Turning a Garage Into Living Space

Garage Hall in House — Photo Credit: hi room/Pexels

Garages can be useful, but an extra room may be attractive. Garages are essential for storage and parking space that many buyers expect. The loss of a garage can be particularly bad in places where there aren’t many places to park or where the weather is bad. Some property can be converted, which can limit the property’s appeal and thereby reduce the list of potential buyers. Often, it’s safer to leave the garage intact.

Adding Too Much Landscaping

You may dream of an elaborate garden but it may be a burden to potential buyers. Landscaping is extensive and it takes lots of maintenance, which many may find daunting or time consuming. Landscaping can be too complex and lead a home to become too cluttered or less inviting. Wide appeal and low upkeep are attractive qualities of simple, low maintenance yards.

DIY Plumbing and Electrical Repairs

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Plumbing and electrical repairs are complex systems that can backfire when you try to tackle them since you don’t have professional knowledge. Hidden problems like leaks or bad wiring can damage the safety and marketability of your home if the repairs aren’t done right the first time. Buyers seek peace of mind because experts have taken care of these critical systems. Investing in professional help for these areas can protect your property value.

Removing a Bedroom to Create a Larger Master Suite

Interior of stylish bedroom with blue blanket on soft bed placed near glass transparent wall in modern apartment with couch — Photo Credit: Max Vakhtbovycn/Pexels

A master suite that’s a luxury is very tempting, but it could come at the expense of resale potential if you have fewer bedrooms. According to Property24, a bedroom is a key home valuation factor that translates to each bedroom increasing the appeal to a specific group of buyers. Reducing flexibility and possibly the number of buyers interested in your home is inevitable by removing a bedroom. It keeps your home’s versatility and resale value by keeping more bedrooms.

Over Customized Outdoor Spaces

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Custom patios, quirky structures, and built-in seating maybe what you have in mind, but they can also limit your home’s appeal. Often, their features are too unique to blend with what buyers see for an outdoor space, which is something they expect to spruce up with. The best outdoor spaces are simple and adaptable enough so potential buyers can put their own spin on them. That means less customization but more appeal and flexibility for prospective owners.

Built in Entertainment Centers

Entertainment centers or media walls are space-consuming and hard to remove. Bulky units can feel cramped, making a room feel cramped as technology and preferences change. Open spaces are popular since most buyers prefer to add modular furniture instead of permanent structures. Built-in furniture takes away from rooms being versatile and appealing.

DIY Bathroom and Kitchen Tile Work

Repairing Broken Tiles — Photo Credit: Pexels

Bathrooms and kitchens can be stylish with tilework, but amateur work generally leaves behind uneven lines and misplaced grout. Poor-quality tile installation is an immediately noticeable issue that glaringly warns buyers of future maintenance concerns. Installing tile the right way takes both skill and precision. Good professional tilework adds value, and bad tilework subtracts value.

Unapproved Structural Changes

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According to Investopedia, structural changes, like ripping down walls or adding new ones, usually require permits for safety. Changes made without approval can result in code violations and these safety risks, deterring buyers who will incur added costs correcting them. Structural modifications that don’t meet standards are usually a turn-off for buyers. Stick to approved plans only, especially for structural changes, and consult professionals.

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.