What not to spend money on

The short answer

New kitchens, new bathrooms, full rewires, replacement windows in period property, conservatories and landscaping rarely return their cost when done purely to sell. Buyers discount for condition, then change things to their own taste anyway. Money spent on cleaning, decluttering, minor repairs, decoration and paperwork returns far more per pound.

What the work involves

Assessing each proposed job against the question of whether it removes a buyer objection or merely improves the property for someone else's taste.

Rules and responsibilities in Scotland

Any work carried out still has to comply with building standards and consents, which is an additional reason not to start a project shortly before a sale.

What commonly goes wrong

Fitting a new kitchen weeks before marketing, which usually returns a fraction of its cost and delays the sale.

What it usually costs

Indicative ranges only, to help you judge a quote. They are not an estimate for your property — only the business doing the work can give you that.

• Kitchens and bathrooms are the most commonly over-invested items before a sale.
• Cleaning, decluttering and small repairs are the highest-return spend available.
• Unfinished work at marketing is worse than not starting it — buyers price uncertainty harshly.

What to do, in order

1. 1Ask of each job: does this remove an objection, or does it impose my taste?
2. 2Fix defects; do not replace serviceable items.
3. 3Spend on presentation and paperwork before spending on projects.
4. 4Never start a major project once marketing is planned.
5. 5Where a big-ticket item is genuinely at end of life, price the property accordingly rather than replacing it.

Local detail for the Lothians

• Replacing original sash windows or fireplaces in Edinburgh period property can reduce appeal as well as cost money.
• Buyers in the city's conservation areas often actively look for unmodernised property they can adapt.
• In a closing-date market, presentation that maximises viewing numbers matters more than specification.

When you need a professional

A solicitor estate agent or valuer can tell you what buyers in your street actually pay for before you commit to any project.

Common questions

Should I fit a new kitchen before selling?

Usually not. It rarely returns its cost, delays marketing, and the buyer may prefer to choose their own.

What if the bathroom is genuinely old?

Present it clean and functional and price accordingly. Buyers factor a dated bathroom in more cheaply than you can replace it.

Related pages

• Decorating before selling

  Where fresh paint pays for itself, and where it does not.

• Small repairs worth doing

  The short list of quick fixes that stop a buyer counting problems.

• Timeline before marketing

  Six weeks from decision to listing, in the order that avoids delay.