A kitchen revamp can seal the deal

WHEN people are looking to buy a home, the kitchen is the most inspected room of the property.

Kitchen

WHEN people are looking to buy a home, the kitchen is the most inspected room of the property. If it looks old and tired the usual thought is: 'this will cost thousands to replace'.

Unfortunately when people think they have to spend money, they reassess the price of the property. They want to move in with nothing to do. Spending money on upgrading a kitchen will turn away many a prospective purchaser.

You can spruce up a kitchen in many cheap ways. If the cupboards look respectable all they probably need is a thorough clean to remove the built up dirt and grease. Scrub the fronts with some sugar soap and make them sparkle.

If you think the cupboards and drawers still need a lift, replace the handles with something more up-to-date. Handles can be purchased at your local hardware store.

If you do not have laminated cupboard doors, maybe a fresh coat of paint will give them a lift? Clean all the fronts with the sugar soap then give them a couple of coats of high gloss paint. Use a light colour to brighten the room.

It would be wise to paint the rest of the wood work in the kitchen as well. Change the handles at the same time and it will enhance the overall finish.

Having improved the outside of the cupboards and drawers is not enough. People, when inspecting properties, look inside cupboards to see how much room is available. Make your cupboards and drawers look roomier by removing most of the contents. You will have to eventually pack them into boxes, do it now before the inspections start. Only keep in your kitchen cupboards and drawers the articles you use on a regular basis.

Once you have made space inside, the surfaces of the shelves and drawers will be seen. They need to be clean and fresh looking. While you are removing the articles, clean the shelves and inside the drawers. Use the sugar soap again. If the surfaces are old and are covered with old newspapers, buy some Contact from your local newsagent and stick it on the shelves. This will improve the overall effect.

With a little money, time and effort you can improve your kitchen and make it something worth showing and you don't have to break the bank.

* Julie Finch-Scally is the founder of The Duster Dollies Cleaning Agency and author of The Third Oldest Profession, The A-Z of House Cleaning, Hippo Publishing.