If you’re getting ready to sell your home or you know that you’ll be selling it in the next few years, you want to be sure that you don’t do anything that would decrease its value. However, knowing exactly what will and won’t get buyers excited about your house isn’t always intuitive. Some upgrades, like improving your home’s landscaping or painting a room, don’t cost much but can make a good first impression.
Others, such as building a sunroom, can be expensive yet may not drive your asking price up much or at all. You also need to consider the balance between the cost of an upgrade and how much value it adds. With these points in mind, the plumbing upgrades discussed below are all likely to increase the value of your home.
Tankless Water Heater
Tankless water heaters differ from traditional water heaters in that they don’t store hot water. Instead, water is heated as it passes through the system. A tankless water heater will only heat water on demand as it is needed. This is in contrast to a traditional storage water heater, which holds hot water in the tank, keeping it warm all the time and costing money whether you use it or not.
A tankless water heater is a great example of the kind of upgrade that buyers really appreciate because of the long-term savings it offers. Tankless water heaters can be more expensive to install than traditional water heaters, but they’re more energy efficient, so they cost less to run. Usually, over a period of years, the energy savings from your bills will eventually balance out the cost of the installation. However, your buyers won’t have to make this calculation. They simply get to enjoy the more energy-efficient product that you’ve already installed for them and the lower bills.
Modern Low-Flow Toilets
Another way to signal to potential buyers that their bills will be lower is with low-flow toilets. It doesn’t cost very much to replace toilets, and the return on investment makes it worthwhile. If you already have low-flow toilets but they are older models, you may want to consider replacing them as well. Low-flow toilets from 20 or more years ago often did not have enough pressure to flush properly. Newer models work much better.
Updated Pipes
This one can be important if you have an older home. While not the most exciting of upgrades, it may make a real difference for buyers who will appreciate feeling confident that they are not going to move into their new home and immediately deal with leaky or corroded pipes and drain problems. Newer pipes made of copper or PEX last longer than older types did as well. Insulating pipes is an easy additional improvement that can promise greater energy efficiency and lower bills.
Kitchen and Bathroom Fixtures
Full kitchen and bathroom renovations are a good example of the kind of upgrade that may increase your home’s value but not always enough to make the cost of those renovations worthwhile. If you’re considering this kind of full renovation, it’s important to have a clear picture of what your costs will be versus the projected increase in value. However, new fixtures are a great way to make these rooms look a lot more attractive without spending much money.
Even just replacing cheaper faucets with simple ones made of higher-quality material, such as brass or stainless steel, can make a big difference.
The most desirable types of fixtures can be very location- and trend-dependent, so you might want to ask your real estate agent about what fixtures are currently appealing to homebuyers in your Dallas-area neighborhood. Design choices that are more on the neutral side tend to be a safer choice than flashy or quirky choices, which may put off more buyers than they attract.
Water Softening and Filtration Systems
The Dallas area has hard water. It’s perfectly safe, but it can wreak havoc on your skin and hair. It’s also tough on appliances, where mineral buildup can affect efficiency, and it’s better at making soap scum than at creating lather. In addition, the minerals in hard water can make it smell, taste or look unpleasant. A water softening system can eliminate these problems.
With a water filtration system, you can eliminate more impurities, including those that can be harmful. This might include viruses, bacteria, pesticides and other pollutants. There are several different types of water softening and filtration systems that you can install that will improve the quality of your water, and this can be a big selling point to potential buyers.
Sewer Line and Septic Upgrades
As with pipe updates, no one gets excited about sewer lines, but having one fail can be catastrophic. You can head off that kind of disaster for future home buyers by having your lines inspected and repaired or replaced if necessary before you put your house on the market. If you’re on a septic system, make sure that the system is working as it should and upgrade it as well if you need to. When buyers hear that there’s a new sewer line or septic tank, it gives them greater confidence and peace of mind.
Smart Plumbing Upgrades
Smart home accessories are growing in popularity, and smart plumbing upgrades are among them. There are many different types available offering a variety of benefits. For example, smart leak detection can alert you when there is a leak somewhere in the system, long before you notice the telltale signs on your own. You can also get smart versions of many of the upgrades suggested above. For example, smart faucets can offer touchless activation and temperature control.
Many smart devices offer precise monitoring information that can help you reduce water usage and save money. A smart irrigation system takes the guesswork out of watering the lawn, monitoring both soil moisture and the local forecast to ensure that the grass gets precisely the amount of water that it needs. All of these devices can be exciting and desirable features to potential homebuyers.
Sump Pump
Because sump pumps are not as common in Dallas as in some other parts of the country, they might not immediately spring to mind as an upgrade that could increase your property value. In addition, heavy flooding is not a frequent occurrence. However, Dallas can get intense rain, and there can be some floods. If you have a basement or your home is in a low-lying area, a sump pump could stave off expensive water damage, which could happen after one bad storm or over time. This can make a sump pump an attractive addition to your home.
Plumbing Services Throughout the Dallas Area
Whether you’re looking to sell your home or you just want to upgrade your plumbing for your own comfort, Pure Plumbing offers a variety of plumbing services. This includes installing water heaters, sump pumps, and water softening and filtration systems. We also offer such services as drain cleaning and sewer repair. We’re a family-owned company with an A+ rating from the BBB, and we’re committed to doing quality work for you. When you need the best plumbing service in Dallas, contact Pure Plumbing.
