The painting is done … the floors are done … and judging by my aches & pains, I’m about done or done-for. I’m really tired of moving furniture around. There’s a reason I’ve never purchased big, heavy pieces.
In addition to the benefits to my home, I thought this project would also give me valuable info when I suggest to home sellers that they fix up prior to selling. So what did I learn and what does that mean for you if you’re planning to sell?
TIMING
Since it is December, I was perhaps able to schedule the workers more quickly than could be done during spring-summer-fall. Both the painters and the flooring people took 3 days each, however, that covered two weeks.
I went with a painting firm that had 3 workers and could do it in 3 days, versus the one guy who estimated it would take him 10 days! The flooring workers were different for each type of flooring and also took 3 consecutive days. They started the week after the painters were finished.
MESS
I started cleaning first before the painters arrived. That was wasted time since everything gets dusty from the sanding in between coats of paint, and the usual dust from new carpet and sawing of the wood flooring.
For the painters, all furniture needs to be moved to the center of the room. For the floor people, the furniture needs to be completely removed. This can be a problem, especially if you have large wood pieces. Depending on your room arrangements and the number of big pieces, you might want to consider using one of the onsite storage companies such as PODS or GOTBINS.
COST
Hiring the painting is not inexpensive, and while you may be able to do it yourself, you have to consider the quality of the work you do and the time it will take you. The guys I hired caulked, sanded between coats, and applied 2 coats for a much better appearance. The quality of paint you use impacts cost as well. The three different painters that I interviewed, use Sherwin Williams paint, and they get a special price from SW.
Flooring is as expensive as the material you select.
While the price may seem high (thousands), it is less than what you’ll have to discount your selling price if you don’t do it and your home sits on the market because buyers don’t want to pay top price for a home in need of repair.
DISCOUNTS
If you use a good Realtor®, especially one with Real Living, we have lists of companies that offer discounts for our clients. Discounts are available for movers, PODS, powerwashers, 1-800-GOTJUNK and flooring.
I used America’s Floor Source which offers a 30% discount on products & services for Realtors® and their clients. Dynamic Painting was the firm I used for the painting and they will give a 10% discount if you mention you read about them on “Elaine’s Blog“.
GET STARTED
If you’re thinking of putting your home on the market “next spring”, a good time to start getting it ready is right after the new year. You can schedule the work to be done during January/early February. It’s also a good idea to hire a home inspector to allow you time to fix those ‘deal-breakers’ in advance. (Call me for names of good inspectors.)
I’ve noticed Internet home searches to start increasing late February as buyers begin exploring and gaining knowledge of what type of homes are available and at what price. These buyers will contact an agent and begin viewing homes during March. So you’ll want to plan to have your home ready to be listed by the end of February or first week of March. That’s just 9 weeks away!!!!
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