The Exact Cost of the Renovations I Never Made
And a top L.A. realtor weighs in on what's worth it vs. not.
Howdy!
We have a lot of new subscribers here, likely in thanks to last week’s New York Times article I was quoted in about “slow renovating.” Here’s what I said:
“Slow renovating and slow decorating are actual movements, or at least the internet likes to coin them as such, whereas people have been doing this for ages, but it’s just called ‘you don’t have the time or the budget.’”
The NYT piece is about the virtues of renovating slowly — project by project, over time — which is how most people actually live, if only out of necessity.
But living in L.A., and absorbing a steady drip of decor media, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one who hasn’t gutted your kitchen on day one. There's a warped sense of normal: Every new homeowner seems to knock down walls before unpacking a single box. And design media rarely mentions the financial scaffolding behind these transformations — the trust funds, the invisible $700K sunk into a home that already cost $2 million.
The footprint might be modest, the family might look refreshingly down-to-earth, but the math? The math LIES!
When we bought our 2-bedroom, 1-bath Craftsman in Pasadena in January 2022, we had plans. Sooo many projects. So many spreadsheets. But first, we had to deal with the essentials — or at least, what we decided was essential — and to do that, we held back money from our downpayment. Here’s the breakdown of our move-in “renovation” costs:
Interior and exterior painting (definitely necessary — the inside was so dirty and stinky; the outside looked abandoned): $12,000
Checklist of random fix-its: pulling out some gross cabinetry, rewiring some things, installing light fixtures, installing shelving in closets, installing security cameras, putting in a garbage disposal, adding a “spark arrestor” to our chimney (still don’t know what that is), and about 7-10 other things I can’t remember: $7,000
Patching up a piece of the living room with new hardwood flooring: $1,000
Spraying for termites: $1,200
Window treatments (essential for the bazillion windows in our house): $1,600
Buying a washer and dryer: $1,500
Landscaping: $6,000
So let’s round that up to $30,000 in initial costs. Although I’m certain it was more. Let’s say $40k. Dang. These are costs that we will likely never gain back in the event of a sale — it was all just making the home completely safe and fresh as possible.
But, in the spirit of that New York Times article, I thought I’d share:
The renovations we still have on our list.
Our realtor’s thoughts on each project in terms of value-add to our home. Introducing the magnificent and handsome John Cabeso:
This man put up with so much during our home search. During Covid, he came to every single viewing, and rocked our baby outside the houses so we wouldn’t have to bring her inside. He helped us get an amazing price on our home. If you’re in the L.A. area, and need a realtor, you can contact him here.
As John assesses these projects, he’s looking at two things:
“There are two types of ‘value add’ in real estate:
DIRECT IMPACT VALUE is measurable and changes the functionality of the home. Adding square footage, adding a bathroom or bedroom are common examples.
INDIRECT IMPACT VALUE is perceived value — such as design, which can be fleeting and very expensive.”
Garage Conversion & Patio Makeover: ~$150,000
Our garage — which we’d like to convert into an office/guest room — is only 156 square feet, so you’d think it wouldn’t cost so much to put in drywall and some A/C, but…permitting in Pasadena is expensive and ADUs (even though ours isn’t technically an ADU) require lots of expensive assessments. We could reduce the cost a lot by doing this illeg*lly, but…people in Pasadena are tattle-tales.
The first step in my vision is to shorten our 2-car-length driveway by placing a gate halfway down the drive. We’d park in front of it and have a door installed to the right of the gate for easy entry. We’d need to get this custom made to fit the style of our Craftsman home. This alone could cost us $5,000 to $7,000 (including permitting and installation).
In shortening our driveway and creating more privacy, I’d love to lay down grass in front of the garage to give our daughter, Eleanor, extra space to play (our back patio is our main outdoor space and it is teeeeeny).
The idea for the garage office is to make it functional for overnight guests, maintain space for storage, and have enough room for a desk along one of the walls.
If you scroll down, here’s a reimagining of our back patio (please excuse the chaotic dimensions). Right now, it’s dominated by a sad chainlink fence and a forgettable dining set we rarely use — it’s more “outdoor afterthought” than destination. My dream is to open things up and give Eleanor more space to run wild. So, let’s ditch the dining table and instead build custom perimeter bench seating with weatherproof storage. I’m also imagining a lightweight or collapsible coffee table we can pull out for guests — something that shifts the mood from weekday playground to evening cocktail lounge.
Realtor John says…
The garage conversion and patio makeover are Direct Impact Value Adds:
“The 150-square-foot garage conversion (if permitted) can potentially add an average of $867 per square foot. This doesn’t include the indirect impact value: Built-in storage with Murphy bed…I mean who doesn’t love that, especially when maximizing a small space is key? Average ROI could be anywhere between 10-15% in added property value.”
Patio: “Since Covid, yard space (front and back) has never been more important and is a top ‘must-have’ among homebuyers in Northeast L.A. Adding a fence can increase property value 5-15%, providing privacy and security. Landscaping can grow a home’s resale by 15-20% because it’s all about curb appeal and first impressions. A well-designed patio with weather-proof, storage banquettes can be an added plus.”
Kitchen Renovation: $65,000-$80,000
Below is our current kitchen. And it is “fine.” It’s functional. I actually have no beef with the layout. There’s plenty of storage. Except, aesthetically, I LOATHE it. The cabinets are the most shit cabinets anyone could ever buy (half of them are falling apart). The gray vinyl flooring is soul-crushing. And the “marble” countertops and backsplash…spare me. (As it turns out, those countertops are real marble, but apparently money can buy you marble so shitty it looks fake.)
I’d like to retain the footprint but inject a bit more style into the space.
Even though our kitchen is “small” — it’s a galley kitchen — we technically have quite a long run of linear feet (which is how you calculate cabinetry costs). I refuse to waste my money on shitty cabinetry — so we’d be going custom. Add in new countertops, flooring, and appliances, and you are talking MAJOR money.
I worked on the below renders with Isla Porter. The pricing for the cabinetry alone in these designs ranges from $45,000-$57,000. Granted, Isla is a luxury company; I could potentially reduce the cabinetry costs by going with a local millworker, but still.
KITCHEN INSPO:
Realtor John says…
Indirect Impact Value Add and, “IMO, NOT WORTH IT.”
“While it’s true that you'll get the most out of kitchen/bathroom renovations, since yours is functional and has a good layout, spending $65-$80K may not be worth it and won’t add as much value as you think. An inexpensive revamp is best — maybe changing the cabinet doors, new hardware, and tiling the floors.”
Converting Current Laundry Room Into 1/2 Bath-Laundry-Combo: $15,000-$20,000
Here is the crazy thing about our home. It once had a second toilet! But the previous owners took it out! WHY?! Raise your hand if you know what living with an adult male who poops all the time is like.
On the left side of the room, I’d like to install a toilet, sink, and upper cabinetry. On the right, I want to create a built-in storage unit to contain the washer-dryer (vertically stacked) as well as extra cabinetry (and maybe even a built-in litter box).
This would entail: Installing a pocket door, tiling the floor, reconfiguring some plumbing, installing a toilet and sink, and commissioning custom millwork for storage.
HALF-BATH/LAUNDRY INSPO:
Realtor John says…
Direct Impact Value Add
“Since there’s currently only 1 bathroom, converting the laundry room to a half-bath while keeping the W/D unit there will be significant. I did this myself! Can be a huge selling point and potentially can add 10-15% in resale value.”
Fireplace Retiling: $3,500-$7,000
The cost of this could vary wildly depending on what type of tile we go with and how custom the encasement would be.
Realtor John says…
Indirect Value Add
At the moment, we are boxing it in with drywall to at least make things look cleaner.
Primary Bath Upgrade: $12,000-$15,000
Again, this is a case of me just hating the vacantness of our bathroom. I’d want to paint; re-tile the floor; install new light fixtures; add board-and-batten cladding to the walls; put in a small, custom, Craftsman-inspired closet in an awkward corner; install medicine cabinets; and bring in a new vanity (potentially with just one sink, and use the other half for storage).
BATHROOM INSPO:
Realtor John says…
Indirect Impact Value Add/not worth it.
“I almost want to copy and paste what I mentioned about the kitchen. Just new paint and new lighting can make a huge difference — especially if the overall bathroom is functional and not caving down to the foundation.”
Hallway Glow-Up: $5k-ish
Our hallway is fine!! But we do have a recess that is dying for a built-in cabinet (and in a small home, you want all the storage you can get). The first quote we got for the cabinet was like $6,000 — ouch. But I think we could simplify the design and get that way down. Or find a vintage wardrobe to fit the spot. Then, I’d put up wallpaper (either Svenskt Tenn, Ottoline, or Zak & Fox), re-paint our trim and doors to match, and install two sconces (vintage, for sure) on the longest wall of the hallway.
Realtor John says…
Indirect Value Add (…I knew this would be a personal project)
“There’s a constant debate about wallpaper on almost every house tour with newer-style wallpaper in a bedroom, powder room — it’s 50/50. This won’t add value, it’ll just make reason for a good debate. The custom cabinet may be a good feature, especially if there isn’t much storage around.”
TOTAL “Exact” Cost of The Renovations I Never Made, AKA a Ballpark Figure: $267,000
Realtor John says…
“Spending $267,000 may take a lot of time to recoup and feel the added value.”
I mean. We do know this.
But it’s a helpful reminder of just how much money is quietly poured into those decor media stories — all in pursuit of an aesthetically cohesive, photographable home. I’m not trying to throw (too much) shade. Truly, nice work if you can get it.
But for those of us living within the confines of actual budgets and boring math…it’s just not “a thing.”
Yes. The reality of kitchen costs feels very hidden/obscure these days
Great one, so excellent and thorough