Which Rooms Should You Renovate First? A List From Most Important To Least

Knowing which rooms to renovate first is always a challenge. You know you want to transform your entire house, but you don’t always know where to start. Which rooms should be your priorities? 

Well, fortunately, this post has some answers. We look at the rooms you want to focus on first. These offer the highest bang for the buck and may improve your lifestyle considerably at the same time. 

1. Kitchen

The first place to start is with the kitchen. It’s often considered the “heart of the home” and functions as a gathering place in most households (because of the presence of food)> 

When you invest in your kitchen renovations, focus on things like countertops, cabinets, and appliances. These are the highest value-added components of the room and can make the biggest difference to your quality of life. 

Getting professional painters to add a fresh coat of white can also help spruce the place up. Changing the tone and theme has a massive visual impact and makes the room look cleaner and brighter if you get it right. 

Ultimately, the kitchen tends to offer the highest return on investment for those interested in financial metrics. Even if you pour a lot of money into it, you can still get a lot out of it when you come to sell (as long as you do so within the first 10 years). 

2. Bathroom

No surprises, the bathroom comes in at a close second place. This room is highly functional and needs plenty of investment to be at its best. For many buyers, a washroom that’s in good condition is a strong selling point and a powerful incentive to go ahead with a purchase. 

When buying a bathroom, focus on the things that matter, like the fixtures and modern tiles. These seemingly minor touches can have a significant impact on how the room appears. 

If you can improve storage, that’s also a good idea. Making plenty of vanity upgrades gives you extra room for all your items, preventing things from clogging up space or causing you trouble later down the road. 

If you want, you can also replace shower and bath combos. While these are cost-effective, they’re not the most attractive or inspiring solutions. Why not get a standalone tub for the elegance factor or a shower with built-in infrared systems for additional sauna benefits? 

Again, like kitchens, bathrooms offer a high return on investment. If you put money into them, you are more likely to get it back again when you sell. 

3. Garage

Switching up the garage is also a great way to add value to your home. Simply converting it into a bedroom often makes a massive difference when it comes to selling. 

Garages usually go unloved and, these days, unused, given the size of modern vehicles and their ability to withstand harsh weather. However, if you can turn it into an extra room, it is often like adding an extension. All of a sudden, you have more space to play with. 

4. Living Room

Next comes the living room. You want this to be as impressive as possible because it is the place where you and your guests can go to relax, unwind, and enjoy each other’s company. 

While working on the living room, focus on things like painting the walls an attractive color and adding new furniture. Also, make sure you update the lighting and create a focal point in the space that you and the family can use in the future. 

You won’t get the same return on investment with a living room as you might with a kitchen or a bathroom, but it is still an area you will want to focus on. Many home shoppers want living rooms that are pleasant places to be (since they will spend so much time in them). 

5. Entryway

Next on this list is the entryway. Yes, this sounds surprising, but it all comes back to the effect of first impressions. If people walk into your home and are already primed to expect the best, that will continue as they make their way throughout. 

Entryways usually don’t need much work, apart from the flooring. The more attractive you can make this, the better. 

Adding new decor can also work if you have enough space, but don’t worry if you don’t. A simple vase in the corner should suffice. 

So there you have it: a list of the rooms you should renovate in your home first before moving onto the bedrooms or attic spaces.