What to do? Bedrooms, laundry room, wine celler

[Skippydo]

Working on my bottom floor of house, which I lived in while I was building the upstairs.
Have sufficient light with 16 large windows on this floor. So, I have a kitchen, bathroom,
mans cave with bar and stone fireplace, utility room and double garage
plus a large room with the washer/dryer in.
For resale purposes, should I re-do the laundry room or move the washer/dryer into the
utility room (have the room), and make a bedroom out of the present laundry room and
add a second bedroom or a wine celler?
Getting up in the years, and looking for the biggest bang for the money when sellling.
No windows in the downstairs bedrooms if that is the way I go...
Upstairs have three bedrooms, kitchen, etc..
Need some winter inside work!!

 

[gzecc]

Technically it can not be a bedroom if it doesn't have a window. I think it needs a closet too?

 

[Skippydo]

I was aware of the no window for a bedroom, as I posted.
Not saying that I cannot have a room with a bed, dressers,
tv, and sleep there. All spaces downstairs have heat, not just
foreced air by propane, but also installed a Harman PF100
wood pellet furance connected to the existing furance, some baseboard
heat, and a vent free heater in the hallway between the mans cave
and the kitchen, along with a fireplace in the mans cave.

 

[Danno77]

what's the location of the room like. is it better located for laundry than the other room? If it's laundry now, how many baths and beds total do you currently have, because it should be easy to turn into a 1/2 - full bath since it's pretty much plumbed...

do you have a basic floorplan?

 

[Skippydo]

The laundry room is located right off of the kitchen, along side a bath room which is large.
The laundry room being moved into the utility room would work nicely and with very little
work, propane is right by the electric hot water tank (used to be propane), already have
another stationary tub in position, and only have to move approximately 4 inches,which would
permit the placement of the dryer, and then the washer on the other side.. Miminal plumbing to do.
So the move could be made with in a few hours.
My concern is the value of the moves, when you go to sell, you want the best so you can get
the most.
Upstairs I have two full baths, shower/tub, shower and jazuzzi, and three bed rooms, two
very large and one 'normal' size.
No matter what I do, it will be easy and very cost effective...some drywall for one wall, drywall
nails, mud, and paint and ceramic/wood/rug floors. Plus a possible two new doors.
50 acres plus a 2 1/2 acre pond come along with the property. When I get the downstairs
finished, will have over 4500 sq feet heated area. (it is all heated now).
Bottom line, what to do to get the most $ for re-sale!!

 

[Danno77]

bathrooms and bedrooms add to value when you are looking to add on. My opinion would be to make a wine cellar out of it but have a closet in it and call it a bedroom. Just have the "wine cellar" nature of it be reversible.

It's just like most small home offices that are really just a spare bedroom. Then when you are showing the place to sell, the realtor will say and here's another bedroom but the current owner is using it as a wine cellar. win-win in my book.

 

[Gooserider]

Might be worth asking a few local real estate agents what features are "hot seller" items that you could add... Given that you already have a good number of BR's and baths, I don't know that another BR would give that much added value compared to some other option like maybe a "home theater" or an office space, or ???

The other thing is to watch out for codes and revenooers - There may be code limits / requirements that you'd have to meet in order to call it a bedroom (such as fire escapes and ventilation, etc.) and it might also be worth seeing if there are any tax implications to "officially" making any mods to what rooms are used for...

Gooserider

 

[Hogwildz]

Office/bedroom is my vote. Everyone wants a home office/computer room these days.

 

[Corey]

Yes, I would say beds/baths add value to a house more than anything else. Even if you technically have to call it a 'den' or 'computer room'. I've even seen the house flipping shows where they go in and split two large bedrooms to make three - basically adding value even thought the square footage doesn't change.

For me personally, I'd probably go wine cellar, but that would limit the potential buyers.

 

[schwaggly]

a finished basement is a finished basement. roof, heat, electric, plumbing is all people really care about.
3 beds 2 baths is what most people want. If you want to add some pop go with a granite and steel kitchen.
We were in your shoes and our realtor told us don't do anything and save your money cause people won't
reward your efforts.

 

[JustWood]

a finished basement is a finished basement. roof, heat, electric, plumbing is all people really care about.
3 beds 2 baths is what most people want. If you want to add some pop go with a granite and steel kitchen.
We were in your shoes and our realtor told us don't do anything and save your money cause people won't
reward your efforts.

I agree with schwag , leave it alone. Buyer may like the idea of having options for that room.
I sold a building lot a few years ago.
I asked the realator if I should put a drive/access in = more $$ . I have my own dump trucks and backhoe so it woodn't have cost me much. He said don't bother as the new owner prolly won't like the location and change it anyway.

 

['bert]

Take a day and go have a look around your area at houses that are for sale similar to your own. You may see something that the others have that yours does not. Then you can use the space to build it, just do a better job then the others.

I agree that many people are looking for a home office area.

 

[Hogwildz]

When selling a home. The biggest and least expensive improvement is the exterior.
When I sold my townhome. I painted the stucco exterior, put a new storm door & entrance door on, and cleaned up the grounds, plated flowers etc. Curb appeal brings them to the door & inside the home.
My house stood out cause the rest had not been painted since built, and the old doors, and plain front yard.
There was homes same as mine, for sale for anywhere from 8 months to 1-1/2 years. Mine sold in 3 weeks. I did dink 6k into it, and mine sold for about 20k more than the others, but also looked nicer.
Ya gotta get them to the door first. Inside was just fresh paint, cleaned carpets, I renovated the lower level powder room and a new stove.
The new buyer wanted new windows and mine had lost the seals & "ghosted". Windows are one of the most expensive updates on a home. There was no way I was going to sink 8-10k on windows.
I took the sashes all out, to the glass shop, and had them replace the double pane glass with new double pain gas injected. Reinstalled the sashes, and they were like new. I could actually see through the windows, that I could not see through since I bought the house. Total cost was about $600.00.

 

[velvetfoot]

Been there. Made me wonder why I didn't do it while I lived there.