Repair or Replace Decisions

When there is something wrong with your kitchen, you have a decision to make: Should you simply repair the problem or replace your kitchen entirely? Oftentimes, the answer is more complicated than you might think.

Repairing something broken — such as a damaged wall, a scratched or stained countertop, or cracked floor tiles — probably is the less expensive option in the short run. But when things start to break down in your aging kitchen, it often has a domino effect.

Repair Overload

Spending money on short term repairs is often a case of throwing good money after bad. When one single part of your kitchen starts to break down, it’s often an indication that your kitchen is getting old and worn. So other parts of your kitchen likely will follow on the repair list.

Once you pay good money to repair a stove, a sink, a wall, or a floor, you probably will find yourself spending even more money on additional repairs. And pretty soon the sum total that you spend on your kitchen repairs can far exceed what you would have paid for a kitchen replacement in the first place.

A Better Option

Kitchen renovations are often a better solution than individual repairs, especially in older homes with aging kitchens. Not only can they offer more value in the long run, but they also can make your home worth more when you are finally ready to sell. In some instances, they can even pay for themselves at the final sale price of your house.

When buyers are looking at your home, they want to see a new, modern kitchen, not an old one with a patchwork of repairs. So rather than paying for repair project after repair project, consider an overall kitchen renovation. It often makes the best financial sense.