When most homeowners think about making some quality-of-life changes to their homes, they’re often quick to jump right into the action, blissfully ignorant and bursting with enthusiasm, fuelled by their daydreams of a life-changing feature that will solve all of their problems.
Unfortunately, it often doesn’t work out that way in the end. All too often, homeowners pour their hard-earned savings into features that wind up being underused, left to die a slow, painful death, or, at worst, wind up opening a can of worms that cause headaches for years to come.
If you’re thinking about adding a little extra flavour to your humble abode, but want to steer clear of the most overrated home improvements, then you’re in the right place. So, without any further ado, here is a quick guide to three home improvements that homeowners often regret.
Swimming Pool
It might seem luxurious at first, the idea of waking up and doing a few lengths of your back garden pool, relaxing in the steamy water on a cold winter day, or being the ultimate party host for friends and family when summer rolls around.
But this excitement often fades away as soon as the long-term responsibilities become clear. The sheer amount of maintenance that pools need is absolutely astronomical. To have ultrapure water, you’ll need chemical cleaners, filtration systems, the right equipment, and regular enough upkeep that will consistently drain your bank account on a monthly basis.
And that’s before factoring in how much use your hypothetical swimming pool will actually get. In most cooler climates, the overwhelming majority of pools are practically abandoned for the majority of the year.
On top of that, there are a few safety concerns. You’ll need to pay additional insurance expenses and make sure that you meet local government regulations and protect guests, especially if they are children.
If you love swimming and are properly prepared for the commitments, then a pool might still be worth it. But for most of us, they aren’t worth splashing the cash.
A Walk-In Wardrobe
The idea of turning a spare, unused bedroom into a walk-in wardrobe might seem like a practical solution. For fashion lovers, especially, I can appreciate the appeal that a custom dressing room, filled with purpose-built shelves and racks that showcase your collection, might have. Especially if you’re a clean and tidy type who prefers to have everything in the right place.
But the glass shatters for most home renovators when realisation dawns that they’ve sacrificed one of the most valuable features of their home: a bedroom. You see, bedrooms play an enormous role in determining the value of a house, so if you delete one of those, then you can expect to see your resale value plummet.
Customised Built-Ins
‘What’s a built-in?’ I hear you ask. Well, it can be a few different things, as long as they’re built directly into the house itself. Imagine a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf built into the wall, for instance, or an elaborate entertainment system with a wall-mounted TV with in-built slots for various boxes and consoles beneath.
These can look great. Super polished. Perfect for you right now. But then, five years go by. Hobbies change. Fashion changes. And all of a sudden, your entire living room is an undeniable eyesore that’ll cost thousands to fix.
What’s more, your home’s resale price could also take a hit, especially if prospective buyers are factoring in the renovation work they’ll need to pay for, just to undo what you did. In the long term, flexible furniture that can keep up with the times and your preferences is almost always better.
Closing Thoughts
Home improvements should be just that: improvements. Don’t saddle yourself with spiralling costs, unused features, or a renovation that can tank your resale price.
