If you can only choose one, most people will tell you: upgrade the kitchen first, unless your bathroom is in truly terrible shape. The kitchen is where families spend a surprising amount of time – cooking, chatting, kids doing homework on the counter, guests hanging around. It’s also a big visual anchor in photos when you list the property online.
A tired kitchen with broken cabinets, dark corners and old appliances can drag down the overall impression of the whole home. On the other hand, a clean, updated kitchen makes buyers and visitors feel like “this place is well maintained,” even if other areas are fairly simple.
However, there are exceptions. If your bathroom has constant leaks, mould, broken tiles or poor ventilation, fixing that becomes a health and daily comfort issue. In that case, sort the bathroom first. Nobody enjoys starting and ending their day in a depressing bathroom.
So, ask yourself two questions:
- Where do you personally feel the biggest pain every day – cooking or bathing?
- Which space looks worse in photos or to a visitor?
- In most normal cases, the kitchen upgrade wins round one, and the bathroom becomes phase two.
