Randy Ricciotti of Custom Design & Construction, in Los Angeles, says that his clients want a spa experience in the master bath, with multiple showerheads and steam. One of the company’s projects reflects a trend seen on both coasts: baths with both a soaking tub and a glass shower enclosure.

Photo Credit: courtesy Custom Design & Construction

Realtors on both coasts say that clients want houses with updated kitchens and baths. “Everyone values an upgrade,” says Realtor Leslie Chaput with Re/Max, in Hartford, Conn. “They think they will be inconvenienced by a remodel. If the kitchen or bath is [already] done [when they buy the house], people feel they have gotten value for their money.”

Judy Anderson, a broker associate at Insight Real Estate, in Sacramento, Calif., says that her clients are making offers on houses that have newer kitchens with granite countertops. She says that because home prices are lower now, buyers prefer to purchase a house that is complete. “In the $300,000 to $400,000 range, they do not want to do anything [to the home] — they want it all [to be already done]. The husband and wife are working, are busy with their family life, and do not want to remodel,” Anderson says. “Only investors are buying fixer-uppers, and they are in a much lower price range.”

In San Francisco, Jeannie Anderson, with Pacific Union Real Estate, says that first-time buyers prefer updated kitchens because the lack the extra money, time, or know-how to take on a big project. In fact, Lois E. Ireland, associate broker with Prudential Verani Realty, in Nashua, N.H., says that she has noticed a shift in homeowners’ repair skills. “I don’t know if it’s because of the technical revolution, but people do not seem to have the know-how or talent to upgrade. They even expect a bank-owned house or foreclosure to have an upgraded kitchen.”

“Seems like everyone wants a home that is in great shape,” agrees Andy Cochran, senior associate at Lang McLaughry Spera, in South Burlington, Vt., who says that his clients, regardless of age, are seeking homes that are ready for immediate occupancy.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and homeowners prefer open kitchens for social interaction. In this loft project, remodeler Kevin Wallace removed a wall between the living and dining rooms and the kitchen. The popularity of stainless steel appliances is a continuing trend.

Photo Credit: courtesy Wallace Remodeling

Personal Value

For homeowners who do renovate, remodelers say that most wait until they have been in the house for at least five years before they embark on remodeling projects. Kevin Wallace, president of Wallace Remodeling, in San Francisco, says that his clients remodel based on personal taste and long-term investment not short-term resale. Due to the uncertainty in the market, homeowners are staying in their homes longer than expected, so they want a quality remodel.

In the Sacramento, Calif., area where Chris Lattuada, president of B-Line Construction works, the kitchen and bath market is down a little. “Most of the time people are doing the project because they have the need or desire. They are not trying to raise the value of the house,” he says. “Upper-end clients don’t want to throw money away, but they know what they want and are willing to wait to get the return. If an upscale bath returns 70 cents on the dollar, if the property value goes up 2% to 3% per year, they have value back in seven years.”

Because clients are staying in their homes longer, Wade Freitag, a remodeler in Portland, Ore., has found that clients are more focused on kitchen and bath remodels, which provide his business with steady work. His company, Craftsman Design and Renovation, specializes in preserving the architectural style of homes built from 1900 to 1920 and, he says, his clients are focused on doing the projects correctly. “It’s not always upscale, it’s a more educational mindset. They’ve found that special house and they want to do it right with quality above quantity.” Many of these remodels involve expanding the kitchen and adding a powder room to the main floor.

Almost all of Los Angeles–based Custom Design & Construction’s projects involve a kitchen or bath. Vice president of design, Samantha Thompson, says that although the work is still steady, most clients are more budget-conscious compared with a year ago. Vice president Randy Ricciotti says that clients are interested in projects that will be reflected in the property profile listing. “Here, the real estate market is very sensitive to bed and bath counts. Upgrading from a three-bedroom, two-bath house to a four-bedroom, three-bath — that is where they increase the value of the house, sometimes more than the cost of the remodel,” he says. Even when a room is added specifically for use as a den or office, the designers include a closet so it can be listed as a bedroom.

Increasing square footage is key in the midrange market in his area, says remodeler Jay Riordan. “A room addition still pans out for the MLS listing; it does not adjust that much for a brand new kitchen,” says the president of Dream Design Builders, in San Diego. Realtors often ask Riordan to meet with their clients to provide input on remodeling costs for a new master suite or room addition with a kitchen. “The [homeowners] take those figures into consideration when making an offer,” the remodeler says.

Ireland sees some downsizing in her New Hampshire market, especially amongst buyers 55-and-over, who no longer want to maintain large yards, instead preferring to move into the city of Manchester for proximity to restaurants and entertainment.

In kitchens, Ricciotti says he has seen a move toward painted cabinetry, often white, or a mixing of finishes. In countertops, clients are moving from granite to quartz, with some loft owners choosing industrial-looking finishes such as concrete.

Photo Credit: courtesy Custom Design & Construction

Improvement Range

Most remodelers and Realtors say that even minor upgrades such as a new kitchen countertop, new appliances, and fresh paint have a strong payback when selling a house. And the new appliances need not be top-of-the-line. “[Even midprice appliances] in stainless will end up paying off,” Cochran says.

“You get your returns even in this bad market as long as you are careful,” says Judy Anderson. In her Sacramento market, she says that re-facing or replacing cabinets, or installing granite countertops, new hardwood flooring, and $10,000 worth of appliances does not provide a return unless the house is in the $1 million range.

“Putting in a Jacuzzi in a lower-priced home might be over-remodeling,” Ireland agrees.

But Chaput says that is not the case in Hartford. “Even if kitchens and baths are over-the-top in lower-end houses, they sell the house,” she says. “Sometimes just one or two things that are over-the-top can get attention or sell a home.”

For example, Cochran in Vermont, says that a custom concrete countertop in an ordinary kitchen can transform the space, making it stand out. “People are looking for something different,” he says. “The cabinets may not be special, but adding a nice countertop and decent appliances makes quite a difference in overall appeal.”

Tight property lines in San Francisco often make it impossible to add on to the home, and most houses do not have basements, Jeannie Anderson says, so owners tend to invest more in kitchens and baths.

High-end kitchens and baths are also popular in Boston, says Ed Sullivan, vice president of Coldwell Banker residential brokerage in that city. “One of the strengths of the Boston market is the super-educated, super-wealthy, fairly young clients downtown,” he says. “The Back Bay and South End neighborhoods have been resilient with a 3% to 6% increase in pricing since last year.” Condominium and row-house homeowners want kitchens equipped with Wolf, Sub-Zero, or Viking appliances. “Even if they do not cook, they want the impact of this type of setup,” Sullivan says.

Kitchen Trends

Today’s buyers continue to embrace open kitchens. “People realize that no matter how big or small the kitchen, everyone wants to gather there,” Riordan says. And for Thompson’s clients, most of whom are families, “the kitchen is the heart of the home.”

But, according to Chaput, open rooms are not just popular with families. “Empty-nesters want to talk to each other and entertain,” she says. “An open room makes more space for a big crowd or works for just two people,” and, she adds, open spaces make small houses feel larger.

Also, because people are entertaining and cooking at home more, Ireland says, they want a large kitchen/entertainment center with an open floor plan.

Remodeler Lattuada points out that in houses built during the 1950s to the 1970s, the kitchen was an isolated space. “We open it to the family room to create a ‘great room,’” he says. The design usually includes an island or peninsula with seating to delineate the two spaces. These multipurpose rooms also often include an office or desk and laundry area.

For Sullivan, “it’s not just the count of the rooms, but how they work,” that is important. Whether it is contemporary condominiums or traditional brownstones, the kitchen must relate to the living space.

But open plans don’t suit everyone. Jeannie Anderson says that her clients, especially high-end buyers, are not comfortable with open planning. “They do not want to have the kitchen totally exposed to the formal foyer or out in the open with formal living spaces,” she says. Freitag, too, says that open kitchens do not fit with the period homes that are his speciality. “If anything, we correct the mistakes done in vintage homes that make them look remodeled,” he says.

Finishes Line

When it comes to cabinet choices, there is a broad range of finish trends. “Stained, glazed maple is popular, and some cherry,” Lattuada says. “And we still have people who like alder with a distressed cherry stain or a glaze finish.” Cochran says that cabinet finish preferences among his clients span the range from white and biscuit to maple and dark cherry.

This master suite designed by B-Line Construction has subtle accessible features including a curbless shower.

Photo Credit: courtesy B-Line Construction

In his San Diego market, remodeler Riordan is seeing less glazing and more dark cabinetry finishes, while in San Francisco, Wallace says that his clients don’t exhibit a strong preference, selecting both light and dark stains. But he has noticed that cherry and walnut are replacing maple.

European-style cabinetry works well in contemporary spaces, Sullivan says, and is popular for high-end homes in Boston. “Cherry works there, too, but not dark stains,” he adds.

On the West Coast, in Los Angeles, Thompson’s clients are choosing painted cabinetry, often mixing two styles or finishes in one kitchen.

Kitchen countertop trends are more limited. Stone is still king, with granite at the top of the list. Sullivan says that the quality and type of stone depends on the target market. “Granite at one time was a ‘wow’ [material]. But now, even lower-end developers put in granite — it might just be a mass-market stone,” he says. “In a high-end kitchen, you might have honed white marble.”

But more homeowners are also selecting quartz or concrete countertops. Lattuada says that in choosing between quartz and granite, B-Line Construction’s clients are making their selection based less on price and more on what they like: Those who like random patterns choose granite; those who want a more consistent look select quartz.

Ricciotti says that Custom Design & Construction’s clients are shifting away from granite to quartz, but that clients in the entertainment, arts, and fashion business who are moving into downtown lofts want more industrial-looking finishes such as concrete.

As for appliances, stainless steel has remained in top place and is available at all price points, though some remodelers say that black and white appliances are making a comeback.

Bath Time

Both Realtors and remodelers say that homeowners spend more time and money enlarging and furnishing the master bath than other bathrooms in the house, with many wanting to imitate the look of spas or hotels. “People expect the master bath to be special,” Cochran says. “If you have something custom in the other baths, that’s a bonus, but it’s not necessary.”

“Baths with beautiful large stone-look tiles, rimless shower doors, and natural colors are good investments,” Realtor Chaput says. “A bath should be neutral enough so that an owner can redecorate without changing out the entire bathroom.”

In her market, Sacramento Realtor Judy Anderson says, the best-selling homes are those with at least two bathrooms. “With a two-story home, buyers prefer a third full bath downstairs,” she says.

And remodeler Lattuada, also in Sacramento, says that the driving force behind his baby-boomer clients’ desire for a full entry-level bath is to prepare for one or both elderly parents moving in. “They want a second master suite on the entry level with an accessible bath,” he says.

Across the country, most homeowners are willing to add on to the house to make room for a master bath or to increase the size of an existing bath, and, in some cases, will take space from an existing bedroom to do so. Freitag says that the older homes he typically works on have just one bath, and his clients are willing to give up an extra bedroom to add a master bath and dressing area. “It is highly coveted in a vintage house, for resale purposes,” he says.

For Realtor Ireland, in New Hampshire, houses with two versus three bedrooms are not as desirable, especially as homeowners want an extra bedroom for a home office. “The typical best-selling American home has three bedrooms,” she says. “If you take a third bedroom and make a palatial bath, then you need a particular buyer.”

Most remodelers say that their clients want a separate tub and shower, with a frameless glass enclosure for the shower.

In addition, Thompson and Ricciotti say that popular features among Custom Design & Construction’s clients include: steam, multiple showerheads, and benches. At Wallace Remodeling, some clients are requesting fully tiled bathrooms with no-threshold showers and furniture-look vanities — either with legs or mounted to the wall. Wallace has also installed three $4,000 bidet/toilets with remote controls.

Riordan says that, of all the rooms in the house, he has found that clients are most excited about remodeling the master bath.