Selling Your Home? Don’t Forget Tile and Grout Cleaning, Restoration
Like most people in the Midwest, you probably view your home as an investment. When it’s time to sell, you need to get top dollar to help set you up for retirement, or to purchase your next home. And simple enhancements and renovations to your bathrooms and kitchens can help. Especially tile and grout cleaning and restoration.
The old adage that bathrooms and kitchens sell houses is true. Remodeling Magazine has found that paying for simple upgrades in these rooms helps houses sell for more, too. A simple kitchen rehab netted home sellers a 79.3 percent return on investment. And bathroom upgrades netted sellers a 70 percent return on investment.
These figures include things like a fresh coat of paint, new fixtures and new lighting. But many homeowners forget that giving some love to tile and grout can help brighten, freshen and modernize these important rooms.
Professional Tile and Grout Cleaning Goes a Long Way
Even if your grout and tile is in relatively good shape and has been wiped clean, there’s a good chance that it’s showing signs of normal wear and tear — especially in high-traffic areas. And there’s also a good chance that as your grout lines have slowly discolored over time, you’ve forgotten what the looked like new.
Professional tile and grout cleaning is an easy and cost-effective way to get rid of the normal “dinge” that builds up over time. An environmentally friendly solution is used to lift dirt that becomes impacted in porous grout over time. Then, a steam vapor cleaning system removes traffic patterns, and a clear sealant is applied to help protect the joints over time.
And if your tile and grout was restored years ago, the grout can be stained to modernize the look. A penetrating stain ensures that the new color is absorbed throughout the joint. A built-in sealer helps protect it over time, too.
Professional tile and grout cleaning and staining are very cost-effective ways to help potential buyers see your kitchen and bathrooms in their best light.
Consider Fixing Cracked Grout Lines and Tiles
People who are considering buying a house notice every little cosmetic flaw. And small things like cracked tiles or crumbling grout lines can leave them walking away wondering, “what else is wrong with it.”
The good news is that replacing cracked grout and tiles is a fast and cost-effective way to get your home in tip-top shape for showings. Tile replacement is affordable because only the broken ones need to be replaced, and tile contractors can help you track down hard-to-find replacement tiles you need.
Similarly, grout experts are able to replace only the joints that are cracked or damaged, saving time and money. Again, they offer multiple grout colors to match the existing color — or can help track down the right color.
Pay Even More Attention to Your Tub and Tile
Most people don’t realize that caulk should be replaced anywhere from 18 months to 5 years, depending on the quality. It dries out, cracks and stains. And for potential buyers, it can make bathrooms look pretty unattractive.
Even worse, caulk that appears to have mold or mildew on it could make homeowners question whether there’s water damage below the surface. Calling in a caulk expert to cut out the old caulk and install new around the edges of your tubs and showers will get them looking like new again.
And if your bathtub or shower has scratches, streaks and hard water stains that won’t come up, consider tub reglazing. The process is more cost-effective than a tub liner or total replacement. The process takes less than a day, and it leaves tubs looking brand new.
