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I have the exact same question we have put a chair rail in the kitchen dinning room and crown in the living room and the hall way it looks wonderful. I know that it will help with selling but what does it do for increased value we used Oak and stained it red oak.
I think that moldings give the perceived notion of value in most homes from the 1950's and sooner. Most buyers would like to have moldings. I would choose the crown moldings over chair moldings. Chair molding can sometimes dictate a country style and you don't want to reduce the pool of buyers. Keep cost in mind though. Not every room needs molding. Be selective in choosing the molding and where to place it.
I should have also mentioned that the above photo I posted was from a 2007 built house..
We have a chair rail in our formal dining room. We painted over the old wall paper. Using an old based primer and then water based paint in the colors we desired. The top half is a light gold and the bottom is a slightly darker color. By using a more modern rug under the dining table which is a blondish color and slightly modern in design it doesn't look county at all. The drapery is also more of a transitional design. You can work with your colors and furnishings, as well as your accessories to determine your style.
I should have added, do what you like and it will turn out the best. You can't go wrong with moulding as long as you are careful as stated by Happy Owner above.
The question still remains....Does it increase the value of the house? Thanks everyone for your thoughts.
I'd say yes. I think it gives buyers a notion of value. I see many buyers who are really in love with the aesthetics & the details, which influences their buying decision. I think it offers more appeal than houses without it.
Good luck to you.
here is a pic of our mill work that we did ourselves- very cheap-we used the cheapest baseboards to trim out the windows... the chair rail is a bit more expensive.. to do a faux picture frame under the chair rail is very cheap- just thin trim nailed on in a box- we did our dining room with chair rail and picture frame trim for about 100 bucks...
Buyers who like detail might give the house a closer look. Appraisers just class it under trimwork and give it a grade...good...average, etc.
I think adding trim to a home definitely adds value. I had a bathroom and kitchen remodeled last year, and as an afterthought my contractor suggested I include the moldings in my hallway and entryway. What a difference! It's very cheap to do, and makes the house look so much more substanial and better built. It's one of the cheapest, changes I made, and one of my favorites.
I think adding trim to a home definitely adds value. I had a bathroom and kitchen remodeled last year, and as an afterthought my contractor suggested I include the moldings in my hallway and entryway. What a difference! It's very cheap to do, and makes the house look so much more substanial and better built. It's one of the cheapest, changes I made, and one of my favorites.
I would hope that good, well installed, porportionate and appropriate mouldings would add value. Im not in the business of estimating a homes worth, but I am in the business of making a home look and feel good. Mouldings, I think above all other interior finsihes, are my favorite. They instantly tailor a space, they make it feel clean, finished and permanent. However, there are situations where mouldins are, in my opinion, inappropriate. If the style of architecture conflicts with traditional moulding, dont do it. If you have asymmetrically vaulted ceilings or other wonkie wall conditions- dont do it. In all other situations- do it.
Personally, if I were to choose between purchasing the same house- one with good and appropriate moulding throughout and one without moulding (all other things the same), I would probably be willing to spend about 7,000-10,000 dollars more for the home with the moulding- maybe even more if the moulding was absolutley gorgeous or natural wood with dark stain (talk about expensive as mouldings go- but beautiful!). Im talking thick crown, thick base, good door and window casings, good fireplace surrounds and mantles, and paneling or wainscoting and chair rails in appropriate areas (hall ways, dining rooms, entry), and other architectural mouldings appropriate to the home.
I am maybe not the norm, since I would install moulding anyway if it werent there and I know how much it costs to "trick out" a home with moulding. (and yes, i do refer to awesome moulding as "tricking out"- I really do adore it).
Invest in crowns. Chair rails in the dining room are nice if you have a traditional or colonial home. Any other style will be too personal to appeal to the masses. Keep it simple. Use white since it's chepaer and appeals to more buyers - and can be modern or traditionally interpreted. Make sure the molding is in keeping with the home's architecutre and proportionally sized to the rooms. Large homes with whimpy base boards and moldings look ridiculously cheap. Small homes with overscaled moldings look silly.
It increases the value in that the home looks more well-cared for and finished. Don't do something very expensive or very custom. Keep it simple so it appeals to most buyers.
Yes, you would contact a finished carpentry contractor.
I would be more likely to buy a house with moldings that fit the style of the house. To me it shows that their is craftmanship in the home, plus as you cane see in the above pictures, it is drop dead gorgeous. The one treatment I am not fond of is beadboard wainscoating. Just too country for my tastes.
I personally have an old craftsman home where the finish carpentry is pretty impressive. With that said, the whole house has mouldings. Every single room EXCEPT for the kitchen and half bathroom off the kitchen has crown moulding. I believe this never got crown moulding due to the fact that the home may have had a butler however it does not have it. The kitchen is a substantial size and when we remodel it we will likely add the period details such as crown moulding. The moulding around windows and doors are not detailed either in the half bath off the kitchen, in the kitchen, and in the bedrooms, they are simple. The dining room and great room have built ins and coiffered ceilings and crown mouldings nad a fireplace and a chair rail in the dining room with detailed mouldings around the doors and windows. The chair rail does not have the picture frame type moulding under it in the dining room although I have considered it when I remodel in there. My belief overall, is essentially as what has already been posted. Keep it neutral and with the period of the home. Do not overdo it with very large ornate moulding in a small room or informal room. I disagree with most who says to just do it but do it cheaply. I would suggest starting with the rooms you most entertain in or walk into...the most public areas and make those detailed with quality trimwork. That is good lumber, middle of the line or better. This will be the most notable details in your home aside from a standout kitchen.
Crown mouldings and other trim details to add value. I would agree... make sure the moldings aren't too big or too small. Scale is very important. I charge about $2.50 per running foot of crown moulding to install. However that is new construction. I would estimate a 12' x 12' room around $250 for labor only. Call you local builder's association or stop by a new home being built....
When you ask for your quote on the work make sure to specify stain grade or paint grade. If it's paint there's more wiggle room in the carpentry. Every cut has to be exact on the stain grade work. Adds a lot of time to the job and extra material as well. If you put a scratch in stain grade work you can't paint it all better!
I was using the more common Paint Grade estimate. Add about 15-20% more time with stain grade.
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Chair rail and crown molding
skydiver33
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Would installing crown molding and a chair rail increase the value at all in a house.
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