The kitchen is a focal point in your home, it’s a place where family and guests gather. So a major remodel should be as much of a lifestyle choice as it is an investment. A good rule of thumb is to keep the cost around 15% of your home value. As for your return, think in terms of recouping your expenses instead of how much can you make. Consider it a victory when you get 100% of your investment back, but most likely, that won’t be the case. 70% +/- of your investment is the more likely scenario.
If you are only doing the updates for resale purposes, the better option would be too deep clean, paint and change the appliances and faucets. Sweat equity is a real plus. For most, cleaning and painting is something they can do, good quality appliances are reasonably priced and relatively easy to replace. Most appliance retailers will deliver and install for a low fee. This kind of updating could see a return of as much as 150% of your investment. With either of these approaches, at the very least your home will likely sell faster and closer to your asking price.
