Under Cabinet Lighting Can Increase Home Value

Last Updated on April 2, 2020 by The Tutor

Can Under Cabinet Lighting Increase Home Value?

Under cabinet lighting can increase home value and is one of the most overlooked home upgrades that a home owner can make. It can change the whole look and feel of your kitchen and everyone knows that kitchens sell homes.

Lighting in general is an area of the home that is an afterthought for most people. They just look at it as a necessity to add light to a room. In the kitchen, it is more than just something needed so you can see what you are eating. Adding under cabinet lighting can increase your home value and is one way to upgrade your kitchen without having to do a full remodel.

under cabinet lighting can increase home value

Benefits of Under Cabinet Lighting

  • Under cabinet lighting can highlight a beautiful backs plash
  • Under cabinet lighting can help to feature your beautiful granite counter tops
  • They can be used as mood lighting in the evening
  • Under cabinet lighting can come in various colors to add a different look and feel
  • Under cabinet lighting can be used with a dimmer for an added dimension
  • Under cabinet lighting can increase home value

Is it Expensive to Install Under Cabinet Lighting?

Under cabinet lighting can be as expensive as you want to make it. You can buy expensive fixtures and also higher an electrician to install them. You can find budget under cabinet lighting options and it is something that you can install yourself if you are comfortable working with electricity. There are also battery operated options. Although they are not going to perform as well, this is a great way to help increase the value of your home with under cabinet lighting while on a budget.

I will provide a tutorial on how to install cabinet lighting very soon.

Under Cabinet Lighting Increases Your Kitchen’s Value

When I finished my kitchen remodel, we were happy with the new cabinets, the granite and the wood look tile floors. However, what brought it all together and what gets the “wow” factor is the under cabinet lighting.

Under Cabinet Lighting Can Help Your Home Sell Fast

Twenty years ago, we were thinking of selling our first home. We knew that the kitchen was out dated and although we did not want to do a full kitchen remodel, we definitely wanted to give it a bit of a face lift. I removed the cabinet doors and hardware and painted it all and then added new hardware. I changed the counter to something inexpensive, changed the sink and then added under cabinet lighting.

It was the lighting that by far made the kitchen pop. When we were selling the home, we flipped the under cabinet lights on before buyers would walk through and we got so many comments about the lighting. The house sold so fast that we were not prepared and had to stay in temporary housing until we found our new home.

Important Things to Consider

Although installing under cabinet lighting can increase the value of your home, you cannot just throw any fixture underneath and go to the bank to cash the check. Like anything else, you have to do it right.

  • Choose the right fixtures
  • Make sure you are using a light temperature that matches the other lights in your kitchen
  • Place the under cabinet light fixtures strategically

Selecting the correct lighting and planning out your under cabinet lighting design is critical. You will need to decide whether you are going with pucks, rope lighting, tape lighting or LED mounted fixtures. All of them have various features and benefits and pros and cons. I will be taking you through the under cabinet lighting selection process and also the full install in another article soon.

Will Your Home Value Increase?

I am a huge proponent of adding lighting strategically to your home. I also am very clear above that I believe under cabinet lighting will increase your home value. However, there is no dollar value that you can truly attach to that.

What I will promise you is that your kitchen will look much better and since kitchens are one of the aspects of the home that help them to sell, then adding the lighting absolutely is critical.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas or at least some information that will help you the next time you have to purchase a simple light bulb or if you are planning a bigger project at home. I look forward to your comments and feedback below.

Related Questions

Is under cabinet lighting expensive?
Under cabinet lighting if done right is not super cheap but it will bring much more value than what you pay for them. If you install yourself, you will probably spend about $300 for an average sized kitchen.

Is it hard to wire under cabinet lighting?
No, it is not hard, but it takes some planning. I am the type of person who likes to take a lot of time to plan. I think about projects for a while and mentally put it together over and over again. Then, when I am ready to do it the process goes quickly. Here is a link to an under cabinet lighting install video https://youtu.be/74TfR8mmNHA

Can I use battery operated under cabinet lights?
Yes, you can absolutely go with the battery operated wireless under cabinet lighting. That would not be my first choice, but it is better to install these than nothing at all.

Will painting my kitchen cabinets bring down value of my home?

Painting your kitchen cabinets can help with the value of our home or kitchen but only if the job is done right. If it looks like you painted them yourself, then you could actually hurt your home value. If you plan to paint your cabinets, I recommend light sanding first after removing the doors and the use many light coats of spray paint.

How much does a kitchen remodel add to the value of your home?
Kitchens bring more value than just about anything else in the home. If you are to remodel your kitchen, you will get a good portion of that back when you sell the home.  However, the money you put into the kitchen needs to be appropriate based upon the current value of the home and the neighborhood. For example, you would not want to spend $35k for a kitchen in a home that is only worth $100k.

Does outdoor lighting improve the value of the home?
The purpose of outdoor lighting is to highlight exterior features of your home at night and also for security.  Outdoor lighting is a good thing, but you need to have an exterior worth illuminating. This includes the home as well as the landscaping.

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