I'm assisting my stepdad in selling a house, and I came across a bit of a dilemma with the kitchen cabinets. They have real wood drawers from '92, but unfortunately, many of the drawer faces got damaged by his son playing with a new set of tools. The damage isn't exactly appealing for potential buyers! I'm wondering if my best bet would be to just replace the drawer faces from Home Depot and do a little DIY fix. Or, is it better to go all out and redo the entire kitchen? Here's a look at the damage: [https://imgur.com/a/HSudmcS](https://imgur.com/a/HSudmcS)
3 Answers
It really depends on your local market. But honestly, it might not be worth your time or money to fix those drawers. Most buyers might prefer to redo the kitchen themselves anyway. That said, you could consider remounting the drawer fronts if the mounting holes allow for it; it could improve the look without too much hassle.
If you're not planning on replacing the whole kitchen, it’s probably not worth bothering with those damaged faces. A lot of the time, homebuyers are looking for updated layouts, and it’s unlikely a few new drawer fronts will dramatically change that.
In my experience, a house with well-maintained original wood is more appealing than one with cheap new cabinets. If you're able to sand down what you have and possibly stain them, it might be worth it! It gives the impression that the home has been cared for, which can be a big plus. Just keep in mind that some repairs are going to be needed, especially if the current fixes are not so great.