Final Touches for a BRRRR - Range Hood, Central AC, GFCI Outlets

[Darryl H.]

Happy New Year to everyone! I recently closed on my first home purchase last November. It is a duplex in North Linden (growing C neighborhood) and I plan to cashout refi towards the end of the year. I am doing a full cosmetic renovation - interior paint, new bathroom, new kitchen. 

I have the option right now to try to add a ductless range hood. The attached picture shows the range is in a corner by itself with the doorbell above it directly in the middle. This sounds like it could be an expensive installation. I might need to relocate the door bell and need a new outlet up there. Maybe we can run an extension cord behind the wall down to the lower outlet.

I was thinking a range hood with a new floating cabinet could work there and a hole can be cut to place the cabinet over the door bell. My contractor said a new cabinet might not match the other cabinets we painted over. I also see wall mount range hoods like . I think this would look better, but it would require the door bell to be relocated. 

Would mismatched cabinets affect my appraisal value? Is this worth the additional costs for relocating the door bell and a new outlet? Maybe a range hood would look awkward in this corner, would that affect my appraisal value? I am really just prioritizing the appraisal value, I would appreciate any of your thoughts on this decision!   :)

[Mike Hasson]

Some good questions and I understand the long list of items on an inspection report can seem overwhelming at times but let's try to look at the big picture, and as you mentioned, for you that is the appraisal value.

Adding AC is always nice, but if it doesn't add enough value to recoup, then doesn't make sense, as an investor, to add; do the comps that you look at have central ac? if yes, then to reach that comp you'd probably want it, but if none of the comps do, it might be prudent to skip it. You can apply that principle to pretty much everything to determine your ARV.

Handrails are easy to install and safety concerns are real.

Mismatched cabinets are unlikely to affect appraisal. Broken cabinets might. 

I've never seen an appraiser check for GFCIs, but an inspector 100% will. Check out this short article on the differences between appraisers and inspectors

Speaking of GFCI's yes they are a safety feature and of course you want everything to be safe I commend that... but then you want to drop an extension cord behind a wall?! Perhaps you miss the irony in that that is a fire hazard waiting to happen.  Whether you mean inside the wall cavity, or permanently fixed down the wall, the concern is the same. Please, do not do that.

If you do choose to add a hood, I suggest you do it correctly (via an electrician). Whether or not the hood will add to your ARV is debatable. Also, a ductless hood would serve little purpose as that is a gas line in the picture. Gas combustion creates poisonous carbon monoxide which should be vented to the exterior, so you'd also need HVAC. A ductless vent would be more appropriate for an electric stove.

Anytime there is gas combustion in a home, please  at least make sure there is working carbon monoxide alarms present!

If it were me, I'd look into getting that switched for electric and installing the hood. That would be the safest way to bring it up to a modern standard. And since an electrician is already doing in there, moving the doorbell might not take the pro but a few moments, I wouldn't be concerned about that.