Paint, polish or panic?

Fresh paint, a weekend reno or a quick landscaping spruce-up can feel like smart, value-adding moves when you’re preparing to sell a home. But in today’s market, not all DIY is created equal, and some well-intentioned projects can quietly erode value rather than enhance it. With buyers increasingly savvy, time-poor and focused on quality, the difference between a clever cosmetic upgrade and a costly misstep has never mattered more. So, what are the dos and don’ts that can potentially boost your property’s value when it comes time to sell and what are the upgrades best left to the professionals?

Property coach Ilse Wolfe from Wolfe Property Coaching has renovated and sold plenty of homes over the past two decades and now teaches others how to successfully do the same. She says the most lucrative DIY can come from the simplest of jobs.

“In my experience, the best DIY aspects are usually in the finishes. If it’s truly DIY, as in you’re using your own hands, then that’s things like painting, gardening and landscaping.”

Wolfe says painting is probably the most cost-effective of them all.

“If you want to jump on the paintbrush yourself, a fresh coat of paint inside or out is one of the best ways to get dollars back and if you also have the ability to plaster and gib stop, then that will save you a lot of money too.”

She says there’s a trade-off however, which is your time.

“You have to figure out what’s more valuable to you. Most people are already working full time, so you’ll be spending every other hour of your day painting.”

“You might save $5000 - $15,000 depending on the size of your home, but you could have a professional come in and they could get it done much quicker especially if you have a tight deadline on your sale.”

Another project that makes a big difference is tidying up your section.

“An example of this is a client of mine who bought a rundown duplex in Hastings, which was really overgrown. The moment we got there, we decided to hack a lot of the overgrown trees back.”

“It uncovered several extra square meters of lawn and enhanced the back area. It honestly looked like we had added 20% to the overall size of the property.”

Wolfe says removing the less attractive features of your home can go a long way, and if you’re able to, you should fix as many “fiddly” things as possible.

“But know that it can take up your time, and if you were to pay a professional handyman for that, the cost per hour can be so high you may not recoup that cost.”

WHAT ARE THE COMMON MISTAKES VENDORS MAKE?

Wolfe says there’s a few easy mistakes people can make during the DIY process.

“There are three areas where people can get it wrong, and the first is around non-compliance with regulated work.”

“So, if you're a seller and you're not a builder or a sparky that would be the biggest risk, as you don’t have any exposure to the building code or regulations and won’t know whether it should be to a certain spec or not.”

Wolfe says the second risk factor is how well you finish the job.

“This could be around flooring or tidying up what is in the most obvious line of sight. If you haven’t plastered or painted a wall before, the finished product may not be up to standard.”

“You need to already have the skill, have someone mentoring you, or be able to educate yourself through things like YouTube tutorials because those tasks can actually be really hard and take hours to finesse. You can’t just decide to launch into it and expect it to look like a professional has done it.”

Especially since what may look good to one person, may look poor to another.

“In these cases, the standard of final results can be really subjective too.”

Wolfe says the third mistake that people can make is doing unnecessary DIY in the first place.

“You should always check with your agent before doing any projects, they will be able to guide you with what will genuinely translate into a higher price when selling. People go wrong when they assume that all projects will add value, without asking the professionals first.”

“Good real estate agents will help you to understand sales comparisons and what improvements will get you the most return on your investment.”

CAN I RENOVATE JUST ONE PART OF THE HOUSE?

Wolfe says you can, but there’s always a risk that the rest of the areas won’t match.

“As a buyer with fresh eyes, they’re going to see a poor finish or if the paint looks worn or if you have painted one room for a particular reason. Maybe your kid's room was painted blue, so you changed it back to white to match the rest of the house, but that new white is going to stand out from the rest.”

She says that can then trigger what’s known as the ‘Diderot effect’.

“Which is when you upgrade one aspect, and it suddenly makes everything else look old, so people keep upgrading and find it impossible to stop.”

“One of the biggest questions then becomes - when do you draw the line? That’s when you need advice from your real estate agent because you don’t want to inflate your expectations believing that doing all that work will equate to dollars - especially in this market which has been flat for quite some time.”

IS DIY DIFFERENT FOR HIGH-END VERSUS MID-RANGE HOMES?

Wolfe says buyers’ standards will be very different at different ends of the market.

“I attended an event at a home in Takapuna Beach in one of the most high-valued properties on the beachfront. The owner just finished a renovation with completely bespoke materials.”

“The beautiful brass hardware on the kitchen joinery, the footing of the island, and a custom atrium wall where they brought in an international artist to render a specific pattern with the plaster finish all added to the luxury feel of the house.

She says the owner made these choices because they understand that homes in the $25 million bracket need truly standout features with genuine impact.

“Buyers at that level expect bespoke full marble vanities, so doing what is appropriate for that future buyer is key. But in a lower end or mid-range home those materials will be completely out of place. Knowing your buyer demographic and audience is key.”

ARE THERE ANY RENOS YOU SHOULD AVOID DOING YOURSELF?

Wolfe says anything that requires specialist skills or a qualification should be avoided as it’s likely to be difficult and very dangerous.

“A buyer is going to run their due diligence and that would uncover any inconsistencies between a LIM report, what's on file, and what’s on site.”

“There are lots of potential risks. I also think it would be a little bit concerning if you weren't an electrician and decided to do the work based on some YouTube videos!”

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE MARKET?

Wolfe says the market plays a huge part in DIY and renovation decisions.

“If you're upgrading it’s important to look at the sales in your area and make sure that the level you’re renovating to is similar to what you're seeing in that price bracket in other houses.”

“In a hot market, you definitely have more freedom and flexibility to spend a bit more and hire in the professionals which can cost a lot more. But in a cooler market, you’re probably more likely to set yourself a maximum budget to get the cosmetic things fixed up so that you can recoup more of that cost when you sell.”

WHAT RED FLAGS DO BUYERS LOOK FOR?

Often a builder will come to inspect a property before someone purchases it, and Wolfe says a starting point is looking at the structure of the roof.

“There are different types of roof structures. Certain walls are holding up the roof, and some can be cosmetic or non-structural, so they'll be looking to see how that structure sits and what the wall layouts below marry up to.”

“This is where DIY can go wrong if you don’t have a proper understanding. I’ve walked through many places where walls have been pulled out where they shouldn’t have been in order to create a more open plan room but as soon as a professional spots that it could reduce your sales price.”

Wolfe says if any DIY also stands out amongst a backdrop of an older home, that can also signal that something isn’t quite right either.

Ultimately, the goal of DIY before selling isn’t to showcase how handy you are, it’s to help buyers see potential without distraction. The most effective upgrades are those that quietly elevate a home’s appeal, reduce friction in the decision-making process and allow purchasers to imagine themselves living there from day one.

By focusing on finish, functionality and first impressions and knowing when to bring in the experts, homeowners can approach DIY with confidence, protect their assets, and step into the sales process with a property that feels well cared for, considered and ready to impress.

DIY CHECKLIST:

DO:

● Get guidance from your real estate agent.

● Focus on quality finishes where they matter most.

● Boost street appeal with low-cost effort: tidy gardens, trim overgrowth and create a clean, welcoming first impression.

● Use qualified tradespeople (even via trusted friends) for work that requires expertise or certification.

● Fix all visible maintenance issues before listing to remove buyer hesitation.

DON’T:

● Attempt any regulated or consent-required work without the proper qualifications.

● Remove walls or structural elements without professional advice - safety and compliance come first.

● Over-capitalise with high-end finishes that your local market won’t pay a premium for.

● Upgrade one element in isolation if it highlights the age or condition of surrounding features.