4 min readWhether you’re fixing up a house with the intent to flip it or making upgrades to your forever home, there’s always some consideration as to whether certain renovations or DIY projects will provide a good return on investment for your time and financial investment.
Most people know projects like a pool or overly personalized renovations are considered risky investments and can even have a negative ROI. Other projects, like kitchens and bathrooms, often have higher payoffs when it comes time to relist your home. After selling my third fixer-upper, I finally noticed a pattern: the projects prospective buyers appreciated most, and that added the most value, were built-ins.
Here’s how I’ve used built-ins to add value to my homes, why experts say homebuyers consistently gravitate toward them, and how you can incorporate built-ins into your space.
Why Prospective Buyers Value Storage
There’s no such thing as too much storage, and built-ins add a timeless look that immediately adds value and functionality to a home. They’re also easier to DIY than most beginners realize, especially if you use preassembled cabinets.
“The keys to creating great storage are maximizing valuable square footage that would otherwise be dead space, utilizing a balance of open shelving and closed drawers or cabinets for optionality, and creating storage spaces throughout the home that can transition and grow with you as your space evolves,” says Emily LaMarque, founder and principal of Emily LaMarque Design Studio.
Everyone needs more storage in their home. It doesn’t matter if you really like stuff or are as minimalist as Marie Kondo—storage gives items a designated home and makes your space feel less cluttered.
Built-ins are one of the best ways to solve a storage problem. They can create a statement piece in a room while being customized to match your home’s style.
“Think creatively about the current needs for the space, but also how the space might change or evolve over time or for future owners,” says LaMarque. “For practicality, maximize vertical spaces, and keep shelving adjustable where possible. Most importantly, when considering future resale, don’t create storage solutions that are so unique, overly specific, or unusually small that they are difficult to utilize in the future.”
If you love buying old homes and giving them new life as I do, you’ll likely need to add more storage yourself, since they often can’t compete with what you’ll find in a new build.
Tips to Make Built-Ins Feel Custom and Intentional
My wife and I have created custom built-ins in each of the three homes we’ve sold, as well as two sets in the home we’re currently renovating.
We built our first built-ins in our mudroom in mid-2020, when we were spending a lot of time inside the house for some reason. We customized them with shoe storage, coat hooks, cabinets, drawers (which ended up becoming our family junk drawer), and decor.
The second set was a bold black design that tested our DIY skills. We were probably overambitious choosing an arched look, but they turned out great and were one of the features our realtor said really made the house stand out.
Most recently, we added built-ins to our basement with a hidden projector screen (a big hit with our kids) and customized IKEA cabinet built-ins in our living room. We’re also considering designing built-ins around fireplace inserts, or with a seating bench that kids can use in a playroom.
One important thing to consider with built-ins is making sure they aren’t so specific that they become off-putting to a buyer.
“Buyers are always looking to maximize storage, so anything that eliminates the need to create another storage solution can add value,” says Danielle Nazinitsky, founder of the brokerage Decode Real Estate. “But built-ins can also be very specific to the current owner’s taste. Someone may love floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, while the next buyer would rather have a wall for a television. In those cases, removing the built-ins before listing may actually make more sense.”
Think Beyond Obvious Storage Spaces
Built-ins aren’t the only way to add valuable storage to your home.
One of our favorite projects was a cozy breakfast nook bench. We built it with a flip-top lid and used it to store bulky, non-daily items like stand mixers, holiday serving platters, and small appliances.
We also installed a Murphy bed with customized built-ins on either side. I could go on and on about why we love Murphy beds and how much value they add to a home, and that’s not just my opinion. We received plenty of feedback from prospective buyers about the setup, especially how the surrounding storage made the whole thing look like custom millwork.
Mudrooms, closet systems, floating shelves, and an entryway bench with hidden storage are also great ways to add subtle or flashy extra storage. There are plenty of simple ways to make built-ins feel unique to your home while still being universal enough that prospective buyers will love them.
“While they don't necessarily add dollar-for-dollar appraised value, they often increase buyer interest and can help a home sell faster by creating a memorable first impression,” says Carter Murphy, owner and founder at Clario Properties. “We've found this is especially true in family homes, where features like mudroom cubbies, built-in shelving, window seats with storage, or custom living room cabinetry help buyers envision how they'll actually use the space. Quality matters, though—built-ins that look original to the home and complement its style tend to have the biggest impact.”
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Alex Shoemaker is a writer and digital content strategist who covers home renovation, DIY projects, and design inspiration. He has written for multiple home improvement magazines and websites, drawing on his own experience renovating homes with his wife to create practical, inspiring content for homeowners and DIY enthusiasts alike.
