Rental Property Investor · Rockwall, TX · Member since 2015 · 30 posts · 12 votes
I’m renovating a 700 square foot SFR. It’s a total gut job, so I have an open canvas for the kitchen. I was planning on including a dishwasher in the kitchen, but my mom (20+ years & 10+ properties experience) told me to consider not adding one. Any opinions on the matter?
I’m renovating a 700 square foot SFR. It’s a total gut job, so I have an open canvas for the kitchen. I was planning on including a dishwasher in the kitchen, but my mom (20+ years & 10+ properties experience) told me to consider not adding one. Any opinions on the matter?
Unless it's a high end rental $1,500+/mo skip it. It is an ROI killer with little to no upside.
Rental Property Investor · Member since 2018 · 483 posts · 956 votes
7y
I'm currently renovating a 500 sq ft rental. It's a blank canvas also. Actually moving the kitchen to the back wall. It will have a dishwasher because all my rentals are top notch. Plus it's not 1924 quality renters expect a dishwasher and laundry hook ups.
Attorney · Akron, OH · Member since 2016 · 535 posts · 389 votes
7y
Hi there,
I'd say it depends on the neighborhood. It falls in line with whether you include a washer and dryer. For some neighborhoods, offering a washer and dryer leads to the tenant running their own laundry business and increasing your capital expenditures. So, consider your market to see whether it is appropriate.
Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
7y
We always add a dishwasher for the mkt we have. But in one unit my daughter decided against it. That was mistake & as we re-used a complete set of kitchen cabinets from my older daughters home the cabinets installed do not allow for a retro fit. Several women who viewed it chose the unit with the dishwasher over this much larger kitchen with a lot more cabinets. The kids that did take it ordered a small portable dishwasher to hook up.
Now my empty nester SIL has 2 dishwashers in her kitchen & the new design for their total kitchen rehab includes 2 dishwashers that she still can't live without.
Rental Property Investor · Hummelstown, PA · Member since 2015 · 638 posts · 653 votes
7y
As long as it’s not in a complete war zone you should totally add a dishwasher. It’s 2019 not 1919. Good renters want modern amenities like dishwashers! Not to mention washer and dryer, overhead lighting, etc.
Rental Property Investor · south Alabama · Member since 2018 · 121 posts · 88 votes
7y
Yeah renters expect dishwashers nowadays. In my area I’m competing with brand new apartment complexes, and all of those have them. I’ve even gotten negative remarks for some of my rentals not having an icemaker. I wouldn’t get a high end one though, just a basic model that gets the job done.
Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
7y
I agree on the ice & water fridges. We try to get them on sale & then during the rehab I make it a point to add the Pex feeds to the fridge. I also had one tenant spend $1500 on a contractor adding his own Gas stove/cooktop because they hate electric. I approved.
I just had another tenant (on a 2 year lease) ask me if it's OK to have a new high end black plastic coated chain link fence professionally installed with permits at his cost so their Lab doesn't need to be on a 'stringer' anymore. I told him knock yourself out!!
We had another tenant a few years ago do the same for a SFR we own. He wanted to eventually buy it. He paid to have several old trees taken down, installed a huge chain link fence for his dog, added a cement poured 20x30 patio. Then a couple of years later he married Satans sister & she made him pack up & move without any notice while we were in Florida. We heard last week that after 2 years they had divorced & then last year he remarried her???
I’m renovating a 700 square foot SFR. It’s a total gut job, so I have an open canvas for the kitchen. I was planning on including a dishwasher in the kitchen, but my mom (20+ years & 10+ properties experience) told me to consider not adding one. Any opinions on the matter?
Unless it's a high end rental $1,500+/mo skip it. It is an ROI killer with little to no upside.
Real Estate Agent · Cupertino, CA · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
7y
Want to add amenities on to a rental put one in. Your mom can wash dishes for all her tenants. Many people refuse to move in thinking it is a low end unit.
Naperville, IL · Member since 2018 · 330 posts · 357 votes
7y
I own two 520 s.f. condos that don't have room for a dishwasher. Otherwise high end finishes. While I never have had either of them empty for over a week (they're on the river in a nice area), no couple ever seems to stay more than 2 years. When I ask they just say the place is too small for two people. No one has ever mentioned the dishwasher, nor has anyone ever bought the portable one. But personally I wouldn't want to rent a place without one.
Rental Property Investor · IN · Member since 2019 · 22 posts · 9 votes
7y
I read most recently in a REI book that you should NOT include a dishwasher due to cost and potential damage because of misuse. In that same book, it mentioned not to include a garbage disposal due to the same reason. As a person who still hand washes everything, even with a dishwasher, (blame this on a mom who only believed hand washing built character 😉) I would agree with the others who indicated it depends on the rent bracket. Many people expect it, especially when your paying rent $900+.
Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2018 · 326 posts · 279 votes
7y
Yes, add the dishwasher if you're doing a complete renovation. It will typically cost an additional $500 but it will add more value to the rental overtime.
If you were not doing a complete renovation I would say it is truly up to the market but since you're already renovating everything just do it. It will add a few extra dollars to rent each month and help secure tenants for the long term.
Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2016 · 349 posts · 418 votes
7y
What is your competition doing? Look at it from the tenant's perspective? I have dishwashers in all my units and yes, they break and cost $$. But my tenant market demographic would generally notice this difference and would apply a decrement during their rental search.
Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2016 · 265 posts · 305 votes
7y
It may be a good idea to survey a couple local property managers on this topic if your intent is to hold the property for a while.
If your kitchen doesn’t have the basic amenities as other rentals in the area do at similar price point, than there is potential for longer vacancy periods. You may want to run the numbers thru a few scenarios and see how it could impact your ROI.
Rental Property Investor · Clinton, CT · Member since 2016 · 49 posts · 36 votes
7y
In a single family I would put a dishwasher in if you have the room. It is a nice amenity and at some point you will be selling the house to someone who may live there and not rent it out. You are already gutting and redoing it, they do not cost a lot of money.
Rental Property Investor · Member since 2019 · 4 posts · 4 votes
7y
@Joshua Pope I actually make it a point to remove them. They tend to get misused and abused to the point where it ends up costing much more money than it generates in my area.
I would suggest to always put in a dishwasher. I wouldn’t go overboard and buy the latest and greatest, but even in a 700 Sq Ft house, a dishwasher would be good.
Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
7y
It is a SFR and you are doing a gut rehab. It has at least 2 bedrooms I assume so add the dishwasher. You can get one as cheap as the cabinet you have to put there anyway but I would go for something middle of the line. I have had people say no dishwasher and as long as it isnt a war zone it makes sense.
Investor · PA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 602 votes
7y
I prefer no dishwashers. They are one more thing to maintain and half the time they don't get the dishes completely clean anyway or they leave soap residue. Paper plates are the way to go.
De Soto, KS · Member since 2016 · 2 posts · 1 vote
7y
I am doing my very first rental. It is actually my previous home that my family and I lived in for ten years. I really want to make it work, but I am on the fence due to all of the maintenance requests. The latest is that the dishwasher is not draining and they expect a plumber to be dispatched this week. The one quote I have gotten so far says it will cost $200 for a service call. I am seriously thinking about just hiring a property manager, but can I get your combined advice? If I were still local I would just go over and check the drain line into the garbage disposal. Thank you!
Biddeford, ME · Member since 2014 · 17 posts · 3 votes
4y
Realize I'm very late to the game here in 2022 - One thing that people haven't mentioned is length of tenancy - a DW creates a more comfotable living situation where tenants are more willing to stay longer. Also, as someone who has rented many many apartments in Boston (a relatively snooty market!) there are certain prospects who simply won't rent/look at something without DW. A warzone however, and I agree - no DW.
Boise, ID · Member since 2018 · 203 posts · 188 votes
4y
@Joshua Pope Quality dishwashers are under $300. They can be replaced in under an hour by anyone with basic skills. I feel its a complete no-brainer to include a dishwasher. People that say they are a bad ROI are bad at math, IMO. If it costs $300 and has a shelf like of three years (most will last longer unless tenants throw whole chicken carcasses into them), it has to add $8.33 per month in rent to break even. Go ask your friends if they would pay $8 a month to have a dishwasher vs not. This doesn't include the additional ROI of less turnover.