should I Remodel bathroom or install central air?NJ

Question

HI  I have a nice house for rent for $2500 in West Orange NJ

I was thinking to make it a little more appealing

What do you think?

Should I remodel 1 of the 2 bathrooms or install central air?

Karen Margrave · Answer

@Chai Sag installing new central air is a good idea. You might also look and see if your area has any rebates for insulating homes, windows, etc. and do it at the same time if it's needed.

Chai Sag · Answer

@Bill S.

Here in North NJ for $4K you don't make a bathroom (Unless you do it yourself)

Chai Sag · Answer

HI

Thank for your responses

The house has windows AC

I wanted to upgrade with a central air

in this house they asked me $4000 for it

Jonathan K. · Answer

@Chai Sag

I agree with @Karen Margrave on this one. Summers in NJ can get pretty hot. Central air will make the whole house, in particular the second floor, much more comfortable for the tenants. As long as the bathrooms are clean, I don't think remodeling them should take precedent over central A/C in this case.

Joe DiGirolamo · Answer

I agree with @Colleen F. it depends on the comps. If all the properties similar to yours in that neighborhood rent for $2500 and have central air then go that route. However, with rentals, as @Bill S. mentioned, I see most people pass on properties based on the condition of the baths and kitchen. It's a rental, baths don't have to be high end just simple and CLEAN.

It does get hot in NJ in the summer but really only for 3 months or so. I am a realtor and deal with lots of rentals. I have found people who rent think of central air as huge plus but most are fine with window units for those few months.

To recap...look at the comps and to me a bathroom is a necessity, central air in a seasonal climate is not.

Jon K. · Answer

Central AC... if there's the ductwork.

A hot house is much less pleasant than an old-- but clean and functioning-- bathroom. Seriously, been there, done that. And window AC units suck. They're noisy, tacky, and block scenic window views. Plus then you're stuck running window units in every room of the house instead of pressing one button on a central AC to turn on or off the unit. And window AC units aren't typically in bathrooms, closets, laundry rooms, etc., so some rooms end up being an oven.

Chai Sag · Answer

hi  Matthew

it has duct work for a gas furnace .The guy told me that was going to be ok the Ac

Matthew Paul · Answer

You want to add central air , do you have existing duct work . If you do it is probably not sized for central air conditioning . Example : a house with a oil fired forced air furnace built in the 1950's has duct work , but it was sized for heat , not air conditioning .  This was done to my  second house , the heat worked great , AC was poor at best , I reducted the AC unit to come down from the attic , big difference , and 7 grand later

Bill S. · Answer

@Chai Sag since you have window units, I would do the bathroom upgrade. Momma picks the house and after kitchens the bathrooms are the next most important room in the house from her perspective. I would think for $4k you could make one nice and update the other a bit too.

Chai Sag · Answer

Jean

4000 is a good price in this area for air central  for a 4 bedroom house

bathrooms are  clean, but  old

should I Remodel bathroom or install central air?NJ

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