Four Ways to Improve your Home – and its Value
When you are planning to sell your home at some point, any work you do on it needs to be through the lens of what will help increase the value. While you want to choose improvements that benefit you and your family, you also want to consider the most profitable home improvements that will offer the best return on your investment. But what are some of the most common ones?
Add space to the home
One of the top ways to improve your home and add value to it is with some kind of space increasing improvement. By repurposing or adding to the space that your home provides, you can stand out from other properties around you and grab that buyer’s attention.
Two of the top ways to do this is by converting the loft or the garage. Both of these are parts of the home that are often underused but, in many cases, are ideal for conversion. They also offer a good return on your investment – a converted loft can add as much as 15% to the house price.
If the loft isn’t up for the job and there’s no garage, adding a conservatory to the house could be a cost-effective way to increase space. There are hundreds of conservatory styles but something like a simple lean-to can add space but keep costs sensible. Added to that, you don’t usually need planning permission for this kind of work as it falls under Permitted Development – but always check with your local planning department first.
Upgrade key facilities
Another important way to improve the house and its value is to upgrade key facilities within the house. These can also impact the energy efficiency of the property and this has a part to place in the EPC or Energy Performance Certificate that your home has to have to go up for sale.
Upgrading the boiler and heating system is a top item on the list. Older boilers can be dramatically inefficient and could be costing you money in terms of wasted power. Upgrading this and adding a new, more efficient one could save you money but also improve the value of the home. Doing work on the associated heating system can further add to this benefit.
Doors and windows are another improvement that can help your pocket in two ways – in short term energy savings or longer-term increases to the value. Adding double glazed windows and doors can help with your EPC and also make the property look smart.
You may also want to look at other energy-saving measures such as adding cavity wall insulation or adding solar panels to the roof. Always look at the potential increase in value before committing to an improvement to make sure it is worthwhile.
Renovate important rooms
Experts often say that the kitchen and bathroom are the rooms that sell a house so if you are going to spend money on specific rooms, these are the ones to concentrate on for the best return.
Upgrading or renovating your kitchen can be a crucial step in making the house appealing to buyers. Look at white or bright styles that make the room light and clean looking. Maximise space and ensure there is plenty of storage. You don’t need to replace the entire kitchen either – if the doors and drawer fronts are looking a bit shabby, you can replace them or repaint them and the effect on the kitchen can be impressive.
With the bathroom, you can look at a complete upgrade or simply upgrade key elements such as the shower or bath if other parts of the suite are in good condition. Keep with white suites as these are the most popular. If the bathroom suite is in good condition, look to add some storage where possible.
Increase the kerb appeal
The final area to consider when spending money on the home is the kerbside appeal. This can be anything from the condition of the front fence or the driveway to the plants in the front garden. It also includes things like the condition of the windows and doors.
What you are aiming for is creating a great first impression on someone when they arrive at your home. You want to grab their attention and make the property look smart, so they are keen to move inside and see more.
