How To Add Value To Your Home

Many of our clients come to us questioning how to add value to their home. This is not necessarily because they are thinking of selling their home in the near future but because they do not want to carry out work which will decrease the value of their house. In any case, I think it is true that anyone who owns a house wants to sell it for more than they paid for it! Although we are not estate agents or cost consultants we have listed below a few areas we think will help increase the value of your home.

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Create more space

As I recently found out with my own house, estate agents generally only base the value of your home on the footprint. The easiest and most cost effective way to increase your homes footprint is with an extension. To save time this could be carried out under permitted development however that does restrict the size of the extension depending on your circumstances. Another option if an extension is not possible is an attic conversion.

Although these can be more difficult and potentially expensive they will increase the size and therefore value of your home.

Add a bathroom

Many older properties do not have a sanitary facility on the ground floor of their home. Of course this is mandatory on any new build houses so most people have come to expect it and a home lacking in one could put potential buyers off. In the past we have converted store cupboards underneath staircase and split rooms to form new sanitary facilities.

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An en-suite is also a useful addition to any property. Most potential buyers will want an en-suite access from the master bedroom however en-suite bedrooms in general will be a unique selling point. En-suite bathrooms usually do not require local authority permission however please feel free to get in touch with us to confirm before carrying out any work.

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Create a modern layout

Modern homes tend to have open plan kitchen, living and dining spaces which most people have become accustom to. Removing internal partitions therefore is something which could appeal to potential buyers. A structural engineer will usually be involved for this work to confirm if any walls to be removed are load-bearing, if so a building warrant will be required for the work. Altering the layout of your property is usually a straight forward and cost effective exercise.

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Energy efficiency

Good insulation will not only improve your property’s thermal performance, but it’ll reduce energy bills too. Replacing old single glazing with new double or triple glazed windows will have a huge impact on your homes energy efficiency. It is useful to remember that the efficiency of double glazing diminishes each year so it is good to choose a recommended supplier.

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Maintenance

Although not specific to selling your home, maintenance is something every home requires on a regular basis. This could be treated external cladding, painting internal walls or cleaning out gutters. These are all cost effective ways to ensure your home ensuring it is appealing to buyers.

Even with all of the above factors it is important to remember that every house has a ceiling price and speaking to a local estate agent is the best way to get a valuation of your home.

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If you are looking to undertake a project, be it renovate / extend your current home or look to design a new home from scratch, please do not hesitate to get in touch.