It’s fairly common knowledge that it’s generally more cost effective to improve your home than it is to move to a new one. So, if you’re feeling frustrated about your dated kitchen, the lack of bedrooms or the dark, dingy corners of your living room, get off Pinterest. (After all, that kind of ‘look’ is unrealistic unless you own an art gallery or a manor house in the Cotswolds…). Instead, start thinking about the practical, affordable ways you could shake things up. If you’re looking for inspiration, here are six ways to improve your abode and add value to it…
1. Build an extension. Building outwards (and upwards, if you can afford a multi storey extension) is going to give you lots more space. According to the Mirror, the average extension costs £35,000 but can add anywhere from £45,000 to £160,000 onto your home’s asking price. So, if you were thinking of moving to bag yourself a bigger lounge or a roomier bathroom, consider extending the rear and side of your property instead.
2. Add high quality fixtures. Another way to add value to your home is to improve the quality of the contents within it. Of course, splashing out on a four poster bed or top of the range TV isn’t what we mean here –those are the kinds of items you’d take with you if you ever moved! Instead, spend some money improving the quality of the fixtures within your home so that financial worth is added to the very bones of the house. Solid wood flooring from Ken’s Yard is a great place to start, and if you can afford to, why not fit oak doors or granite worktops too?
3. Convert the loft space. If your attic is currently storing your junk, it could be time to cull the clutter and convert your loft space. This is one of the easiest ways to add an extra bedroom or bathroom to your home, and according to Phil Spencer it’s not particularly disruptive because ‘most of the work can be done from the outside’. He adds that spending £20,000 on a loft conversion could add as much as £40,000 value to your home, so you’ll benefit from the extra space while it’s yours and make a profit if you sell.
4. Let the light in. An abundance of natural light is becoming ever more important to homeowners. Why? Well, well lit rooms make us feel refreshed, calm and happy, which is precisely what we want from our personal space. If you’re living in a terrace, an old cottage or any building where light hasn’t been the architect’s chief consideration, make improvements such as installing bi-folding doors, adding skylights and knocking out non-loadbearing walls.
5. Improve the kitchen. If your budget only stretches to improving one area of your house, make it the kitchen. This room alone can add as much as 15% to the value of your property. Consider how efficient the design of your kitchen currently is (is there an easy route between the fridge, oven and kitchen sink for example?), as well as the amount of storage and space available. Finally, apportion a budget for finishes such as door handles and appliances, as doing so contributes to the overall sense of quality and worth.