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Ways you could add value to your home
🕑 5 minute read
Whether you’re skilled at DIY or prefer to leave plastering to the professionals, we all feel the need to rejuvenate our living space.
If you’re planning to sell, you might be considering renovations to help raise the asking price of your property, so you have more money for the move.
By adding extensions or installing a new bathroom, you could be raising your property’s value. Even if you’re not planning to sell right now, but might want to in the future, it’s handy to know the most valuable renovations.
There’s no guarantee that a renovation will add value to your home – you could end up spending more on the work than the value it adds.
Why add value to your home?
Making improvements is a good way to make your property more desirable, increasing the chances it will sell for more.
Even if you don’t plan on selling anytime soon, raising the value of your property increases your equity, which could be useful if you remortgage.
Home improvements don’t have to be large, expensive projects either. For every new kitchen or bathroom, you could be giving things a fresh lick of paint, or changing the carpets.
Of course, making home improvements doesn’t always guarantee a more valuable home. It’s important to make sure you do things to a high standard, so finding the right builder is also vital.
10 ways you could add value to your home
1. Convert your cellar
Your cellar might be home to a boiler, or old boxes of Christmas decorations. The value a cellar conversion would bring will depend on what the room is used for.
A cellar conversion can take some time, with plumbing, insulation, rewiring, gas and electrics and even changing the structure of your house to think about.
2. Add a conservatory
A conservatory can create a great place to sit come summertime, while increasing the available floorspace of your property.
Depending on the size of your conservatory, you could increase your property value by around 7%.
You may need planning permission to build a conservatory.
3. Add an extension
Adding an extension can add much needed space to smaller properties. There are lots of different types of extensions – depending on the scale and quality of work, an extension could add up to 12% to your property value.
There are a series of building regulations you’ll need to comply with when extending your property. You’ll also need to seek planning permission.
4. Convert your garage
Your garage may be full of boxes and spider webs, but turning this outdoor space into something useable could improve your property’s value.
Depending on the size of your space, you could create an additional reception room or home gym/office instead.
5. Update your garden
Giving your garden a makeover can turn your tired looking concrete and dreary decking into a wonderful outdoor space.
A well-kept garden takes time and hard work, but offers much more than simply increasing the value of your home.
6. Loft conversion
Converting your loft into a liveable bedroom can increase the value of your property by up to 20%, according to Ideal Home.
Depending on the size of your loft, you could soon find it’s the largest bedroom in the house and a great place to give older children a little independence.
You’ll need to consider the costs of making it liveable, including electrical rewiring, waterproofing and insulation.
7. New kitchen
A new kitchen can add extra space, storage and the latest mod-cons to your home.
You might want a breakfast bar or central island, or just fancy installing some new-look cupboards or a sturdier countertop.
Depending on how far you go with your fresh install, you could raise your property value by up to 10%.
8. Update the bathroom
A new bathroom can be a real pull for potential buyers, with studies suggesting 80% of people would be willing to pay more for a home with a modern bathroom.
A new bathroom could push your property price up by 5%.
9. Install double glazing
If you want to make your home more economical and save on heating bills, double glazed windows are often the first port of call.
Double glazed windows help retain heat and keep out cold air – perfect for regulating temperature inside the home.
Plus, they’re much more secure than single glazed and wooden frame windows, so you’re improving home security too.
Double glazed windows could improve your home's value by 10%.
10. Replace the old boiler
A potential buyer will want to know how old the boiler is – so you’ll want your estate agent to give them a good answer.
No one wants to risk having no hot water or heating – and it can be expensive to install a new boiler – so having one recently installed could put minds at ease.
Doing so could add £8,000 or more to the price of your home.
Applying for planning permission
To make many of the adjustments listed above, you’ll likely need planning permission.
You might even need to get several parties to sign-off on your plans, depending on the scale of your changes. Planning permission can involve local authorities, such as the council, and in some cases, even your neighbours.