6 Ways to Add Value to your Home
In the current economic climate, more of us are staying put rather than moving to a new property. The costs involved in moving home are often so large that we look for other ways of improving the space in which we live. Home improvements and renovations are much more affordable than actually moving so many of us look for ways of adding value and space to our current home.
But what are the most popular ways of improving our homes? Well you’re probably familiar with many of these but let’s take a look at how they can add value to your home.
Loft Conversion:
Probably one of the most popular ways to add value to your home, loft conversions are a great way to add an extra room or rooms into your home. Obviously it depends on the actual work you require but a conversion will cost around £20,000 and take around 3 months. Be prepared for a lot of mess, and of course you’ll need to relocate or drastically thin out the items normally stored there. Apparently, building societies estimate that a loft conversion can add up to 20% onto the value of your home.
Kitchen Remodelling:
Buyers expect modern, creative kitchens so remodelling this room can be a really wise move. It’s not a cheap home improvement option but worth doing as long as you keep it within the value and price of your home. Don’t invest in something cheap and cheerful if you live in a top floor luxury penthouse. Keep the quality and layout applicable for the type of buyers you’ll be trying to attract. Do it right and you could add up to 5% onto the value of your home.
Add an En-Suite:
Creating a second bathroom or even a downstairs loo will definitely add value and attract buyers when you come to sell. Families in particular are very keen on extra bathrooms but not when space in a double bedroom is sacrificed, apparently. Ideally use some redundant space in an understairs cupboard, or on a large landing and knock through to a bedroom if you need to.
Basement Conversion:
If you’re lucky enough to have a basement, or indeed a basement that doesn’t flood it may well be worth looking into the costs of converting it to another useful room. Often, it’s not a cheap option. You may need the floor to be lowered which can be an expensive job so it’s worth talking to estate agents and identifying how much value a conversion like this will add to your home.
Build an Extension
A big decision that will probably need planning permission and an architect. Well worth it if you need or want to balance out the layout of your home. Great for families wanting to create a large space for gatherings, playrooms or dining. Creating an open plan kitchen, diner and lounge area all in one is very popular these days. Bifold doors opening out onto the garden look amazing and really open up the space. Be careful that you have enough garden to sacrifice to this or you could end up with a very large home and no garden, which won’t be great when you come to sell.
Build a Conservatory:
Often you won’t need planning permission for a conservatory which makes it an easy and cost-effective way of adding value to your home. Cheaper than building a full extension you still get the extra space or extra room on the ground floor of your home. Make sure the style complements the rest of your house and install proper heating as they can get very cold in Winter. Investing in proper blinds or window treatments is a good idea too as so much glass means lots of glare in the Summer!
All of these projects can be expensive of course so you’ll need to investigate the best way of financing them. Many people use a site like totallymoney.com to find the best loan or credit card deals. If you are trying to add value to your home then finding the right finance is essential too.
I would love to know if anyone is considering a home improvement project this year. Do let me know what you’re planning!
Brought to you in association with Totally Money.
I wish I could find a way to do one of these would love the extra psace
Nice to see this 6 ways to add value to your home. The only question here is how much you need to spend in achieving this goal.
Yes home improvements can add value to your home but it can be easy to be swept up in the excitement and spend too much on your remodel. For instance. I live in an ex council property. There would be no point in installing a $30000 luxury bathroom installation because if I sell the property I would never ever recoup that cost. It would be so over the top for the type of house I am in.
If you would like to install a bathroom I have a helpful tip that could ave you $$$$. Instead of using a jack of all trades who claims to be able to plumb, tile, wire, do the carpentry , plaster etc. Get in individual tradesmen. I know it will take more organization but you will get a better job. The job will usually be completed quicker. The workmanship will be to a better standard. The job price will usually come in much much cheaper! Have a think about it xx
I understand what you’re saying, but I think it depends what you hope to do with the house. Is it to live in, or sell? If you want to be comfortable, then paint the walls the colour you want, and get the £20000 bathroom you want! But if it’s to sell, then you need to think about your return on insvestment and paint everything neutral tones. It really depends what you WANT from it.
Yep, that’s a really good point Andy, thanks.
Good article. Can I add another one, that might seem obvious but can make a big difference – decor.
I’m not talking about a coat of magnolia to freshen things up, but carefully chosen colours that complement the style of property, take account of natural light, etc. Even in one room such as the main reception room this can make a big difference and enhance the value.
I recently refurbished a Victorian semi, keeping as many features as possible and decorated it in Farrow & Ball style colours (mixed for me so not at F&B prices), used 5 complementary colours in all. The property was sold at 98% of asking price within a week. The lady who bought it said the main thing that sold the house to her was the decor.
Great tips and the key is to strike a balance between the project and the cost. Of course, in order to reap the financial rewards of any project, you have to do your research to make sure that your output will not far exceed the input, or the added value to your home. That’s where doing some things yourself will help save money. Nice tips. –Ed
Thank you for the article, I am always amazed how much people can do with such little space. Apparently you don’t need it to be stylish
Good tips, I wonder which would add the most value for the money?
good question, i’d guess it was the basement conversion or a good kitchen remodel.
agree with previous poster about decor, sometimes just sprucing up the place and getting rid of junk will make you feel a lot better about your space.
My boyfriend and I are about to start a kitchen remodel on our home in the coming months and are so excited! I actually think it adds a little more than 5% to the value if you do it right though, especially with a functional redesign. I like the idea of adding a conservatory, definitely something to think about.
Wonderful ways to make amazing home decoration. I think you have really fantastic choice which helps to bring out great ideas. I will try to use your theme of decoration.
Some great tips.
That being said I’ve never looked at my home as a “real” investment, and I’ve never been disappointed. If you’re planning on doing some renovations because you want to enjoy your home more and make better use of the space then that’s one thing, but where you can get into trouble is if you base your decision predominantly on the will to make money at resale.
A lot of people learned this the hard way back around 2008.
We’ve been in the process of upgrading our master bath over the past six months or so and really hoping it’ll add a little something to the value when and if when we do want to sell. If we’re here too much longer we’ll also likely be adding a room to the house as well.
I like all the ideas! They are really useful and I like to turn loft into bedroom which allow me to watch the amazing star night!
It is amazing how people think and manage to arrange their place even in such a small place. This really made sense. Thank you Jen!
I love the idea of adding a conservatory! That would be so perfect for enjoying a summer sunset without being bothered by mosquitoes. Blinds would especially recommended in order to create a block out the sun while the rooms not in use so that it’s not roasting come evening.
The extension is a great idea too. One of my good friends ended up building a gorgeous extension onto their home because it was far cheaper than building a new home and they got the customization that they wanted with the extension.
I’m surprised that you didn’t make any mention of outside home improvements. I mention that because in my line of work, masonry, small improvements on an exterior can make a huge impact on revitalizing the appearance of a home. And like you said, improvements may cost a bit but are much cheaper than moving, and less hassle too.
I agree with Miranda in that a proper kitchen remodel can add much more than 5% to the value of your home. The secret is not to try and save money on the bigger stuff like appliances. Buy the best appliances and fitting that you can afford and skimp in the areas that can’t be seen.
Thank you for this article, I really enjoy your articles and will read much more then this.
I always think that the best approach to thinking of what adds value is to think of each project in terms of what that project will actually add to the home. So for instance adding a usable basement area or building an extension can easily be thought of in terms of adding value. However sometimes internal improvements simply bring the standard of the interior up to homes in the area; thus they are not actually adding value but maintaining value. One good example of this is re-modelling a tired kitchen area.
I find thinking like is a good way of avoiding making expensive mistakes.
Nice idea and tips! It is really amazing on how people can still find a way to save space and make the house more beautiful.
Awesome post, that first picture of the loft bedroom is gorgeous! It’s amazing how beautiful you can make your own home with just a little imagination. Thanks!
Awesome post. It gives me some good ideas. Specially” “basement Conversion”. thank you for this awesome post
I love the idea of adding a loft! It not only adds to the space in the house, but also to the charm and coziness!
Simple but very inspiring. Keep going.
Proper kitchen decoration increase the probability o selling and making cleint happy
It’s an amazing fact that most of us never think to utilize the space we have in our homes, loft conversions are excellent value for money for those tenants who can’t add an extension onto their home,
This is such a valuable lesson, i don’t know how i can be able to manage it for now, but it has given me a few years’ plan for my home. Although, i wish i could actually just do some of the major suggestions without paying much.
Nice to see this 6 ways to add value to your home. The only question here is how much you need to spend in achieving this goal.
The kitchen is certainly a key area of a home where potential buyers spend most of their time during a property inspection stay. So, it should be sparkling and prearranged because it really makes an impact on the visitor. The bathroom is another key area of the house so it should also be clean and stain free. However, all the five points are very much important to make a home an ideal home.
Thanks so much for this article.
I currently own my home remodeling company and I really feel reading this help me get a better understanding of how I should approach some of my projects.
Thanks,
Mike
Adding Glass panels makes the interior look even more spacious and light. It can also be a good way to stay low on the bills as you save using electricity on lighting during the day. Different glass panels can also create texture to the walls with the right angles playing with shadowing.
I think this is worth reading post especially when you are thinking of remodelling your home.
According to me, you have drop out an essential point here, that is your furniture which also plays an important role to add beauty to interiors of your home, if it is classy and elegant.
The second image used in this post seems so classy and unique, I personally like this home improvement setting. Can anybody tells me how much I need to spend in achieving this setting?
I think that remodeling the kitchen is a huge part of adding value to your house because most people take their guests to the kitchen when they sit down. Its good to have a good looking kitchen
The pictures are so beautiful. Through this post you gave us an idea to furnish our home in a completely new way.
We should construct our home in such a way that it should look beautiful and an attractive one plus its cost should not exceed our budget. Before the starting of the construction; one should consider the tips which you have shared with us, so that we can make balance between the cost and the new updated home structure.
Thanks for this share 🙂
It is very important to add some value to your home. Before you begin renovating, know which projects will increase your home’s worth and which ones can harm it. Which home improvement projects increase the value of your home, and which don’t? Thanks for sharing your insights!
Hey Jen Stanbrook
You have really explained the things very well. Thus, recently me and my wife was thinking for the renovation of our place and I believe that your blog will actually help us during renovation.
Thanks dear 🙂
Love these ideas. I’m going to add some of these to the suggestions I make for clients. Thanks for the info and effort.
Very well explained, I think renovating, remodeling, and improving home can be great ways to give it a makeover, gain extra space, or otherwise make it possible for you to stay in one place longer.
Thanks so much for this article. I currently own a remodeling business and its always refreshening hearing about ways to better add value to homes.
Thanks again,
Mike
Great post love some of these ideas.
I run a cleaning business in Bristol and we get asked to complete a lot of builders cleans etc.
Another great tip would be to use what you already have and restore the existing surfaces.
We specialise in floor care and floor restoration and you would be amazed at what you can achieve with the right chemicals and knowledge.
Stone and tiled floors can be bought back to life and look amazing, they also bring back the character of a home.
Another good tip is to look for car boot sales or reclamation yards, you never know what you might find.
Thank you for sharing and really awesome blog!!
Great ideas. Remodeling the kitchen is definitely one of the top ways to add value to a home. It’s surprising how much more you can sell a house for when you add some granite and add some nicer cabinets.
It’s been a long time I actually pulled out a piece of printer paper to take notes on a blog post lol. Thanks for this. You’ve earned yourself a new reader!
Beautiful blog and also informative and thanks for sharing this article.
Upgrading the house is a good idea. Changing the way of living frequently can create new style of living. Well said.
Thanks for sharing with us. Very detailed tips and tricks to increase house value! From my experience that kitchen remodelling and energy efficient appliances are among the best investment to increase your house value.
Thanks a lot for this post that definitely add options to my thoughts, each time I wanted to add value to my home I bought big mirrors and wall decorations 🙂
If you are considering selling the house,be sure to factor in the cost of retouching the house.If the house is properly remodelled,then,its almost obvious it would fetch an even better price in the market.I might be tempted to stay if the remodelled house looks better rather than selling it.
Hey that are the nice ways of making your valuable & much better. Will share it with friends !
Regards
Vin
That loft conversion is epic. Such beautiful lines and views in that room.
If you want to start your dream renovation project, you can do so by finding creative ways to work within your budget. One of the best ways to save is being flexible in your design.
Preparing for a remodeling project is a lot like preparing to buy a car. You may know the room and style you want, but the options you choose may drive the price higher than you can reasonably afford. But there are ways to stretch the remodeling budget and end up with stylish results within budget.