Whether you’re thinking of selling your home soon or you would just like to improve the kerb appeal of your property, home improvement can be extremely rewarding and a great investment. But remember that you need to choose your renovations and projects wisely in order to get the most out of them. Here, Dakota Murphey provides you with eight home improvement features that add the most value to your home.
The Basics
Central heating
Central heating is one of those features that can add significant value to your home, often without you having to spend a significant amount of money. Whether you’ve always made do with heaters or you need to upgrade an ageing system, you can call in a plumber or central heating specialist to get it sorted.
Doing so has multiple benefits that affect the value of your home in a number of ways. Aside from the benefits of a new central heating system to keep the property at peak temperatures, you’ll also be improving the energy efficiency rating of the home and saving money on energy bills. You can add new radiators or even underfloor heating.
New kitchen
The kitchen might well be the most important part of the house. It’s the focal point for family life and will be one of the first things that a perspective buyer will look at. Costs can vary significantly, but the good news is that you will almost certainly recoup your investment when you sell. Whether your kitchen needs a complete makeover or just to be freshened up with new cupboards and worktops, the change can add serious value.
Replace the windows
Have your windows seen better days? Old windows can begin to have a range of problems especially if the frames have begun to degrade. This can leave both the inside and outside of your home looking unsightly. It’s definitely a good move to get these replaced as it will make a huge difference visually.
It could be that you’re just looking to upgrade to double glazing, which is not only something that prospective buyers will be impressed by, but can also improve the energy efficiency. Generally you will not require planning permission for windows that have a similar appearance to your current windows, although it’s always best to check with your local council first.
The Extensions
Loft conversion
Undoubtedly the best way to add value to any home is to add a room – the difference in value between a 3 bedroom house and a 4 bedroom house can be enormous. Of course the trouble is that if you want to build an extension it can take some complex planning permission as well as being very expensive.
That’s why it makes to convert your loft. If you’ve got the appropriate space then this is the easiest, cheapest and quickest way to add a room to your house. You will have to inform your insurer of changes to the house, but generally a loft conversion will not require planning permission.
Conservatory
If a conservatory is built in-keeping with the style of the house it can add significant value to any property. This can an inexpensive way to extend your property and once again, unlike a traditional extension, you most likely will not need planning permission.
Additional bathroom
A larger property with only one bathroom can detract from the value, so it can be a very good idea to look into the possibility of adding another. A good quality bathroom can be installed for less than £5,000 – however, the challenge can often be in finding a suitable position in the house to add the room. If you have a large lounge or dining room, you could consider reorganising the layout in order to fit in another bathroom.
It could also be a good idea to add an en-suite bathroom to the master bedroom. Very large bedrooms can often be reduced in size to make room without too much hassle.
The Features
Fireplace
One stunning feature piece that can add value to your home is a stunning fireplace. You might think that fireplaces are only suitable for traditional or period properties, but it’s actually true that there are many modern styles that can look extremely impressive. If you don’t have a chimney there are a range of options including installing a flue pipe.
Swimming pool
Perhaps the ultimate luxury feature for your home is a swimming pool. The cost may not be as significant as you think, and a stunning outdoor or indoor pool can add both intrigue and significant value to the property. Naturally you need to choose swimming pool builders with experience and expertise working in your area.
