Ideal for those looking for a lockdown project beyond banana bread.
If you’re eager to turn the page on a turbulent year and embark on a new, exciting chapter in 2021, then perhaps you’re currently appraising the familiar four walls of home with a particularly discerning eye.
Previous lockdowns saw a huge rise in DIY projects across the UK, some fuelled by boredom but some inspired by a desire to fix up and move on.
If you don’t want to sell your property without maximising your return, you might be keen on adding value to your house before the country opens up once again. There are many ways you can increase the sale price of your humble abode without spending a small fortune, all while you’re at stuck there anyway, praying that the government sort themselves out.
In some cases, and to add serious value rather than just a few extra pennies, you’ll need to speculate to accumulate, but if you have time and money on your hands, then here’s 5 surefire ways to add value to your home, IDEAL for those looking for a lockdown project beyond banana bread.
SQUARE FOOTAGE
The most reliable way to add value to your home is to add space. By making your home physically larger and increasing the floor plan, your property will appeal to a larger demographic in the process. Widening your market means more viewers for your home and more potential competition when the bids roll in.
Of course, you need to have the surrounding real estate to make such an outward build possible. That, or you could cast your eyes upwards, and consider that loft conversions can give your home a whole new level of living.
Perhaps you fancy a new master suite complete with private bathroom? Don’t we all? Or maybe you think a more flexible loft space that could serve as as a music or games room – or even something mundane like a properly organised storage area – would be ideal. Ensure that you employ the services of a specialist who can come up with detailed drawings and plans to ensure your home isn’t compromised and remains as family-friendly as ever.
Alternatively, as we mentioned, you can extend outwards into your rear garden if you have the space. You could create an open plan kitchen diner that is just so on trend right now. Being spacious and light, such an extension will appeal to the wants and whims of the modern property buyer.
Speaking of building outwards, balconies have also become an increasingly sought after feature for buyers and adding a small balcony can add five or 10 per cent to the value of the property.
KITCHEN COOL
The old adage is that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses, and this is still true today. More than ever before, the kitchen is considered the beating heart of the home, and as such, it’s ripe for improvement and value-adding. Here, you can watch the kids do their homework as you rustle up a gastronomic feast for the family, you can enjoy lazy days with pals chatting over coffee, and you can use your kitchen to hone your baking skills.
Make all this possible for you and any future owners by modernising your kitchen by upgrading the units, worktops or flooring. Aesthetically and functionally, a set of cutting edge appliances can add massive potential value to the kitchen; something like a sous-vide machine, favoured by professional kitchens for precision cooking, makes a real statement in the domestic space. A boiling water tap is also a real draw as they can save on energy – more on that later, by the way.
BRING YOUR BATHROOM UP TO DATE
Do the same with your bathroom. That magenta suite – or worse, that curiously dull green colour scheme favoured by grandparents across the nation when we were growing up – won’t appeal to many, so go white, bright and modern, with sleek, slick lines and the odd sprinkling of magic via technology.
For more on the modern bathroom, check out these bathroom design trends for 2020 and beyond, and get inspired.
FEATURES
If you are fortunate enough to live in a period property, ensure that the interior features of the time it was built are on show. If your fireplace is hidden behind a 1960s gas monstrosity, reveal the cast iron period feature to unleash your property’s full potential. Go further, and highlight the cornice and show off your ceiling rose, if you’re lucky enough to have them.
Buyers looking for a period pad will be eager to see these features on show. And if you’re keen to accentuate such features with a more all-encompassing, ‘antique ethos’, then head to a reclamation yard, carboot sale or antique’s shop and source authentic pieces to add back into your home. Doing so will subtly raise the perceived value of your home in the buyer’s mind without you having to make any major investment in the furnishings.
ENSURE YOUR HOME IS SMART & ENERGY EFFICIENT
Only 2% of homes sold in 2019 had smart technology installed. However, this welcome change is set to grow hugely in prevalence in the next decade, showing that smart tech is currently a unique selling-point for potential buyers that can help you to stand out in the housing market. Since the majority of homes don’t make as much use of technology as they perhaps should be, and its addition can greatly improve a home’s functionality, it’s well worth investigating.
Especially useful, having the latest tech or energy-savvy instalments is sure to impress buyers and can help to secure a quicker sale. Start-of-the-art security systems, multi-room sound systems, smart thermostats and solar panels are just a few of the ways to upgrade the home, serving as a worthwhile investment in the long run.
If that sounds right up your fully automated street, then check out these tips on home automation and the IDEAL ways to make your home smarter. Good luck!