Published: 16/11/2021
To renovate or not renovate? That’s a crucial question when you’re planning to put your house on the market. If you want to work your way up the property ladder to your dream home, you need to know how to maximise the value of where you live now. Here are 8 of the best small ways to add value to your property.Repaint your walls
Damaged walls, ugly Artex ceilings and outdated colour schemes can age and devalue your home. Replastering a room and painting with a fresh coat of modern emulsion can bring a house into the 21st century. This is particularly important when selling, as it will appeal to prospective buyers and help achieve the maximum value from your home.
For small spaces, light-reflecting paints and the use of mirrors is a great way to trick the eye into thinking a room is bigger. When selling you should also declutter, yet ensure rooms are well furnished, to show the room to its full potential.
Paint your kitchen cupboard doors
Having an up-to-date modern kitchen is one of the best ways you can add value to your home. After all, it is the hub of the home. Updating a kitchen can be as simple as just giving your kitchen cabinets a fresh coat of paint to modernise what could have looked like a tired, used, dated space.
Bathroom Basics
Bathrooms need to be fresh and hygienic looking but are also a great place to add a touch of luxury for that value-adding wow factor. Make sure there is adequate light and paint the walls a nice neutral light shade. If there is not enough light, replace a single pendant with a triple halogen spotlight unit, available for as little as £10. In the case of bathrooms with no windows, consider introducing rooflights or light pipes.
Adding Built-In Storage Space
Excess space within any home is a premium. But even if you don’t have oodles of space, making the most of the space you do have, particularly unused spaces, is a great way to add value. Having built-in storage means you don’t need to buy any additional bulky furniture and it can generally just make better use of certain areas within the home. Alcoves are a great example of this; they don’t really provide any additional floor or living space, so they’re perfect for turning into cupboards and wardrobes
Kerb and garden appeal
Garden space is often limited in London, so if you’ve got it, make sure you’re making the most of it, especially when you’re planning to sell. A deck or patio can transform a garden into an entertaining space. First impressions are essential, so if you’re selling, give your home some kerb appeal with a lick of paint, a new door and shining ironmongery. Tidy up the garden by mowing the lawn and sweeping up leaves.
Smart Home Technology
Is smart home technology here to stay? Yes! It’s the future. If you want to keep with the times, installing smart technology within the home will give your house an edge, keep it modernised and appeal to all the gadget-lovers out there.
Smart home technology can be a smart thermostat, smart doorbells, smart home security or even just smart light bulbs. The list is endless and whilst new technology is constantly developing and expanding, it’s a great way to stay on-trend and current within the home.
Improve Energy Efficiency 1: Energy Saving Bulbs
When it comes to selling your house, it will be examined for its energy efficiency and given a rating on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This rating helps to give an indication to prospective buyers on whether the house is built to modern standards, which in turn suggests how much the house will cost to heat and run in comparison to other houses.
Buyers will take this information into account when buying a home and may use it to weigh up their decision on value. There are several alterations you can make to improve your rating, such as switching to energy-efficient light bulbs,
Swapping to energy-saving bulbs is a very small alteration you can make which may also improve your EPC. They are cheaper to run, they last much longer, they’re saving you money on your electric bill and they barely cost any more to buy than a normal bulb.
Improve Energy Efficiency 2: Loft insulation
As mentioned above, going green is an important factor for most modern homeowners and there are some simple steps you can take that will add value to your home. Loft insulation is key, reducing the amount of heat lost from your roof. Most DIY stores now sell loft insulation rolls which you can install yourself. The minimum thickness recommended nowadays is 250mm which has been updated in recent years, where it used to be as low as 100mm. You don’t need to remove the old stuff, you can simply lay new insulation over the top and it’ll help the house to retain heat.
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