Five ways to add value to your home

If you're planning to sell your home any time soon (or simply want to make it the best it can be), home improvements can be worthwhile – but it’s crucial to plan them carefully.

Some improvements offer a better return on your investment, while others might surprise you and not add any value to your home. If renovations are poorly chosen or poorly executed, they could even make your property harder to sell.

This is why you need to consider your budget and research before you embark on any renovation project. To help you get started, here are five tried-and-tested home improvements that could work for you, starting from basic touch-ups to elaborate and costly renovations.

1. Touch up minor defects

Sometimes, a small job can make a big difference. Keeping your home in good condition through regular maintenance will prevent it from deteriorating, saving you the cost of expensive repairs. A well-maintained home can also appeal to buyers, who won't have to worry about fixing it up before moving in.

Peeling paint, loose flooring or cracked tiles, faulty door handles and dripping taps are all minor defects that aren't expensive to fix. Even a fresh coat of paint can go a long way towards helping your home sell for a great price.

2. Add kerb appeal and tidy your garden

Before they reach your front door, potential buyers might have already made up their minds based on the kerb appeal of your property. Your front garden and driveway are the first impression for visitors, but they're often forgotten in the rush to renovate the building itself.

Mowing your lawn, repainting fences and checking that paving slabs are free from cracks and weeds all boost your home's kerb appeal. Don't neglect the back garden, either!

3. Modernise your kitchen

Many people consider the kitchen the heart of the home, so this should be a key area to focus on if you're planning more extensive remodelling.

Even if you live in an older property, your kitchen should still look modern, so your buyers can trust that it's energy-efficient, a safe place to prepare food and perhaps even a place to entertain guests.

A new coat of paint on the walls and the cabinets could be all that's needed to make your kitchen look as good as new, but you should still look into replacing old appliances, especially if they're more than ten years old, and consider the functional design of the room.

4. Add an extra room, bathroom or deck space

Adding a whole new room is one of the most significant upgrades you can make to a property.

Usually, this involves converting an unused loft or basement into a new living space – a child's bedroom, a mini apartment for an elderly relative or tenant, a bar or a games room. Or you can physically expand your home by adding decking or building a patio to have an outdoor dining and entertaining area in the summer.

Adding a second bathroom can offer the most significant return on investment if your home only has one bathroom. Areas under stairs and utility rooms can be suitable for a small bathroom, but if you want to include a shower or a bath, you may need to sacrifice part of your bedroom space to create an en-suite.

5. Insulate

The value insulation adds to your home cannot be overstated. Today, this is considered an absolute necessity by many homebuyers. In fact, not having insulation can create the perception of an unhealthy home.

With the EECA Energywise programme often subsidising the insulation cost, there’s no reason not to insulate your property.

This is particularly important if your potential buyer is considering purchasing the home as an investment property to rent out, as all tenanted properties were legally required to be insulated by July 1, 2019.