With the housing market in its current state, the sensible householder's mantra should be 'don't move: improve'. With this in mind, here are some useful tips, advice and links to helpful services to help you boost your home's value so that staying in put won't just make sense financially, it will be an absolute pleasure.
1. When you're planning and tightening your budget, the last thing you want to do is spend money unnecessarily on your home - so it's worth researching first which home improvements will boost your homes value and which jobs will devalue your property. That way, every penny spent will be spent wisely.
2. An extension could add 10-50% to the value of your home, depending on its size and how well it's finished. The key is to get its proportions just right. So, you've plenty of bedrooms but a tiny kitchen? Add on a downstairs extension to create a spacious kitchen-diner. Got a huge garden but a small house? Put on a double storey extension to create the family home of your dreams. Want something state of the art? Add a glass extension.
3. Planning a new kitchen is an absolute must for anyone seriously looking to boost their home's value - it could add up to 10% in value to your home, it's the first thing a potential buyer will look for in the future, and it's also the room you're likely to spend much of your time in, particularly if it is a kitchen-diner and living space all in one. The secret? Pick one that matches the style of your home - so choose a contemporary kitchen for a modern home, or something more traditional for a period property.
4. Want a new kitchen but lacking the budget? Replacing your kitchen doors and old appliances with new, good quality appliances will go a long way to giving your kitchen that just-renovated feel, but at a fraction of the cost.
5. New kitchen wall tiles and replacement worktops will instantly smarten up a tatty kitchen, as will new hard flooring throughout.
6. A loft conversion could also add up to 10% to the value of your home and, unlike a ground floor extension, it won't steal space from the garden. The ideal? Get a bedroom and extra bathroom up there, if you can.
7. Talking of bathrooms… squeezing in an en suite bathroom could add up to 5% to the value of your home, assuming you don’t sacrifice a valuable bedroom for it. The best bet is to put one into - or steal space from - a large bedroom, or fit a wetroom into a large cupboard.
8. Revamping your bathroom will improve and add to the appeal of your home. You needn’t hire a plumber to do all of the work if you’re a competent DIYer – fitting a new sink isn’t as hard as you’d think, while re-tiling the walls and floor, grouting and sealing around a basin or bath is easy, too.
9. Or, if you’ve got the budget, why not splash out and replan and fit a whole new bathroom? Including good bathroom lighting won’t just make it feel like a home spa - it will make it seem larger, too.
10. Upgrading the exterior of your home could add a whacking 15% to the value of your home. How does the front garden look? Are there any DIY jobs you could do, such as repair guttering? Does the front door need repainting? Are the windows clean?
11. Redecorating is an easy - and not necessarily expensive - way to improve your home. Paint is the cheapest way – and there are lots of easy to live with, space-enhancing colour schemes to choose from
12. Wallpaper will give a classier feel to your rooms than paint, although you can cut down on costs by combining the two.
13. Love the idea of wallpaper, but can’t quite stretch the budget that far? With a little practice, anyone can create their own paint effects in a colour scheme to exactly match their taste
14. Stencilling is really making a credit crunch comeback, too, because it can create an expensive look at a minimal cost. Think you don’t have the artistic touch? Find out how to get it with Channel 4 TV presenter Naomi Cleaver's step by step guide to stencilling.
15. Replacing old, worn or outdated carpets can transform a room instantly. Current carpet trends are for bold colours and patterns, but for a look you won’t tire of, go for something classic, neutral and easy to live with that’s made to last.
16. Dealing with problems your house has while you’re staying put makes real sense – trying to do so in the run up to putting it on the market is likely to be both stressful and more expensive. So, spend time and money now to get rid of old woodchip wallpaper, sort out any plumbing problems, identify and deal with damp, and restore wooden surfaces or even remove tired artex.
Don’t fancy dealing with it yourself? Then find a quality tradesman at affordable prices
http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?s=138415&v=2373&q=85609&r=94795
17. Fitting and improving the loft insulation in your home will not only cut your utility bills – it will also make your home more eco-friendly, a must in these days of Home Information Packs and Energy Assessment Certificates. For more information or a quick chat with professional service providers see
http://www.mypropertypowerteam.co.uk/landlordresources_epchip_listing.asp
18. Find ways to save energy (and therefore money) at home…then use the money you save to spend on more eco friendly improvements. You never know, you might even qualify for a government eco improvement grant. Most people are unaware that there are typical grants of £100 to £300 for cut price loft and cavity wall insulation. The programme is expanding next year so even more home buyers will be able to benefit from hundreds of pounds off insulation. Speak to a specialist to find out more
19. Looking to redesign your home, want to be green and save cash? You can do it all by choosing to buy recycled, used or antique furniture over anything newly made. Or purchase through a specialist furniture package provider
http://clkuk.tradedoubler.com/click?p=3321&a=1697587&g=19132
20. Thinking of some major improvements, such as redesigning the garden or updating the kitchen? You can go green and save yourself money, even with jobs of this scale, by opting for architectural salvage or recycled building materials over brand new products, too.
21. Maybe it’s not a revamp your home needs but just a good clean? Start a room at a time and clean every surface starting with the cobwebs on the ceiling and working your way down. It becomes much easier to assess what redecoration is needed when looking at clean surfaces.
22. Turning a neglected plot into a gorgeous garden can have a real impact on your home and how you feel about it, let alone adding to its overall value. You needn’t spend a fortune – just a few clever ideas and regular maintenance can do the trick.
23. While you’re improving your garden, why not make space for a kitchen garden, like Jamie Oliver? It needn’t be on the same scale – even a window box is enough to start off with.
24. If you have a large garden and want to add a little more indoor space without building an extension, why not consider an outdoor room? These will give you space for anything from a home office to an extra lounging area to somewhere for the kids to play.
25. Of course, you might want to spruce your garden up just by adding a new garden dining set. The only effort involved is paying for it…
26. The view of your garden can be beautifully framed from indoors by the right blinds, or by curtains, which, to save money, you could even run up yourself, with the help of Channel 4 TV presenter Naomi Cleaver’s step by step guides to measuring for curtains and making lined or unlined curtains.
27. Need a bigger house? Forget moving at the moment – Spring? cleaning (whether it’s spring or not) and de-cluttering is the answer. Start in the room you wake up in – it always makes a big difference to how you feel about the day. Invest in spacious new wardrobes, and if you can stretch to it, a brand new bed, preferably with storage space beneath.
28. Investing in a set of new shelves or a sideboard will make your current home feel much more spacious, too. You never know, you might even make room on them for some new buys, such as the latest TV and HiFi equipment
29. And with that new TV, HiFi and surround sound equipment, you can sit back and improve your home (and your mind) from a brand new sofa. Put your feet up on the coffee table and tune into some of the very best homes and property shows on TV, such as Channel 4’s Grand Designs, Property Ladder, Location, Location, Location, How Clean Is Your House? and A Place In The Sun. But don’t forget to use the best directory around MyPropertyPowerTeam.co.uk – Find everyone you need
