Your home is likely the largest purchase you will ever make.
That is why it’s so important that you do all you can to maintain and add value to your property.
After all, you don’t want to be out of pocket when you sell it, do you?
There are plenty of things you can do to add value to your home, read the five best suggestions below.
Extend
Livable square footage makes a difference in the price you can command from your home when you decide to sell.
It can also improve the quality of life for you and your family while you live there, providing you with additional space to enjoy.
That is why one of the best suggestions for adding value to your property is to extend it.
Extensions are all about adding additional space such as bedrooms, home offices, and adding space to the kitchen.
First, get advice on whether the extension you want will be worth it for your home, the area you live in and the current market.
Usually, it’s best to work with a professional construction team when building an extension.
You will need to complete several in-depth and complex stages from excavating the foundations, laying the foundations, building the walls, and putting on the roof.
It’s also worth noting that building an extension can be both expensive and time-consuming.
Cost-wise the idea is to gain back more in the increase in value of your home than you pay out for the extension in the short term.
But you will still need to have the funds available to start work.
Timewise even a basic extension can take around 6 months, and this means you’ll have six months of people in your home doing the construction and 6 months of disruption to your routine and mess to deal with.
Therefore, carefully consider these issues before deciding to extend.
Convert
If you would like to add more livable space but don’t fancy the hassle of an extension, then a conversion is something that you may wish to consider.
A conversion is where you take a space that has already been built such as an attic, cellar or garage and convert it into a livable space.
Conversions can be less costly and time-consuming than extensions because the bare bones of them are already constructed.
This means you won’t have to build foundations or the outer structure.
However, you might need to damp-proof cellars and add some drywall to attics before they are livable.
They can add plenty of value to your home by creating another livable room that can be used from another bedroom, games or movie room, a home gym or home office.
Re-floor
You can also add value to your property by installing durable, hygienic flooring that will last a long time.
This will make your house more desirable to buyers when you decide to sell.
One of the best options for robust and hygienic floors is to have timber flooring installed on your property.
Timber flooring is made up of floorboards made from solid timber and it’s not only resistant to war from walking and furniture but it’s easy to keep clean with a simple sweep as well.
This makes it a very hygienic option as it won’t release any VOCs or encourage mould or mildew either.
Increase Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is a big concern for anyone buying a home these days, and that means if you can make your property more energy efficient you can also make it more valuable.
There are many things you can do to increase the energy efficiency in your home.
The first is to make sure that you have adequate insulation in your walls, and roof, as this will stop the air you have paid to warm or cool from escaping.
The same goes for installing double or triple-glazed windows.
Getting a smart thermostat can help as well because it allows you to better regulate the temperature of your home, and ensure that everything is turned off when you aren’t there.
Lastly, it can also be a good idea to invest in ways of generating renewable energy.
This is most often achieved by installing solar panels on the roof of a property.
The benefit of this is that they do not only generate enough electricity to run the home but in some cases enough to be sold back to the grid and make an income which can be put against the cost of installing them.
Beautify
Last of all, if you want to add value to your home, then you’re going to need to make sure it looks its best too.
After all, first impressions count when it comes to houses just like they do with humans.
First of all, take a long hard look at the outside of your property.
Check that the walls are in good shape, and are clean. If not you can get them sand-blasted or paint them to elevate their look.
Then evaluate your doors and windows and their frames.
Do they look new and tidy, or are they peeling, crackers or mouldy?
If it’s the latter, you need to give them some attention.
Perhaps this means stripping and repainting the frames you already have, or it might mean replacing them with new ones.
Lastly, be sure to check your garden and driveway space.
Again you’ll need to assess to see whether they are neat and give off the impression that your property is well cared for. If not, it’s time to get out the rake and shovel and do some work.
Be sure to edge and mow your lawn, add plants, and repair any holes in your driveway.
Once you have addressed any outside issues it’s time to go inside.
Beautifying the inside of your home does not have to be time-consuming and involved. The basics are easy, just repaint the walls and ceilings so they are fresh and new.
Repair any issues that need fixing, and whatever you do remove as much clutter from your living space as possible.
