You may be looking at your home and wondering how you can make the best of it? Here are some tips on how to increase the value of your home.

There are many ways to improve the value of your home from small scale to large scale. For example, building an extension, fitting a new kitchen or even just making a minor change to your colour scheme. Also, not only can you make interior changes to improve your home, but external changes can also make a drastic difference and improve the curb appeal of your home.

It may seem obvious but making sure your home is structurally safe and secure brings peace of mind to not only yourself but to anyone who may be considering purchasing it in the future. Structural issues are one of the first things someone who is looking at your home is likely to investigate, so it is important to make sure all your structural issues are in order and fixed. You need to fix these issues before starting any cosmetic improvements or else they are also at risk.

Often these changes can be some of the most expensive aspects of a renovation project, however they offer potentially the greatest improvement in value to your home.

Some of the structural issues you need to keep an eye out for are:

Unless you are a registered professional, we advise contacting a builder, surveyor, or structural engineer to advise your project.

You may be happy with your existing central heating system, however there is a possibility of improving it. Making sure your heating system is to a particular standard will always improve the value of your home and you should also make sure to improve the energy efficiency of your home as well.

When we are referring to energy efficiency, this includes:

If your boiler is to a sufficient standard, you can add further value to your home by adding new radiators, a heated towel rail or underfloor heating.

With current circumstances in place, a large part of the population is having to work from home, so many are considering having a dedicated workspace in their home. As a result, garden rooms have seen a surge in demand. For those without the space in their home available, a garden room is ideal to create a separated dedicated space for an office, gym or any use they can imagine.

A garden room can be tailored to your needs and can include electricity, plumbing and heating to make sure you are able to work in comfort. It can become an ideal getaway, giving you more freedom and adding greater value to your home as it is a dedicated space that can be multi-purpose.

Making sure your services like your wiring and plumbing is up to scratch is a job that will put many aspects of your renovation on hold, so it is best to make sure this is one of the first things you consider improving as it involves lifting floors and replastering.

Updating the electrics

Re-plumbing your home

Create a sense of grandeur and add a wow factor to your property. There are many ways you can add a wow factor to your home. For example, bi-fold doors are fantastic way of bringing extra natural light into your home and create a brilliant visual space for your garden whilst blurring the lines between your garden and the rest of your property. Also, bi-fold doors help create extra space and open your home.

Another feature you can add to your home is by adding a conservatory or garden room to your property as it adds far more value to your property than it will cost, as long it is suitable to your home. However, a poorly constructed one can damage the value.

Some other factors you may want to consider are:

You may have noticed that lots of these wow features share the same strength which is bringing in large amounts of natural light, which helps improve the exposure of your interior and create a bolder statement.

A loft conversion can add tremendous value to your home. A loft conversion can add more living space to your home, and you can create a striking room as well. Natural light can be added with the inclusion of rooflights or dormer windows as well as creating a stunning view. Normally, a loft conversion does not require planning consent, as it is an already established area, but dormer windows may need planning permission depending on where it is facing. So, it is always worth checking!

There are many exterior features you can change or add to your home to add value.

The exterior of your home creates the first impression of your home and buyers will decide if they do or do not like a property before they even enter the home.

Any of the following changes can be carried out to improve the exterior of your home:

Another feature that can add value to your home is solar panels, even though we traditionally are plagued with large amounts of rain and minimal sunlight, you can still reap the benefits of solar panels. You will still be able to get the benefit of free electricity that has been generated from the sun. The position for a solar panel in the UK is to face south on a pitch of around 35°.

One of the most important features you can renovate to improve the value of your home is the windows. Double glazing helps retain heat in your home and help reduce energy costs of the property, so it is becoming an essential feature by many buyers. If your home is a period property, you need to be considerate of the style of the house otherwise, you could damage the value of the property.

There are many styles you can choose from and range of materials that are available with their own benefits, so it is important to consider which is the best style for your property.

Of course, this is obvious, but we thought we would make a little checklist to help with your project. Whilst they will not directly affect the value of your property, it can put off several potential buyers and prevent an optimum offered price.

The following minor decorating issues can put off buyers but can be easily resolved:

Adding an extra bathroom or bedroom to your home is a great place to start to add value to your home.  An extra bedroom can be made by dividing up space by removing and adding walls, converting a loft or cellar, or even extending the footprint of the property itself. The number of bedrooms has a big impact on its value so it can easily increase the sale price, however depending on your location of the property it may not add enough value to justify the cost of the work.

Extra bathrooms can be added in already existing spaces or extensions. In a traditional property, moving the bathroom upstairs can add value but there is a possibility of having to lose a bedroom.

A bathroom makeover needs to feel fresh and hygienic looking and there is a possibility of adding a touch of luxury as well.

Here are a few tips on what you may wish to consider when renovating a bathroom:

A newly renovated kitchen can add tremendous value to your home in terms of monetary value or lifestyle benefits. A stylish and attractive kitchen helps create a welcoming atmosphere to both buyers, visitors, and valuation surveyors. It is important to keep in mind the shape and position of your kitchen as both factors will determine how you will be renovating your kitchen.

Minor developments can make a major difference such as repainting or replacing unit doors/worktops, as well as new flooring or better lighting.

A garden can make a fantastic statement and be an expression of your homes style. It can create numerous eye-catching features and create a new space that offers a variety of purposes.

There are several factors that you need to consider before you get started:

A driveway helps improve the practicality of your home and creating enough space for one or two vehicles in front or alongside your property can add significant value, even if it means sacrificing all of your front garden. For many, a well designed and low maintenance drive is far more valuable than a garden.

Also, it is important to make sure you have all the necessary permissions to create a new driveway and you must comply with the local authority regulations for the construction of a drop kerb and other details.