Tips on how to add value to your home

If you’ve come into some money, been saving for ages or have bitten the bullet and decided to take out a loan to get your renovation project started – then keep reading for some top tips on how you can add value to your home.

Remodelling your home need not cost the earth, but you want to make sure that the changes you do make add value to your home. It’s nice to know that the money you put in to updating your home, you’ll get back when you’re ready to sell.  

Even if you have no intention of selling your home for the next 20 years, it’s still worth considering which changes will improve your current living conditions. Installing a downstairs toilet, converting the loft or extending the kitchen are structural changes that can add immediate value and help to sell your property when the time is right. 

Top tip 1 – fix existing problems
Consider making changes to parts of the house that already exist. Don’t be lazy and let things fester, as it can often mean that the problems can worsen and ultimately cost more to fix. Go through each room with a checklist that includes:

• Checking for leaks (in kitchens/bathrooms/roofs)
• Checking for cracks (walls and ceilings)
• Checking for damp (bathrooms/bedrooms/kitchens/wardrobes)
• Checking the loft for rotten/broken joists and timbers
• Checking the roof (including the garage) for missing/mouldy/broken tiles

These are just a few things to look for that you can do yourself to help save money. If you have suspicions of deeper structural problems, then hiring a surveyor or building engineer would give you a more thorough structural analysis.

​Top tip 2 – update your windows
The value of your property can increase if you change your windows to ones that are double-glazed.

This is often an important ‘must have’ for buyers when looking for a property.

​It may set you back a few thousand, but it is worth investing in good quality windows that meet with current building regulations.

---

Top tip 3 – clean up your garden
Adding value to your property means reviewing the areas both inside and outside of your home. The garden can often be overlooked as it takes regular maintenance. However, an attractive, well designed garden will not only bring harmony to your home, but will also get those looking to buy, signing on the dotted line.

If hiring a landscape designer in is out of your budget then it’s time to get your hands dirty. You don’t have to be Alan Titchmarsh to create improvements. There are ample resources out there to help you understand gardening basics – from searching online, to accessing your local library. Charity shops are also a great source of cheap literature.

What you can start doing is: pulling up weeds, planting some annuals, repairing and painting fences, creating distinct areas (for eating/storage/play), adding decking/patio area for entertaining, feeding and repairing the lawn.

Top tip 4 – review each room

Getting rooms in order and looking their most optimum, takes some organising, but is a great action to tick off your list. It’s also something that, in part, you can take care of yourself if you feel confident doing so. 

Look through each room and declutter non-essential items. Take them to the charity shop, give them away or sell them on ebay – anything other than letting them sit there gathering dust and taking up valuable space!  

Also review whether or not the following problems exist:

• are there any cracks/mould on your walls or ceilings?
• is the paint work in tact or peeling?
• are windows, doors and handles working properly? Do they squeak, creak or stick? 
• in what condition is the grouting/sealants in your kitchen and bathroom?
• are the taps leaking/dripping? 
• is the edging of your carpets frayed or are broken tiles/lino apparent?

None of these are expensive to repair, but it can make such a difference to your home.

Top tip 5 – adding kerb appeal
The outside of your home is the first thing that people see and as the saying goes – first impressions count! If you have a front garden, review tip 3 and make sure it’s clean, tidy and weed free. Buy storage units or large bins for your weekly rubbish and weed the drive when the car is not on the drive. Wipe down windows, paint/repair the fence if needed and replace/update the signage or house number.
​
If your external walls are looking tired and dated, you might also want to consider rendering the walls. This will immediately add a modern, new look and scratch render can be applied in bright, modern colours.

---

Whilst many of these top tips are jobs that can be done be done by you, GK Rend are here to help! We plaster cracks, skim walls, apply dry lining and render external walls. Give us a call today if you want your plastering and rendering jobs scheduled in. ​

07812 343 766