Improve Energy Efficiency
First, you will want to start by improving your homes energy efficiency. Before selling a home, you will receive an EPC rating. This rating can impact the value of a property by as much as 10%! The easiest way to improve your efficiency is to check your loft and cavity wall insulation and add any more if needed. Draught proofing is also an essential. Switching your incandescent bulbs to LED’s will also increase efficiency.
Improve Your Central Heating
Without a decent central heating system, a home can feel like it is lacking a core requirement. A central heating system should be both reliable and efficient. Most modern boilers will have an efficiency rating of above 90%, meaning that only 10% of energy is wasted, saving on the home’s energy bills. Boilers older than ten years may have a rating of around 60% which you would want to replace with a more modern boiler.
When it comes to replacing a boiler, you can either hire a company to help with the boiler replacement, or you can buy your selected boiler from a retailer and then have a local gas safe registered engineer install it for you.
Install Energy-Efficient Windows
Energy-efficient windows are a must-have for most properties now. Before you change your windows, you will first want to check that your current windows are not double or triple glazing, you live in a conservation area, or you live in a listed building. The main types of windows are double and triple glazing. Like with electronic devices, windows are rated between E and A++. The higher the rating the more efficient the window, meaning if you want to make your house more efficient go for the higher-rated window. While it can be expensive, these windows could add as much as 10% to the value of your property.
Convert Your Loft
You will first want to start off with planning, for example, if the new area is going to be an extra bedroom or a home office. You will also want to decide on which type of loft conversion you are wanting to go for.
Dormer Loft Conversion
The most popular loft conversion due to the added headroom to the loft. Also, is a large amount of additional space created and planning permission is often not needed. With a large box shape often added to the roof of a home, it may not look the most appealing from the outside and could even put off potential buyers in the future.
Roof Light Conversion
A roof light conversion is the most cost-effective. This is due to not needing to alter the current loft space, but instead, add windows to let light in and reinforce the floor to make sure it is solid. Despite a lower cost there are downsides. Such as limited headroom at the sides of the room, stairs to the room may have to come into the middle of the room and there is not much added space to the area.
Mansard Gable Conversion
A mansard gable conversion is often found at the rear of the property however are most popular in terraced houses due to the wall shared with your neighbours being heightened. Unlike a dormer, a mansard blends in with the property a lot more and will not be as ugly. The main downside to a mansard is that they always require planning permission, which can take a while. As well as planning permission the general build takes a while due to the changes to the structure of your home.
A loft conversion is a big task to undertake, however, depending which conversion you choose you could add as much as 15% of value to your home.
Renovate Your Kitchen
A kitchen says a lot about a home, so make sure that you have got a modern kitchen as it really can increase the value of your home. When it comes to modernising your kitchen, you will want to focus on your worktops first as these often catch someone’s eye first. Switching to granite worktops is going to be a good decision as they not only look modern, but they are unlikely to scratch and can handle a decent amount of heat. Then you will want to begin repainting with more neutral colours to make your kitchen look bigger and sleeker. Making sure that you have newer kitchen appliances in there will also add value. Overall, a new modern kitchen could add as much as 5% extra value to your home!
Renovate Your Bathroom
While some people recommend getting a whole new bathroom, it is easier to renovate your current bathroom and update the key features in the room. Some of the best features that you can update are your shower. Upgrading your shower can be as simple as installing a power shower head or as complex as installing a whole new shower column. More storage is a great addition to a bathroom, so adding some extra cabinets can never hurt. Finally, update your bathrooms colour. Just like with your kitchen stick to a neutral colour scheme to give your bathroom a more open and modern feel. Doing all this could add up to 5% of value to your home!
Makeover Your Garden
With many people spending more time at home, garden space has become a lot more important. Adding patios to create an area where you can place outdoor seating is a great addition. People also want to make sure that their garden is their own area, so making sure that your garden is private with fences is also vital. Adding these features could net you up to an extra 20% of value on your home! If a garden makeover is not for you, tidying up your garden and making sure it is weeded is just as good.
Your home is your most important investment. Common foundation problems like sticking doors/windows, floor, wall, or ceiling cracks, sloping or uneven floors, mold and mildew, or even garage columns can decrease the value of your home. So if you notice any sign of foundation issues, fix them before you want to sell your home.
Following through this guide will give you 7 great ideas of home improvements that you can make to increase your home’s value.
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