The top 5 ways to add value to your home

Last Updated on October 26, 2011

Most home owners will want to sell their home at some point to either move on, upgrade or downgrade. In a buyers’ market there is plenty of choice for many people looking to buy a new home, so how, as a home seller, do you make your property stand out from the crowd? There are certain ways to add value to your home in order to make it more desirable, I’m going to focus on my top 5 below;

1. Explore the idea of a loft conversion

Statistics and other figures show that adding a loft conversion to your house can, on average, add 12.5% onto the final selling price… so why would you not do it? Loft conversions are the quickest and easiest way to add another bedroom, bathroom or general room to your house. A lot of the work can be done from the outside too, which reduces the amount of mess and disruption on the inside.  One key point to note is that loft access needs to be in an accessible point of the house where entering and exiting won’t cause much disruption.  Ensure that the conversion keeps within the theme of the house and doesn’t look like a last minute add-on (even if it is!).

1. Add a conservatory

Any added living space is a bonus to almost every family. A conservatory provides extra space in a room that you can enjoy near the garden at any time of the year with all of the family. Again, much like with a loft conversion, it is important that the conservatory is an extension of the house itself and not just an added extra to the side of your home. To create the effect that the conservatory wasn’t a last minute addition you can make sure that there is no separate entrance and that the floor matches the previous room.

1. Convert your garage

Many home owners have a garage yet they don’t have a car in it. A garage without a car or even intent to have a car is causing a lot of wasted space. A garage can make up a lot of extra space, so it is important that you think carefully about making any changes to it as it would be a permanent change.

1. Refit your bathroom

This could potentially be big job, but studies show that it can add up to 3% to the value of your home if done correctly. A poor bathroom is one of the biggest deterrents to any potential buyer.  If a complete bathroom refit is out of the question then at least make sure the bathroom you have is ticking all of the boxes. Mould is common in bathrooms, as is hair, dust and even cobwebs, so ensure all these things don’t exist in yours.

1. Outside care

Sounds simple, but looking after the outside of your home is often overlooked by many homeowners. Paint the house and at least ensure that it looks a bit neater than your neighbours. Wash the windows, wipe down any windowsills, brush up any leaves and just pay some care to your property.

This post was written by Lucy Pitt. For more information about loft conversion visit pcoleconsult.co.uk