Home improvements that will add value

When you buy a house you never want it to decrease in value. Some increase can be caused by a shift in the market but there are things that you can do yourself to help to add to the value of your home.

Fix structural issues

Structural issues are something that might come up when a survey is done on your house, if you are trying to sell. These issues might be something you don’t know about or maybe haven’t got round to fixing. However, making sure you have things fixed such as broken tiles on a roof, sunken floors or any cracks in the walls is really important. Any big issues could really affect the value of your home.

Up to date heating

An outdated heating system can be seen as a negative when thinking about the value of a house. Replacing old boilers and upgrading to a combi boiler, as well as making the move to gas central heating, can really add some value to your home. It might be quite a costly outgoing but this is something definitely worth doing and something buyers will look for.

Replace windows

Although windows might look like they’re okay, they don’t last forever. Windows will need replacing eventually, even if you already have double glazing. New windows can improve how warm your home is and can stop any drafts coming in. Although a costly job if you do it all at once, you can spread the cost by replacing one window at a time if this works better for you.

Update electrics

This one is really important, especially if you live in an older house. You might need to look at rewiring, which is a big job but one that is worth it. You might want to look at having the electrics looked at each time you update a room and here could you do things like add new sockets and switches as well as making sure everything in that room is safe.

A new kitchen

Nowadays people spend a lot of time in the kitchen, especially if you are lucky enough to have a dining area attached as well. An old, tired looking kitchen won’t do much for the value of your house but investing in a new kitchen filled with great storage, counter space and somewhere to eat will be a great addition to your home.

Simple decorating

Although you might not think so, simple decorating can add some value to your home. If you are looking to sell you home then buyers will look for things that they will need to work on when they move in. This could be anything from peeling wallpaper, carpets that aren’t secured, creaky stairs or maybe unattractive colours on the walls. By filling in cracks in the plaster on ceiling and wall, giving a room a fresh coat of paint and tidying up any small issues, buyers will be more likely to be interested in your home.