Increasing the value of a property is something that occupies many of us from time to time, either because we are moving house or because we simply want to make the most of what we’ve got. Often, when you research how you can increase your home’s value, you will be presented with endless lists of renovations ideas, all of which cost a significant amount of money.
However, if you’ve not got a huge amount to spend but you still want to make a difference, what can you do? In order to help answer this question, this article looks at a few cheaper options you could consider to increase the value of your home. It’s broken down into price brackets so you can get some ideas according to your budget.
Tips for under £100
You’d be surprised just what you can do for under £100. For instance, you can get a tin of paint for less than £10, and wallpaper for an entire room often comes in at under £100. If you’re willing to do some decorating yourself, this means it’s a very cost effective way to increase your home’s value.
How much value you add to your home will depend on exactly what your improvements are; even though you might not add £1000s to the value if you’re only spending £100, it will still make a difference. You could also consider buying an hour’s session with an interior designer or home’s inspector to find out what other improvements you could make – this usually comes in at under £100 for their time.
Tips for £100-£200
If you are looking to spend a little bit more, there is even more you can do to improve your home’s value. For example, bathrooms are a good place to focus your energies as they are becoming more and more important in the modern house. Bathroom furniture is a good example of an easy way to improve the look of your room without breaking the bank.
You can get high quality cabinets and mirrors for around £150, and with a wide range of designs available, there should be plenty for you to choose from. Another budget idea to improve the value of your home is to undertake some landscaping in your garden. If you have the skills to do this yourself, you should be able to get a decent selection of plants for less than £200, which is a great way of adding value to a property.
Tips for £200-£500
In the £200-£500 bracket, even more choice opens up. One option is to use a cleaning service to give your home a thorough going over, as it’s amazing the difference a spring clean can make.
Also in this price bracket is the issue of loft insulation. This is something that all homes are recommended to have as it helps keep the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It is also an investment that helps pay for itself before too long. You can find out more about it from the Energy Saving Trust, which offers a breakdown of the cost of insulation versus the savings you can expect to make.
Tips for £500-£1000
If you have got up to £1000 to spend and currently have a bathroom that only has a shower, one option to increase the value of your home would be to install a bath. This might not be possible in all properties due to issues of space, but baths are widely acknowledged to be a selling point if you ever come to sell your house.
You could also upgrade the appliances in your kitchen, as a modern room is a great eye-catcher and generally speaking, if you want to boost the value of your home, the kitchen is a good room to focus on. Just make sure that any replacements you buy are of good quality so you don’t accidentally do more harm than good.
Tips for £1000+
Finally, we come to the top bracket in our guide – ideas for people looking to spend £1000+. One option is to redo your bathroom completely. Bathroom suites can cost less than £1500 if you’re willing to install them yourself.
Alternatively, you could look at some eco-measures for your house, as these can make properties more attractive to buyers. For example, installing brown water systems such as reed beds is a good idea, and you could even investigate installing solar panels.
Also, if your home doesn’t currently have double glazing, you can normally install this on the average three-bedroomed house for around £2500-£3000, and it should save you a decent amount of money on your bills – making this another home improvement that should pay for itself over time as well as adding value to your property.
