How to add value to a property

When looking to sell a property, it is imperative that you make sure your property is going to sell for the best possible price. This means trying to maximise your profit by making some home improvements that will get potential buyers excited and desperate for your property.

But what can you actually do to add value to your home? Well, there are a few ways to do it without having to commit to a complete renovation project.

Rendering a house

Rendering a home involves applying external cladding to the walls of the building. For most properties, you can render without requiring planning permission. The cladding can be made out of cement, polymer, silicone, acrylic, or a material known as monocouche. You can hire professionals to attend your property and apply this cladding for between £35 per square metre and £90 per square metre.

The cladding itself serves a range of purposes; it is useful when it comes to protecting the house from weathering and rainwater and it provides an elevated curb appeal and betters your home's exterior, guaranteeing that you'll always give good first impressions. On top of that, rendering a home can also help to improve a property's energy efficiency by working as an insulating layer.

Invest in a loft conversion

Loft conversions are all the rage at the moment, and it's easy to see why. They are relatively simple home improvements that do not require planning permission and they can increase the living space of a home, add to the square footage, and provide an extra bedroom with fantastic natural light. Loft conversions are often used as the master room, freeing up a bedroom in the rest of the house that young families might use as a playroom, or older couples may choose to have a guest bedroom.

If you're interested in creating a loft conversion, you should definitely also consider adding in roof lights conversion to provide an airy and spacious feel to the extra bedroom, playroom, or office. Roof light conversion is a great way to elevate a loft space.

Typically, adding a loft conversion to a property can add an average of £23,000 to the value of the property. Which, when the average basic loft conversion costs upwards of £21,000 is a good way to boost your property value, even if it is an expensive investment.

Pay for double glazing

Many old properties are only single-glazed, and this decreases the property value and also decreases the energy efficiency of a home. To make your property more valuable, and to give it more of a shot of success on the property market, double glazing is absolutely essential. Ask any property professionals, and they'll say the same.

Double glazing looks more sleek and expensive, for one, and remember that first impressions count, but they are also better for soundproofing, and insulation, and feel a great deal safer than older single glazed windows.

Adjust the layout of your home

Building trends and building regulations change over time, and often a property built in 1960 will not match up with the styles and designs that are popular now. If you have a property that you think could do with some modernising, why not adjust the existing layout of your home? It might be an expensive investment to make, but it may well make the difference between a quarter of a million and a half a million asking price.

The most desired things on the housing market at the moment are elements like an en suite bathroom, a new bathroom suite, open plan living space, maximum floor space, bifold doors to let in natural light, a downstairs bathroom, solar panels, large master bedroom, and modern kitchen units. Some of these are relatively inexpensive changes to make - a kitchen refit or bathroom suite refit, for example, are significantly cheaper than a loft conversion, but will add value to your home nonetheless. You could even simply benefit from replacing cupboard handles or a fresh lick of paint.

Build a garden room or extension

Whilst this does involve getting planning permission from your local council to ensure that your extension is a permitted development, an extension or garden room is a home improvement that will definitely give you extra space and, subsequently, more money when you sell.

Building something like a garage conversion, conservatory, studio, office or man cave will give your home more living or storage space, and will also get the interest of prospective buyers. Just ensure that you follow any necessary building regulations when constructing. An extension allows you to gain valuable space that can make all the difference by providing buyers with more square footage for their furniture, and a way to enjoy their outdoor spaces even in the colder months.

An extension will also demonstrate to property professionals and potential buyers that you succeeded in getting planning permission. This means that if they intend to build anything after purchasing the property, they're likely to succeed in obtaining planning permission too.

Complete exterior maintenance

It may seem unimportant, but things like broken roof tiles, a dirty or unclear parking space, messy front garden, overgrown trees, or even a poorly painted front door could ruin the curb appeal of your home. It will instantly detract points when estate agents value your property, and no matter how nice the living space inside is, you won't be able to gain them back. Things like doors and windows can be spray painted quite cheaply which is much better than replacing. Certain colours can make windows look bigger.

Think about how much value you could lose by simply ignoring the outside of your home! It is definitely worth a bit of a garden makeover before the estate agent pops round. How about decorative railroad ties or a DIY garden planter.

You should also check the outside of your home for any cracks, sagging walls or anything that does not meet building regulations and thus will not add value to your home. Tackle these issues as soon as possible in order to further boost the value and curb appeal of the property. This should also involve ensuring that your home is structurally sound.

Check the systems

Finally, it is important to check that what you have in the existing space works. For instance, if you have radiators in your home, check that they are working and ensure that the central heating system is working at optimum efficiency. Otherwise, it will not be cost-effective, and local estate agents may devalue the property on that front. Whilst you're at it, you can invest in some more modern fittings like sleek radiators and hidden pipes to impress potential buyers and add further value to your home.