Some of reasons for renovating are obvious, others may be more unique. For example, perhaps you have a keen interest in using a high-end jacuzzi-like bathtub for those long and warm evening soaks, and so you prioritize your family bathroom before anything else. Or, maybe you want to entertain more readily, and so knock through your living room wall to create an open-plan dining/relaxing area.
It’s your property to renovate, and that means you get to choose where to begin. So far, so good. But not everyone is as bothered by the lifestyle impact of a renovation effort. For some, it’s all about value and return on investment.
After all, our homes are often our most valuable asset and, for this reason, improving and extending the property may grant us more value than the money we invest in it. Perhaps you intend to move out not long after the complete refurbishment and the new addition will make your home more saleable when it goes on the market?
If you find yourself considering a renovation, may ask yourself a simple question – where are the most valuable renovation hotspots in your property? From the kitchen to first impressions – and even the layout – there are so many spaces you can improve, even if you’re on a budget.
Investing In Kitchen & Bathroom Upgrades
Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. The kitchen is often considered the heart or engine of a household. Without a nice kitchen space, it can be harder, or at least less comfortable, to make the meals your family enjoys. Even if you’re rarely at home and mostly eat out, having a nice kitchen area is something that many homeowners seek to invest in first.
So – how could you update yours? Might it be reconnecting the space for an oil-burning range, or implementing smart appliances? Perhaps you’ve opened the space by knocking through the wall and can now implement a freestanding surface area with a sink, giving you more surface space around the cabinets. Stick to three golden outcomes – space, accessibility, and utility. If you can invest in these, your kitchen will offer great value.
Of course, bathrooms are essential too. However, a prospective buyer is unlikely to drop their offer that much if a bathroom is just functional and clean instead of space-age and renovated. That being said, a shoddy bathroom can really put buyers off. For this reason, upgrading a bad bathroom can be worth your renovation effort, if only to keep future home-buying offers where they should be.
Enhancing Kerb Appeal For First Impressions
Much is said about “kerb appeal,” that age-old truth that first impressions matter and can taint our viewpoint still counts. Yet the truth is enhancing curb appeal is about more than just fixing up the window ledges and repainting the front door, although those efforts certainly count.
To enhance curb appeal, invest in how you lay out the front of your home. For example, widening the driveway a little to accommodate two cars, replacing the turf in the garden (as well as any old children’s play equipment), bordering off your vegetable patch, pruning your trees where appropriate, adding a safety mirror for sharp corners out of the drive, fixing the front gate for security, and power washing or replacing your garage door – all of this counts towards kerb appeal. Another tip? Have your windows professionally cleaned before accepting viewings. You’d be amazed at how this can help a household.
Consider Your Property Layout
It’s worth considering how your property is laid out, and how you orient the rooms. This can serve as a great baseline for how you plan and manage your renovation from that point on.
For example, perhaps you have three children, one of them a little older than your younger two. As such, you’ve renovated a ground-floor bedroom, immediately accessible as you enter the property. This has given your mature child a little more freedom and privacy, but now you’re hoping to sell, you wonder just how much value an immediately accessible ground floor room is. As such, you may switch this out with the home office upstairs, renovating both to modern standards.
Perhaps you’ll add a large storage space here, or give yourself an additional dining room. If your child has flown the nest you may have space to reclaim and renovate. Sure, this is a particular example, but it demonstrates a use-case in which renovating the layout and utility of a room for broader appeal may be what improves its value, compared to just renovating it for renovation’s sake.
Maximize Unique Value & Character
All homes, much like all people, have their own unique characteristics and strengths. Sure, this might be reflected in many of the other properties on your street built to the same standard, but that doesn’t mean yours is any less appealing – unless it lacks original character.
For this reason, maximizing the unique value and character of your property can be a worthwhile approach. To start with – and something you might not have ever thought about – you might consider renaming your house back to its roots to really highlight the character. For example, of you live in a converted blacksmith’s workshop, you might rename it to “The Forge”.
If you have amazing period fixtures like original fireplaces, wooden beams on the ceiling, or even small plasterwork details around the cornicing or light fittings, renovating and refixing these to take center stage can be impressive. Maximizing the unique character of your building will surely help its value – and sometimes that’s as simple as reinstalling a wood burner and unblocking/cleaning the chimney.
Installing An Exterior Building
If you have garden space, installing an exterior building can be a fantastic method of adding value to your property. Of course, determining what function this building will have is key. You will also require planning permission if you’re adding a freestanding structure that’s any more grand a general shed.
An exterior building for a small creative studio, a spare room with en suite capabilities, a home office, or even just functional storage for your garden tools are all good suggestions. You might also create a structure for socialising – perhaps a pegola with a garden bar, a BBQ station and outdoor seating.
Many prospective home buyers care about functional space, and an exterior building can serve as a fantastic addition in line with that. Just make certain you understand the implications of these plans, such as the need for steadfast contractors, a robust timeline, any foundational work needed (like landscaping), and the provision of materials like corrugated roof sheets from clearambershop.com. This will help you cost the project and determine the expected value as a result.
Revitalizing The Entryway For A Grand Entrance
A great first impression doesn’t end at the exterior of your property. The first steps into the space matter, too so a hallway update can help. First of all, it’s important to make sure security and stability are considered. For example, you might install a porch – somewhere to shelter from the weather when you’re unlocking the door. Or at least, add a space in entranceway where wet coats, shoes and hats can be removed and stored.
Warm lighting, comforts like a large rug, enough space to move past one another, and solid, easy-to-clean flooring are all essential implements here. A grand entrance might also include the home comforts a prospective buyer could see themselves impressing upon, such as lovingly framed photographs of your family. Sometimes, renovating the entranceway, especially one that has lacked attention for some time, could be the primary value-added proposition in any renovation effort.
Home Office Spaces Are Of Intrinsic Value
Since the pandemic, many more homeowners have begun valuing a comfortable home office. Many corporate jobs now implement remote work possibilities where necessary so someone may intend to move to your property with a job they can also do virtually.
As such, home offices have become a great value proposition for those looking to renovate their home. Better yet, these rooms don’t have to be particularly complex or require intensive rewiring or plumbing efforts compared to areas like a bathroom or kitchen. A great wall desk, maximizing natural light, refitting power outlets, integrating features like standing desk room or cable routing fixtures – all of this can help a homeowner know that yes, there’s a productive space available if they need it. Moreover, a home office doesn’t have to be large, so it’s the perfect use for a box room or a small landing space.
Let me know what you think is the most valuable renovation project you can do if you’re planning a future move? I’d love to hear what DIY upgradeds you made when trying to sell you own home in the comments below. Best of luck on your home renovation journey and eventual sale.
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