This Is How To Add Value To Your Home When You Can’t Extend

Extensions are all the rage again right now and with good reason. After all, adding extra square footage to your home means adding value when it comes time to sell. However, many of us live in properties which we love, but for a range of reasons cannot extend. The good news is there are still ways we can add value to our home effectively. Just keep reading to find out what they are in the post below. 

Give your hall a makeover

First impressions count when it comes to the value of your home, and too many people believe that this only applies to the outside of your property and that it ends once they are past the front door. However, this is truly not the case, as another area in your home in which you can make a good first impression is your hallway. 

The problem with a lot of hallways is that they tend to be a collection point for a lot of clutter including outerwear like shoes and coats, as well as umbrellas, bags, posts, and prams or buggies if you have kids. 

With that in mind, any hall makeover needs to include a way to organize and minimise clutter. Hooks for coats and bags are a great idea, and if you have the space a cabinet to hide them altogether is better. 

Be sure to pay attention to the walls and flooring in your hall and give them a refresh too. After all, halls tend to be smaller, but high use areas so they can be particularly susceptible to wear and tear. Replacing the flooring, and cleaning the carpets and repaints can help them seem brand new, which will give a much better first impression to your home. 

Convert your loft

While many properties do not have the capacity to have an extension added, there are other ways to add extra room. These include loft, garage, and cellar conversions. Loft conversions in particular can be a great option for adding liveable and usable square footage, mainly because the bones of the structure are already present. 

Loft conversions also often win out with homeowners because they are considerably cheaper than other types of conversions such as a cellar and garage. However, they can be just as complicated to get right, especially if you are hoping to convert a property with a pitched roof, and that is why working with an expert team like those at Mansard Loft is a good idea. Indeed, such a team can help you navigate all the challenges of a loft conversion from gaining planning permission to completing the construction work. 

Divide your home into flats

It’s probably one of the most extreme suggestions here, but if you really want to get as much value from your property as possible, why not consider splitting it into separate properties such as flats. 

Indeed, there are many different types of houses such as old 60’s semis, especially in cities that can be split into at least 2 flats with a generous amount of living space. You could stay in one and lease the other out, or even sell it, which would provide you with a huge amount of added value.

Improve your energy efficiency

Energy efficiency is a big deal to home buyers these days, and every home is given a specific rating on how efficient it is. To that end, buyers will be looking for homes that are as energy efficient as possible, not only because they are better for the planet, but because they will save a considerable amount of money when running them too. 

To that end, replacing old single-glazed windows with double or triple glazing is a must, as is making sure you have a new energy-efficient boiler installed. Yes, these things may require a small initial outlay but the money they will save and the value they will add are well worth it. 

Revamp your kitchen

If you know anything about valuing or selling the home you will also know that kitchens matter a great deal to the overall asking price. Indeed, kitchen renovations are one of the most popular types of renovation, and the good news is that you’ll reap the benefits whether you choose to stay in your property or move. 

For example, if you choose to stay you’ll have a brand new kitchen, better customised to your needs. Whereas if you choose to move, your improved kitchen will add around 25% to the asking price of your property. Just be sure that you don’t spend over £10,000 on your new kitchen because it’s around this figure where the returns start to decline. 

Knock through a wall or two

Open-plan living is hugely chic and popular right now, so if you have a home with lots of separate rooms you could increase its value by knocking through some walls. You’ve probably already seen plenty of people do this on a DIY show, although there are some important things to remember. 

First of all, you can’t knock through any supporting walls because this will compromise the structure of your property, and can make it a dangerous place in which to live. Additionally, there is quite a bit of work and mess involved in knocking through an interior wall, so you may feel happier working with a professional builder or demolition expert. 

Make your garden gorgeous

Gardens, good or bad, can greatly impact the value of your property. The main reason for this is that buyers will look for a property that has not only an outdoor space that is attractive, but one that is easy to maintain as well. That’s right, people love to have outside spaces they can use, but not ones they have to put a tonne of work and money into maintaining. In particular it makes sense to pay attention to the patio or deck areas in your garden, as these can be expensive and time-consuming for new owners to replace. Indeed, a good patio area in  a garden that is relatively neat could raise the asking price of your property a significant amount.