Unlocking the value of your home doesn't have to be complicated - if you make the right moves, you can add worth without breaking the bank.
Take your home up a notch with creative ideas like extending the living space, installing an eye-catching modern kitchen and refreshing its exterior appeal. Your house can be revitalised in no time!
By taking on projects that are fast and simple, you'll be able to give your interior a quick makeover with immediate results. If you're looking for more substantial changes, consider investing in extensions – they can not only boost curb appeal but also increase the value of your home when it comes time to sell!
While you may be tempted to do large scale project don’t forget the smaller things can also add value too.
How to Add Value to Your Home by Decorating
Decorating is perhaps the most obvious task when thinking about how to add value to your home.
Even though minor blemishes may not decrease the value of a home, they can be enough to drive away potential buyers and make it difficult for owners to get top dollar.
These typical defects will put many buyers off, but are easily resolved by any competent DIYer:
Peeling paint
Squeaking or sticking doors and windows
Door latches that don’t work
Mouldy sealants in kitchen and bathroom
Dripping taps
Loose tiles
Sewer smells
Broken or damaged windows
Squeaky floors and stairs
Cracks to ceilings and plasterwork
Lifting flooring
Add an Extra Bedroom
When it comes to increasing the value of your home, adding an additional bedroom is a smart move. Not only will this create more usable space in your property - providing potential buyers with greater flexibility and choice – but also adds appeal for both young families and couples looking to downsize alike.
Having more bedrooms in a property is usually seen as beneficial by potential buyers since it can add considerable value. However, there are limits to this depending on the location of your home - once you hit that limit, additional rooms won't give much bang for their buck!
Extra bedrooms can be created by dividing up existing space by removing and adding walls, by converting the loft or cellar, or by extending.
Re-purposing an existing room is a great way to freshen up your home without spending too much. Older homes with large bedrooms are the perfect candidates for this eco-friendly transformation!
Make sure you create a balance between bedrooms and the number of bathrooms a ratio of one to three is a minimum.
Kitchen Makeovers That Add Value
Having an attractive, spotless kitchen is a must-have for both potential buyers and home appraisers. Before replacing the entire set up in your cooking space, take into account its shape, position and then decide if you need to change anything about it - or even move it somewhere else!
Very often, kitchen renovations can be carried out for a modest investment. Small changes such as repainting or replacing unit doors or just the worktops can have a huge impact, as can new floor tiles or better lighting.
Give Your Garden a Makeover
Redesigning your garden can be a great way to not only increase the value of your home, but also make it more attractive to potential buyers. A well designed and tidy outdoor space is sure to add that extra flair – making it an eye-catching attraction!
Even if you do not makeover your garden, make sure you carry out at least the basics:
Moving into a new home, setting up a new kitchen? Check out our guide to what you'll actually use in the kitchen.
Chef's Knife
A good knife is a chef’s best friend. This is one of the few things that you’ll thank yourself for investing in. Carbon-plated stainless steel will stay sharp over time, but go to a specialty store to find the best match for you. Choose a knife that you feel comfortable handling. It should feel balanced in your hand, easy to hold and control, not too heavy, but definitely not flimsy. Believe us, you’ll be using it a lot, so take good care of it.
Metal Spatula
A sturdy metal (or high-quality plastic) spatula is vital for flipping, tossing, and serving all kinds of foods. Think eggs over easy, puffy pancakes, roasted veggies, sauteed meats, baked salmon…we could go on.
Whisk
Sturdy metal whisks come in all shapes and sizes. Choose a mid-sized whisk with a handle that fits comfortably in your hand. Use it to mix dry ingredients together before baking, stir eggs for a frittata or emulsify a vinaigrette.
Slotted Spoon
Whether it’s wooden or metal, a perforated (or slotted) spoon acts like a miniature strainer, removing solids from liquids—think pulling potatoes or small pasta noodles from boiling water.
Instant-read Thermometer
Easily (and quickly) check to see if your meats have cooked enough.
Saucepans
A large saucepan is essential for making pasta, boiling potatoes or corn, and simmering big batches of soups and broths. Look for a 5- or 6-quart size. A smaller saucepan (1.5 or 2.5 quarts) comes in handy for smaller items, like boiled eggs, rice and porridge.
Immersion Blender
This handheld tool makes it so easy to blend soups, smoothies, and pestos with the push of a button. I find much easier to handle than a traditional blender, and it’s great because it takes up much less space, too.
Colander
Wash fruits and drain pasta, veggies and other boiled foods. I like a colander that can balance on the edges of my sink, but a classic footed colander is just fine. Look for metal or ceramic, which are sturdier than plastic.
Prep Bowls
This might sound like a no brainer, but it’s important to have a variety of mixing bowls. Get ones that are metal or glass because they’re less porous than plastic. They won’t pick up stains or odours.
Cutting Board
A sturdy, stable surface is essential when it comes to prepping your food. A wooden cutting board will help protect your knife from dulling quickly, as well as make cleanup a breeze
Pinterest is a fantastic interactive scrapbook – think back to when you would buy home magazines, cut out your favourite ideas and stick them on mood boards when you were decorating. In effect, this is an updated version!
You can add images in three ways
Upload from your computer (this could be a picture of your room so you can plan ideas for décor whilst looking at what you’re working with
Search the Pinterest site (more on that below)
Scour the internet and purchasing websites and add in particular products
You can make both public and private boards – which is why it is classed as a social channel. Your open boards can be found by other people by your board theme or which hashtag you used on there. If you use a private board, however, the content in it will only be seen by you.
The best functionality of this channel is the ability to link to products in images to their original websites. They will sit in your board as an image but you can click out to buy them whenever you’re ready, saving you the time and hassle of having to remember where you saw them first or having to run out into town!
There is also a great search functionality in Pinterest. You can search for other people’s ideas by keyword, their personal or company page or themed boards – so if you were looking for garden renovation ideas, for example, you can culminate the best ideas in one place. From here, you can pin other people’s pictures onto your board and add a comment or link into it as a reminder for yourself at a later date.
But how can you be using this site within the home?Why not use Pinterest for:
If you’re doing up a room of your home, why not plan out different wallpapers, potential furniture choices and decorative items to compare products or check everything matches. Just moved into a new house? Make a board for each room so your ideas don’t all get muddled!
Planning to do up your garden? Look at what other people have done with a similar space or add in potential decorative items to one board.
Adding a new addition to the family? Plan your room décor ideas alongside potential purchases, toys and even baby grows!
Planning out your Christmas menu for when the family descend? Add recipe ideas and even food products (that wine that Aunty Meredith insists is the only one she’ll drink!) into a board so your ideas are all in one place.
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Checklist for when you move!
Preparing to move – first steps
1. Firstly, get the biggest job out of the way and decide how you are going to move everything from your old home to your new home. If you’re thinking about a professional mover, try getting 3 – 4 quotes.
2. Communication is key. Keep in touch with your Conveyancing Solicitor and Estate Agent, ensure they are all prepared for completion day, after all, they are working for you. Inform your Conveyancing Solicitor of anything that could be an issue, no matter how small, they can judge if they need to do anything to ensure a smooth transaction.
3. Change of address. Start working through the key contacts checklist to let everyone know you are planning to move home. Most contracts require a minimum of a month’s notice so the sooner the better. Don’t forget the DVLA, TV License, Store Cards, Broadband.
4. Spring clean and remove old items. Your local council maybe able to arrange the removal of large items you no longer want. This service sometimes has a small charge. Start packing the items that you do not use frequently such as things from the spare room.
5. Arrange for child and pet care. Not only can children and pets be a distraction but it can also be an unsafe environment. If possible arrange for someone to help look after them on the day, this will allow to concentrate on getting moved as quickly and efficiently as possible. If the children are old enough to help, find age appropriate tasks for them so they can feel part of the move and help with workload for everyone else.
The week before the move
1. Confirm the dates and times of moving day with all parties, including the removals company.
2. Get your new services and utilities in place. Arrange for Gas, electric, water and most importantly you’re broadband so you have something good to watch when you crash out at the end of the moving day!
3. Finish packing the rest of the house up and make a special essentials box that will be transported with yourselves. Essentials box to include; kettle, tea and coffee, milk, toilet roll, snacks, phone charger, small radio, sellotape, pens, scissors, takeaway menus for the new house and a vase (for potential house-warming flowers!).
4. Pack an overnight bag as if you’re going away for the weekend. It saves trying to find clothes and toiletries that are packed away for the first night and day once you arrive in your new home. Sounds obvious but this could save you tearing your hair out trying to find your toothbrush and slippers by rummaging through all your nicely packed boxes!
5. Prepare a note for the new owners explaining how things work and where they can find useful items such as the boiler switches, aerial sockets and alarm codes. A few kind thoughts will go a long way when it comes to mail redirection and injects some humanity into the whole process. Also include details of who currently provides the utilities at your property as it is not always obvious.
Moving day
1. Meter Readings. Before you leave, get a final meter reading of all your metered services and call the relevant suppliers to inform them of the numbers so you can settle up the final balance and close the account ready for moving. If you don’t do this you could end up in disputes with the new owners and it’s just added stress when you could be relaxing in your new home. Remember to also take all the appropriate meter readings at your new property.
2. First thing to unpack. Make up your new beds in the new house first. So when you’re tired later and you can’t face anymore work, you can hop straight into a comfy bed and get a good night’s sleep. This way you will feel revived and ready to crack on again in the morning!
3. Have some cash ready for when you order food in. It happens to us all, you will rope family and friends in to help and they’ll need to be fed!
4. Home insurance. It may be the last thing on your mind, but ensure your policy has started and everything is covered for your new home. It would be awful if you were putting boxes in the loft and your foot goes through the ceiling, just to find out your home insurance policy has not started and that you’re not covered.
5. Introduce yourselves to the neighbours. Making friends with the neighbors can make a world of difference to your enjoyment whilst at home. Having good neighbors can be a great benefit, they can help keep an eye on the place while you’re on holiday, collect packages when you’re not at home and they might invite you to their parties so you’re not left being.
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