If you are looking to sell your property, you may well be aware that investing in some home improvements can boost its value. While carefully planned upgrades, like adding a conservatory or revamping a kitchen, can offer a good return on investment, there are occasions when we neither have the time or the budget to undertake such large projects.
If you’ve struggled with this, it’s important to know that there are many DIY improvements that you can make that don’t take an awful lot of time and won’t cost the earth. To help you maximise the value of your home, we’ve come up with three easy projects that could well give you the boost you need. Read on to find out more.
A DIY kitchen upgrade
The kitchen is the most scrutinised room when it comes to placing a value on your house. This is because the kitchen is now seen as the heart of the modern home, and is expected to be a hub of both culinary and social activity. While it would be nice to fully renovate your kitchen before putting your house on the market, this isn’t always possible.
Instead, consider upgrading what you already have, which can also add significant value to your asking price. Your existing kitchen cabinets can be painted or stained a new, refreshing colour to give them a new lease of life — white is a popular choice as it brightens a room and provides a blank canvas for the next owners if they want to change things. Doing this can require quite a bit of work to cover every surface, but the results will be well worth it.
Take a look at our article on easy kitchen improvements for more ways you can enhance this room without blowing the budget.
First impressions count
When someone comes to take a look around, be it an estate agent or a potential buyer, the first thing that they will see is the front of your home. This will be the first impression that is made on them, and it will influence their evaluation of the property from the outset. An untidy front garden or peeling paint job can have a negative effect on any judgement that they make, so it’s important to make sure that everything is up to scratch.
Taking the time to give your home’s façade a new lick of paint or to replace any lost tiles from the roof is well worth the effort, as it will help make a positive impression, which in turn can add pounds to the value. Likewise, undertaking a mission to spruce up an existing lawn or flowerbed can also improve the presentation of your home.
You can even replace your front door to give your home a whole new glow. There are specialist companies, like Evander, who provide secure, attractive, and affordable options for door replacements. Doing so won’t cost the earth, and will make your home even more welcoming.
Update your interior fixtures
Sometimes it is the little things that can have a positive impact on a potential buyer. Interior fixtures, such as light switches, doorknobs, and curtain rails, are also the improvements that many homeowners end up overlooking. While it is forgivable to neglect something so small when there are bigger projects to be tackled, these tiny trappings are often the cheapest and easiest home improvements that you can make.
Objects like doorknobs and light switches see a lot of daily use, so it’s only natural that they end up looking a bit worn out. This can sometimes be remedied with the right cleaning product and some old fashioned elbow grease, but in most cases a replacement can be found that is inexpensive and painless to install. Take note of how many fixtures need replacing, then take a trip to a store like Homebase or B&Q, where you can pick up some new ones for a small price.
While light fixtures can be a little more expensive to replace, you could save some money and get creative with a can of spray paint. This successful DIY project on Make It – Love It shows just how much extra mileage you can get out of an old light with a new coat of paint.
Take the time to complete some of these DIY improvements and you could well see the valuation of your home increase.