Best ways to improve the value of your home

The homes we live in are, for most of us, the most significant investments we make in our lifetimes. They don’t just provide us with a place to eat, sleep, work and play; they’re also a store for our wealth.

 

With the right improvements, you can increase the value of your home significantly. In some cases, you might look at an equity release calculator and discover that you can fund these improvements through borrowing.

 

 

Converting a cellar

Often, major improvements can be made by simply taking existing spaces and converting them so that they can function as additional storage, or as extra living space.

 

You might do this with the loft, or you might do it with a cellar. In the latter case, you might find that you can store washers and driers down there, alongside other functional appliances like extra-large freezers. This will free up space elsewhere in the house.

 

On the other hand, you might have a special purpose in mind. Cellars, by their nature, offer inherently excellent sound isolation. A little bit of extra acoustic treatment might help turn yours into your dream home cinema room – or an office.

 

Just remember that you aren’t going to get much in the way of daylight down there.

 

 

 

 

Converting a garage

Cellars are quite rare in the UK, but garages are more common. So too, therefore, are garage conversions. You might transform yours into an additional living space, a games room, or a workshop.

 

To comply with building regulations, you might have to install extra insulation. If the existing walls are one brick think, then the upgrade to cavity walls might cost you a little bit of space. Design your interior accordingly.

 

 

Updating the kitchen

For many homebuyers today, the kitchen is the most important room in the home. It’s not only a space where food is prepared; it also acts as a dining area, and a social and entertainment hub.

 

Upgrades to the kitchen might pay for themselves many times over in terms of value added to the house. Fancy new appliances, granite worktops, under-floor heating: they can all be justified by the eventual increase in the property’s value.

 

In some cases, you might wish to open up the space so that it flows into an adjoining dining area or living space. This can be done even if the wall in question is load-bearing with the help of a Rolled Steel Joist. Just make sure that the operation is planned and executed by an experienced professional.