How to Increase the Valuation of your home

Before making any changes, you should get an estate agent to visit your home and estimate its value. Typically, adding an extra room - a loft or garage conversion - will yield the biggest profit. However, there are some cheaper, less time-consuming (and let’s face it, much easier) ways to increase the value of your property.

When you’re thinking of renovating or decorating to prepare your home for a sale, it pays to know exactly what needs done. Make sure you keep track of your projects, note and budget everything, stay realistic (there’s no point in spending as much as you’ll get for the property!), and don’t hesitate to consult a professional if you have any doubts.

Convert Your Garage

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If your house has a garage, you may want to consider converting it into an extra living space. Selling your house as having an extra room is sure to make the price go up. Only do this if you know the property has other spaces to make up for the garage space, such as an outdoor parking space, and a box room or a garden shed for storage. You could then convert the garage into an extra bedroom (why not make it an en-suite?), a conservatory, a workshop, home gym, entertainment room… Of course, you’ll need to make sure it’s as clean, properly insulated, and well-lit and the other rooms in the house.

Get a new bathroom

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If your bathroom is on the old side and looking run-down, or worse, mouldy, you may consider renovating it entirely. Watch out, as this can get costly very quickly, especially when you consider plumbing costs. While free-standing baths are increasingly popular, bear in mind a bathroom needs to be comfortable and durable before all, so you don’t have to aim for luxury! If all of that is still a bit much for your budget, there’s a lot you can do to give your bathroom a new life: update the paints and tiles (make sure they’re moisture-resistant!), install a new heated towel rail (a piece from trade radiators is always a good bet), upgrade the extractor fan if needed, and install new taps, door handles and lights.

Update the kitchen

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You don’t necessarily need to plan a whole new kitchen and replace everything. If you do, you’ll need to account for the cost of demolishing everything that’s in place too. But you may realise you only need to make some tweaks to really improve its value. For example, replace the counter tops and splashback for an instant new look. Upgrade handles, taps and light fixings to optimise the look as a whole while sticking to a tighter budget.

Optimise storage space

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Who doesn’t like a well-organised home? Charm potential buyers by showing them the property doesn’t need a truck-load of furniture to be ready for their belongings. This is especially seductive in smaller properties, where integrated storage can make a world of difference. What’s more, storage units specifically tailored to spaces in the home are incredibly popular. With that in mind, optimise understairs space, blank wall spaces, cellars and attics, corners in corridors, space under the bathtub or sink…

Upgrade the windows

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Not only will new window look swish and modern, they may also do wonders for your home’s energy efficiency. This will definitely drive up its value. You may want to make your new windows even more appealing by dressing them. If you want to leave curtains to the choice of buyers, you can, in the meantime, opt for light translucent shades that will create more intimacy and block UVs while allowing natural light to flow in.

Make sure plumbing & electricity are up to date

An essential task is to update wiring and plumbing if needed. It’s as much a matter of comfort and looks as it is of safety. If your meter is very old, you may need to rewire the whole house! Replace or even add power sockets while you’re at it. It’s important to make sure the plumbing is in perfect condition too, and you can upgrade yours by switching to a pressurised plumbing system and a good combination boiler (or a cylinder if you have space).

Don’t forget outdoor spaces

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Finally, don’t forget to make your house valuable on the outside too. You could install new decking or a shed (extra living & storage space mean more value), but also make sure the garden is in a good, healthy state. Hire a gardener if you don’t exactly have a green thumb. Consider privacy too: add fences or taller trees if your garden has direct views on a neighbour’s space or unpleasant views.

Once you’ve gone through these small and easy renovations, do bear in mind that sometimes it’s not just about adding value, it’s about making your house appealing. If no one wants to buy it, you’ll end up having to reduce the price anyway just to get a sale!

Consider decoration and aesthetics as much as you consider renovation: make sure paints are fresh and smooth, wood panels are clean and crack-free, tiles and door latches safely in place, carpets are professionally cleaned and stain-free, make sure you have any mould or humidity situation sorted. Then, declutter the space and arrange furniture in an appealing way that’ll entice potential buyers. Again, don’t hesitate to seek help: some interior designers specialise in optimising properties for selling.

Alternatively, if all of this sounds like a lot of hassle and you just want to sell your house, there are a few companies that will buy your house fast with the intention of doing it up themselves. Property Buyer Scotland for example, will buy your house within seven days and take the stress of the whole selling process away from you.

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