1. Consider a New Staircase
This may not be the feature that comes to mind when you think of a property’s value and kerb appeal. However, when potential buyers walk into your home, what they see from the hallway is their first impression of the interior. And your staircase will be a key element that stands out.
On the one hand, you may prefer to simply refurbish your existing staircase. Perhaps you’ll decide to have a new carpet laid down, paint or clad the stair rings or even add a sophisticated baluster to your staircase and landing.
Whether you’d like to enhance your current staircase or add a new one, here are some design ideas worth considering:
● Pretty patchworks
● Glass bannister for a sophisticated and light-boosting design
● Coordinated colours for design (e.g., two-toned carpets to match the walls and bannisters, respectively)
● Simple but elegant design with a plain background and subtle ornamental touches in the hallway
Of course, the list of possibilities is endless. If unsure what design or changes might be for you, consider consulting a professional designer.
2. Loft Conversion
A loft conversion is a great way of adding more practical space and utility to your home. A converted attic space could be used for various means, including a bedroom space. Loft conversions often add somewhere in the region of 10-25% to a property’s value and can certainly increase your home’s kerb appeal.
To make a loft conversion as appealing as possible, consider some of the following features:
● Built-in storage (if feasible)
● Plenty of practical usages and utility, such as with a bedroom or/and living space
● En-suite bathroom
● Openable/ventilation skylights
3. Bi-Fold Doors
Technically both an interior and exterior feature, bi-fold doors can make your home more appealing to potential buyers due to the ability of their glass panels and hinged frames to fold back, thus opening up the space completely. Not only that, but bi-fold doors offer plenty of class and style in a way that most back garden doors simply can’t.
There are, of course, other stand-out door designs you may want to consider. Naturally, door hanging costs (including labour and supply costs) can vary widely. It’s best to take your time weighing up your options, with the same advice applying to all of the interior updates discussed here and any others you have in mind, before making any big decisions.
4. Home Library
You may want to consider adding a home library, especially if you have the space available to create one without an extensive amount of work.
The best tips to consider for a home library include the following:
● Having enough well-designed shelves to store books
● Arrange the books in a suitable manner (e.g., alphabetically, chronologically or by genre)
● Consider what books you’d be happy to leave behind for new homebuyers (if deemed suitable)
● Ensure there is a nice, comfy seating arrangement in place
● You’ll probably want to add a nice table (e.g., a fancy glass table) next to the seating - after all, many a reader loves a cuppa (or a cheeky glass of red or brandy) to sip on while delving into their favourite fiction or non-fiction books.
● Moreover, you’ll want to take a step back and consider the overall design and layout of your home library. Be sure that the colours go well together (e.g., the tones of the wall and the book shelves).
● Add suitable ornaments and paintings/photographs to the wall to further set the mood.
● You may prefer to opt for a chest of drawers with a seat (as opposed to a table) for the reading location, although both would be perfect!
5. New Windows
If your boiler has to work extra hard to keep your home warm during the wintertime, it may be a good idea to increase your property’s energy efficiency, assuming the issue isn’t with the boiler itself.
For example, you may want to replace single-glazed windows with double- or triple-glazed alternatives. As far as cost-effectiveness goes, if you’re on a budget, it’s probably best to stick with double-glazed windows. While it will cost thousands to have all your windows upgraded to double-glazed units, double-glazing can reduce heating bills by at least £100 and potentially several hundred pounds.
Other measures you may want to consider to increase your home’s energy efficiency include:
● Loft or wall insulation
● Replacing your boiler with a modern, more efficient boiler
● Thermal curtains
Getting Your Money’s Worth on Interior Updates
If you intend to update your home’s interior purely to improve its appeal before putting it on the market, it’s important to consider whether certain investments will be worth the cost.
After all, there’s always a risk that you may end up spending more on an update than it will add to your property’s value.
A third consideration is how much value it will offer you in the meantime (and obviously, how important this consideration will be would depend on how soon you plan to put your property on the market). After all, some updates could lower your energy bills which could be a key factor in making it worthwhile.
How do you calculate the value of a potential investment? Well, let’s say your home is valued at around £250,000, and you want to invest in double-glazed windows. If you were to replace 10-12 windows with double-glazed units, you might end up spending (on the lower end) around £4,000 to £4,800.
Since double-glazing can add about 10% to a property’s value, you’d be looking at adding approximately £25,000 in this scenario. So, clearly, this would be a profitable investment.
However, if you opted for more expensive double-glazing (perhaps at £1,500 to £2,000 per unit), you’d be running much closer to the potential £25,000 property value increase, and there’s no guarantee double-glazing would add quite as much as 10% to a property’s value.
Nonetheless, as mentioned, if you were planning to wait a further several years before selling your property, you could benefit by several hundred pounds (and perhaps even by more than £1,000) in reduced heating bills. So, you’ll need to take these three key considerations on board to decide what investments might be worth the cost. If in doubt, consult with a suitable professional.
*Collaborative post
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