Ten Ways to Add Value to Your Home

13 Feb 2010

As the property market faces another setback following the January chill*, TrustMark urges homeowners wishing to sell to invest in key renovations that will help maximise value. "House prices at the moment are being buoyed by the lack of properties on the market, as people are sitting tight in the hope that prices will soon rise substantially, however recovery is still very slow," said Roman Russocki, Chief Executive of TrustMark, the Government backed, not for profit quality mark for tradesmen

"Demand is outstripping supply but as soon as more homeowners put their properties up for sale and the balance is restored, prices are likely to dip again. It's a tough market and homeowners should consider investing time and effort into improving their property in order to reap the rewards at sale time."

"Adding value to your house sounds straightforward enough, but it is often trickier than many of us realise and it's very easy to get wrong. It is definitely worth calling in the professionals to do building work properly, as there are important legal regulations and safety standards which need to be followed and a shoddy job will reduce the property value substantially!"

Here are some tips on how to increase your chances of a profitable sale:

1. Build an extension - this could add considerable value onto your house
2. Neutralise the colour schemes - light coloured walls create an illusion of space and suit most tastes
3. Upgrade your kitchen - this is the first thing that buyers rip out, save them the trouble and add value to your home at the same time
4. Replace old bathroom fittings - another bugbear for new homeowners
5. Smarten your exterior with a fresh lick of paint and a tidy garden
6. Remove carpets and install hard flooring to smarten the interior
7. Convert your loft - this will effectively add an extra room to the house and will again  increase the value
8. Retain original features in a period property. Buyers tend to favour these in old properties
9. Clear the house of clutter and personal items. This will only shrink space and is off putting
10. Replacing old and tired doors will create an altogether sleeker interior

"Equally important is getting the right person to do the work. Poor quality work is counter productive and will leave you hugely out of pocket and will even devalue your property. Always seek expert building advice and help by choosing a qualified tradesman. The TrustMark database contains the details of thousands of local tradesmen that have to comply with standards set by government while being qualified to do a good job at a fair price."