Home improvements: An investment or a cost?

An unsettling housing market and a recession may not sound like a good combination in which to start thinking about improving your home but The Daily Telegraph has assured us it is with this feature on Home Improvement, ‘think of your house as a home, not a gold mine, and you’ll see why now is the ideal time to make it a better place to live’ says contributer Caroline Suter.

Every home gets frayed around the edges, so it’s worth taking a step back to see what needs doing both inside and out. It makes good sense to make the most of your home to enjoy it more and then if you do decide it’s time to move on you’ll have the added bonus of making that all important positive first impression.

Peter Bolton King of the National Association of Estate Agents advises that it is most important to ensure any home improvements are carried out ‘to a good standard and for the right reasons’. Cheap and cheerful DIY will not be of any benefit to you or your home.

So, when is a good time

Summer will not only show up all the peeling paintwork and odd jobs that need doing around your home and garden, but it’s also the perfect time to get it all done. It’s better to get the little jobs done before they get any worse and this will make the routine upkeep much more manageable and inevitably cheaper. If you do decide to undertake a bigger project such as an extension or loft conversion then you’ll find it tolerable when you can keep doors and windows open and escape outside. So if you get started now, fingers crossed, the smaller jobs will be done before the winter months set in and you can get things moving with the larger projects, from setting the budget and finding dependable workman, to achieving the required approval from your local council.

What jobs need doing

So now it’s time to decide what job you’re going to tackle first; there are the ones you’ll do for your own gratification and those that will hopefully increase the value of your property. The most important thing to remember is that although larger jobs will add value, spending £20,000 on a new kitchen for example does not suddenly mean the asking price of your property has gone up by £20,000. So be sure the work to be done will improve the quality and enjoyment of your time spent at home, as reiterated by James Scott-Lee of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, "Do work on your home with your own enjoyment and pleasures in mind".

Ideas to enhance your home

The Daily Telegraph has compiled a Top 10 of some home improvements you might like to consider;

1. Add an ensuite bathroom or dressing room: You may already have one for the master bedroom, but if you have a second room big enough you could use some of the extra space to create a bathroom or dressing room. This would be particularly useful for guests and teenagers.
2. Install a downstairs shower room: To encourage the family to spend more time together downstairs in the kitchen and living room a downstairs toilet is essential and a shower a bonus. Try and keep the two separate to avoid arguments.
3. Create a utility room: A room to designate to ignoring the noise of dishwashers and washing machines maybe worth considering, especially if you want a little extra help snubbing the laundry baskets and piles of ironing.
4. Improve energy efficiency: When you get work done be sure to add improvements such as insulation in the walls, draught-proofing, double glazing or a new boiler, this will not only reduce your utility costs in the long run but will also be an advantage as energy assessments are getting stricter.
5. Renew wiring or plumbing: To save getting into worse trouble when something goes seriously wrong with your wiring it’s best to keep it up to date, especially for safety reasons. The electrical industry’s NICEIC recommends having your wiring tested every 10 years and it is worth replacing your boiler if it more than 10-15 years old.
6. Redecorate: Refreshing your walls and old wood work will work wonders for both you and your home, but remember if you’re redecorating with the hope to sell, buyers prefer a neutral canvas on which they can introduce their own style. When testing out paint samples try to imagine it covering the whole wall, pale colours will appear paler and strong colours will seem stronger.
7. Update lighting and accessories: You’ll be surprised at the positive effect you’ll have on your home just by updating your wall lights, modernising your cushions and rethinking your furniture layout.
8. Landscape your garden: A few little changes to your garden could help turn a mundane garden into an inviting retreat. You could try moving borders, installing a pond or creating specific areas for children and grownups.
9. Enhance first impressions: Stand back and take a critical look at the front of your house and the front garden. Does your off-street parking need resurfacing? Does your driveway blend in with its surroundings? Do your garage doors need replacing? Maybe climbing plants would add little something to the front of your house?
10. Make living space outdoors: If you have a large garden, you may want to consider using some of it to create an outdoor space, such as a place for relaxation or a home office. A home office may be a good investment as more and more buyers are seeing this as a requirement for their new home according to Peter Bolton King of the National Association of Estate Agents.

Whether you’re contemplating a large, medium or small project The Daily Telegraph have summarised the most popular options.

Kitchen extensions and loft conversions

A large kitchen-living space and extra bedrooms and bathrooms are often at the top of a buyer’s wish list. But weigh up all the options before you go ahead as they will take the longest and be the most disruptive.

Replacing doors and windows

Windows and doors in a poor state not only look bad but also lack energy efficiency, according to the Energy Saving Trust about 20% of household heat can be lost in this way. There are many appealing styles available to replace them, such as wooden sash and casement windows and plain or glazed doors.