Renovating your property? Get the best deal!
As we approach 2012 economic recovery stills looks distant for those living in the UK and the housing market continues to stagnate. If your committed to staying in your current home whilst the property market improves then perhaps it’s time to consider making an investing in it. A bit of money can make it feel like a new place, making it a fresh and exciting to live in once again. If tackled in the right way you can immediately improve your standard of living and add value to your home at the same time.
Different types of home improvement are shown to give varying returns on investment, so it's a subject to approach with both your head and your heart, finding a balance between creating the living environment you dream of and making your investment produce a return when you decide to sell up.
First on the list is to approach areas that offer improvements to the quality of your life. Your home may be too cluttered and need more storage. It may be damp or chilly and your insulation may need improving. Perhaps your garden is underutilised and could be transformed into an oasis of calm to escape from the real world into. Even an application of a fresh lick of paint onto walls and door can instantly improve a room. Making such improvements will transform you and your family's life whilst adding to the resale value of your home.
It’s often cosmetic improvements that can have the best result. Kitchens and bathrooms have been shown to produce some of the best returns on investment. With the constant supply of home improvement shows on television people are used to high quality functional renovations carried out to a high degree of finish so make sure you budget to do the job properly.
Adding more storage to your home can instantly make it much more functional. Being able to remove the clutter of everyday life out of sight brings benefits to all areas of your home and will allow it to truly shine.
Be careful not to overlook flooring improvements, as they have consistently been shown to deliver good returns on investment. Nothing adds warmth and character to a room quite like wooden flooring, and it’s been shown to even improve the likelihood of a quick sale when you move on. Modern materials offer a high level of finish with a product that is easy to maintain and will actually improve with age. And with all the great wooden flooring offers available, it’s affordable too. There are a great many options available from the traditional to the exotic and now is a great time to get some great solid oak flooring deals. In areas prone to spillages, you’d be wise to put in some great laminate flooring, which will only lengthen the life of your investment.
There’s a host of structural improvements that should be on your list as well. Whilst these typically offer a smaller return on investment, many of these changes involve making your home more energy-efficient and can go towards reducing both your energy costs and carbon footprint. Often they can be looked at as medium to long term investments offering a return on your money over 5-10 years. Options to consider include loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, draft proofing and installing quality double glazing.