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Add Value To Your Home – 4 Home Improvement Projects

Add value to your home

With house prices at an all time high many people are considering making improvements to their properties rather than moving. Moving house is expensive, especially when you take into account the cost of taxes, legal fees, estate agent fees and removal costs. If you are considering a move to upgrade to a larger property the financial jump can be colossal and may be beyond the average person’s financial capabilities. This is why a lot of people choose to extend their existing property, as although making home alterations isn’t cheap, it often works out cheaper than moving house. Of course, the ability to extend very much depends on the planning laws and regulations in your area and you are likely to have to apply for permission.

Many people choose to stay in their current home rather than move because they simply love living there. Children get settled in schools and you begin to become part of your local community. If there are no larger properties in your locality within your budget you could simply opt for extending in order to provide an extra bedroom, an additional bathroom or a conservatory as extra living space. All these reasons are conducive to renovating instead of moving.

The remainder of this article will look at ways of funding a renovation project and which projects will add financial value to your house.

Funding

Unless you have oodles of cash languishing in a bank somewhere you will need to consider your options with regards to funding. Research carefully as to which funding options suit your particular circumstances. Ideally, you would pay for renovation work out of your own funds without having to borrow, it may even be possible to borrow from family members, who are unlikely to charge interest.

If funding the renovation yourself is not an option you could try the following:-

Remortgage – To remortgage your property you need to have a certain amount of equity in your home. This means the current value of your property minus the amount which is still owed on your current mortgage. You will need to provide evidence that you can afford the increase in monthly payments and the improvements you are intending to make, must add a certain amount of value. Different mortgage providers have differing lending requirements.

Bridging loans and secured loans – Bridging loans are often associated with property moves, however Bridging Loans & Development Finance are also used for property development and renovation.The loan is a short term option and useful for if you wish to improve your property in order to increase its value, allowing for a property move or remortgage application.

A secured loan normally involves a large amount of money being used as collateral against the value of your home. They are ideal for people who don’t have a good credit history or are self employed. Secured loan companies don’t have as stringent criteria in comparison to banks and there are lots of options available for uk bridging loans. It is essential to realise however that if you don’t keep up with your repayments you are putting your house at risk.

Credit cards – If your funding requirements is low or your property renovation project is small in scale you may want to consider using a credit card for a short term funding option. If you are savvy you will be able to take advantage of the many 0% finance deals that are available, ensure you swap your balance once the deal finishes otherwise you will have to pay a lot of interest. Try to only use credit cards as a short term option and pay off the balance as quickly as possible.

Once you have your funding in place you can embark on your renovation. The following projects will add value to your home.   

Conservatory

A conservatory is cheaper to construct than an extension, but can still add valuable living space. Ensure your conservatory can be used year-round by using materials that will stay cool in the summer months and be warm in winter. Your conservatory should be sympathetic to the aesthetics of surrounding buildings. It isn’t likely that you will require planning permission unless the conservatory is very large or if the surveyor has been to visit the site and finds an issue with the build.

Extension

An extension is guaranteed to add value to your home if it is professionally constructed, as you are adding to the square footage of living space. An extension can be on a large scale where you literally double the size of your living space or it could just be to add an extra room or extend a kitchen. Planning permission is likely to be required if your project is over a certain size and it would be a good idea to seek professional architectural advice regarding the design of your extension. To make sure the extension adds maximum value, ensure it will not darken your home. People love plenty of light streaming into their houses.

Extra bathroom

Adding an extra bathroom to your home will certainly be advantageous. Most new properties are now constructed with two or more bathrooms, so adding an extra bathroom to your home will attract future buyers if you decide to sell.

Extra bathrooms are also very useful for growing families and may prevent many an argument in the mornings!

You could consider adding an ensuite bathroom to your master bedroom in addition to another family bathroom. With professional advice, you will soon realise that even the smallest corner or alcove can accommodate a bathroom, or at least a shower room fairly easily.

Additional bedroom

Increasing the number of bedrooms in your home will make life easier for a growing family and will increase value to your property. The additional bedroom could also be used as a guest bedroom or home office. Going from a three bedroomed home to a four bedroomed home will add considerable value, although it is likely that you will need to pay a higher rate in council tax.

A popular space to convert into an extra bedroom is the attic or loft. This is wasted space or often just a dumping ground. You will need the site assessing by professional builders and any conversion will need to meet building regulations.

Adding an extra bedroom to your property will add at least 10% in value.

Make sure you get at least three quotes from tradespeople prior to the work taking place and don’t always opt for the cheaper option. Get reviews from previous customers in order to make your decision.

Hopefully, with a well-constructed renovation, you will be able to enjoy your home for many years to come.

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Written by themoneyshed

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