Service Engineers Research Team
Building Better Buildings. The SERTEAM advise the construction industry on all aspects of building design.

Adding Value to Your House

When we make improvements to the home with a view to selling our house or apartment, we want to ensure that they provide a good return on investment. That is, we want the house to be more saleable as a result and for the value of the house to increase over and above the amount we invested on the improvement.

Some jobs we can tackle ourselves such as a lick of paint to cover scuffed walls or skirting boards. Or replanting the border to make the garden more attractive to prospective buyers and create a good first impression. These types of jobs are inexpensive and are worth doing when your house is on the market.

However, the more major jobs need to be considered at length before you make a final decision. For example, will installing a conservatory or luxury bathrooms in the home really increase the value of the house by the amount we spend on it? You need to make your research on this carefully, or you will end up out of pocket after the house is sold, after having spent a fortune and wasted hours of your time.

Another point to consider is that if you are planning on any DIY projects to increase the value of your house, take into consideration what the prospective buyer will want and what is more likely to sell. Cream walls and muted colours may not be your cup of tea, but if that is the current trend then the house will be more saleable than the lime green walls and purple ceilings you might prefer.