Alternative ways to add value (without extending)

People tend to look to extensions as their first option to add value to their property – and yes, they are a great way to boost your asking price. But they’re not always a valid option, whether it’s due to limitations on space, planning permission, or timing.

 

Here, we outline some creative ways to add value to your property – and make an impact with buyers in a competitive property market.

 

Improve your energy efficiency

If you haven’t already, consider making your house as energy-efficient as possible: it’s increasingly becoming a priority for buyers. Underfloor heating, loft and ceiling insulation, double glazing, water saving devices, better boilers…do what you can to bring your property closer to an A efficiency rating. Most properties, particularly older homes, have the potential to move up at least one band.

 

If you’ve avoided double glazing up until now in order to preserve the appearance of your property, there are glaziers who specialise in period properties and statement windows.

 

Get creative with space

You can maximise space without building an extension. Be creative with what you have and make sure you are showing the potential of every room. This could be remodelling, swapping rooms around to inspire buyers (even if it’s not the way you have used those rooms before), or even adding built-in storage. 

 

Add an extra bedroom (creatively)

Is there a loft space you could convert? Or have you adapted a former ‘spare bedroom’ into a study? The number of bedrooms in a property can dramatically add value – and it helps if prospective buyers can actually see the space being used as a bedroom. If you’re looking to sell fast, it could be worth packing away the home office and adding a cheap bed to show off the space.

 

As for loft conversions, these will always add value (and can make a striking master bedroom with an en-suite) as long as you remain aware of your street’s ceiling price (more on that below).

 

What we never recommend is splitting an inappropriate space. You would be surprised how many split bay-windows we have seen over the years, and they never look good. Dividing a room into two (permanently) only really works in very large, period bedrooms with multiple windows.

 

Add a bathroom or en-suite

What’s your bedroom to bathroom ratio? If you can add an en-suite to the main bedroom or an additional shared shower/WC to any part of the house, you can add value without extending.

 

Another option for Victorian homes that still have a bathroom downstairs is to move the bathroom to an upper floor – but be wary if this means losing a bedroom, as its loss may negate any value gained.

 

Make the most of your kitchen

Kitchens really are one of the best ways to add value without building an extension. Think about how you can make the space as usable as possible. You could create an open-plan kitchen/diner by knocking through a wall, relocate it to a larger room (worth considering if you have multiple living/entertaining spaces) or change your existing layout to create more space.

 

If you’ve had your current kitchen for a while, remodelling with new worktops, cabinets and lighting can be a small investment with a good return.

 

Make the most of your garden space

If you can’t extend into your outside space, show off what you can do with it. Think of your garden as an extra room – how can you present that space to buyers as a useful, desirable space? Adding privacy (especially to smaller, overlooked gardens) with new boundary fences, shielding plants or canopies can also help buyers visualise the space.

 

Get planning permission

Even if you don’t plan to extend yourself, getting planning permission can add value and make your house more desirable than the similar sized property next door. Look to your neighbours’ houses for inspiration – you could potentially apply for an outward or upward extension, an eaves conversion, or even a garden outbuilding (larger home offices, gyms and summer houses built on your land will often need planning permission).

 

Create parking space

Car parking is like gold dust in south London. If you have space to add parking to your property, investing in a decent driveway could add value, won’t set you back a great deal financially and, again, puts your home a cut above the local competition. Besides, let’s be honest: for a lot of people, a back garden is great, but a front garden can be just another lawn you need to weed/mow/keep plants alive in.

 

Update your interiors

This may not add a huge amount of value but it will make your house more appealing to potential buyers. You can see our tips on decorating your home to sell here but painting aside, you could also consider updating light fittings, replacing carpets (or switching to hard floors) and re-tiling bathrooms or kitchens.

 

Check off all the basics

Any niggling electrical or plumbing issues, like a flickering LED dimmer switch or a problem drain? Sometimes these problems can become part of daily life (especially if you have a busy family home or demanding work schedule) but fixing them before you put your house on the market gives buyers one less thing to put on their to-do list.

 

Be aware of your streets ceiling value

Before you make any investment, be aware of the upward cap on your property’s value. An extra bedroom or additional bathroom will be a wasted spend if your house has already reached its value potential with its existing setup.

 

However, smaller investments can make a difference to how your home is perceived by potential buyers and how quickly a sale is closed. We’re happy to offer our advice, even if you are only considering your move at present. Give us a call 0203 519 9121 for a chat about the local market and what you should consider.[MOU1]