How to Add Value to Your Home
Wanting to add value to your home is usually the main reason that a person would look to develop their home. Working your way up the property ladder is an achievable goal, but you need to know how to maximise the value of where you live now.
The co-op insurance conducted a study in which it found that 60 percent of homeowners had added value to their property with renovations. As well as finding that people had typically spent £18,224 and seen a £14,900 profit.
Whether you are planning on selling or just looking to add long-term value by investing in your home, this article will cover the best ways to achieve this.
Garage conversion
A well-done garage conversion can potentially add 20% value increase to your property. A lot of garages are left empty and unused meaning wasted space. Converting your garage doesn’t have to cause a headache either, if it is attached to your property then converting to a habitable room shouldn’t cause an issue. To find out more about converting your garage read here.
Kitchen Refurbishment
Kitchens are becoming the focal point of a lot of homes due to the popularity of open plan living, and a well-done kitchen refurbishment can add up to 6% value increase. When updating your kitchen, it’s essential to keep expense in proportion to the size value of your property. A clean looking kitchen is necessary both to buyers and valuation surveyors. When revamping your kitchen, there are fundamentals to consider such as shape and position. You may also decide to make structural changes, or you may relocate it. However, you can make a big difference to your kitchen by making modest changes to the fixtures and fittings. New doors and handles and other soft touches can make a massive difference to your existing kitchen as well as energy efficient appliances. Head to our kitchen page here for inspiration for your home.
Conservatory / Orangery
Extending your living space is always a good idea if you have that opportunity. A conservatory or orangery can be an excellent way to achieve this if done well. This means making sure that they are proportionate to your home and matches the style. You don’t want the build to look separate to the rest of your home. At Celsius, we always give the best advice on what’s right for your property. We can deliver bespoke designs to enhance your property. An orangery can also offer a fantastic alternative to the traditional conservatory. The additional use of brick built pillars means an orangery has a feeling of an extension at a fraction of the price. Allowing glass windows and roof to give an airy and bright feel to your home. Read more about Celsius’ Conservatory and Orangery installations here.
New Bathroom
Redeveloping or adding a new bathroom to your property is usually a good investment. A new bathroom can add 2.88% value to your home. To get the most out of a new bathroom creating an ensuite is the best option. However, you can also remodel existing space. Ideally, there should be a toilet facility on every floor that has bedrooms. Therefore, if you are converting the attic, try to include a toilet, if not a full bathroom.
Keeping the existing layout of a property can be an excellent way to keep costs down when updating your bathroom. Moving sanitaryware could mean relocating soil pipes and so forth which can become expensive. A bathroom doesn’t need an awful lot doing to increase value on your property. It can be more about the features that you put in. You can make a considerable difference with a set of new taps, a big shower head and power shower, a glass screen or door.
Extension
When deciding to extend your home, you can add a few rooms or extend existing living space. Your extension can differ from adding extra square feet to your home to make an open plan living area. You can also undertake a much more significant project like second-storey addition. An extension can potentially add up to 10% value to your property. To reach its full potential your build will need designing carefully so that the new space is integrated well with the original home.
During the planning process of any extension, you want to develop the rooms to be as big as possible, without sacrificing too much of the outdoor space. Our experienced team at Celsius can make the design stage as comfortable as possible. Read our pages here for more information. The most critical process for any extension is choosing the right people to do it. Read our comprehensive guide for selecting the right building company here to make your decision streamlined.
Loft Conversion
A safe investment for your home and one that can be carried out relatively easily requiring the layout of your home suits is a loft conversion. Converting your loft can be the easiest way to add an extra bedroom in your home and depending on the size of the space possibly an extra bathroom, which can add up to 10% value. For more information read our loft conversion page.
Replace windows
Replacing your windows with the most energy efficient and up to date windows available can be seen as essential to add value to your property, although thermal efficiency is significant, in higher valued features you will need to address the aesthetics of your windows. Look at the vast range of windows that Celsius offer here.
- Published in Building, Conservatories, Home Extensions, Home Improvements, Orangeries, Windows
Choosing the right building company
You need to make the right choice when it comes to choosing the right building company for you. With so many companies vying for your business, it’s essential that you do some research to make sure you pick the best company.
Online searches, general enquiries, word of mouth recommendation and general marketing can be good ways to find your next contractor. In order to get someone you can develop a relationship with it will be better to delve further.
We have compiled some useful tips on how to choose your next builder. So read further to make your first steps in shaping your dream home.
- In the early stages of looking for a contractor conduct research by searching online. Doing this, you can look for companies that are local to you. Examine their portfolios and customer reviews to get a good understanding of them. Speaking to friends and family who have already had similar work completed is also an excellent early indicator of the standards set by the contractors, so advice from them is well worth considering.
- Once you have managed to get together a shortlist, you would then need to obtain quotations. You will need to have a brief prepared as this is your project. Having a firm idea of what you want from work undertaken will be essential. The company you choose will need to visit the property and survey the project to give you a free quote. A good project manager will consult with you about what is possible in order to reach your house goals.
During your meetings you will need to get as much information in writing as can be provided, you should ask about;
- Site maintenance
- Clearance
- Material supplies
- Time-scales
- Costs
- Disruption
You will also need to ask for confirmation as to whether planning permission is required and if they will need to apply for Building Regulations approval. Having a healthy relationship with your contractor is very important, so you want a professional yet personable rapport. You need to have sharp lines of communication.
- After meeting with a list of possible contractors you should have narrowed your search. A good building contractor will show you other sites and jobs that they have completed, so you should visit other properties, notably ones with similar work. When site visiting make sure to pay attention to the craft and take note of things you like and dislike. Discuss whether this can be translated to your property and bring up any issues that you may not like.
- When you are discussing costs, you will need to agree when and how you will pay. For example, ‘stage’ payments when specific tasks are completed. Some contractors may require payment upfront for materials, however, make sure you pay when the materials are on-site.
Choosing the right contractor can seem daunting, but knowing what you want and developing a good professional relationship you can make your decision easy. Following the steps laid out should lead you to find your perfect contractor one that you can trust and work with to create your dream home.
Celsius Home Improvements could be the company for you
100% of customers who answered our satisfaction survey said they would recommend us to a friend, and as mentioned earlier reviews and previous customer satisfaction can be a crucial indicator when securing your next building company. You can see further accreditation for our work from our online reviews on CheckaTrade and our testimonial page here.
At Celsius, we have the largest showroom in Merseyside so feel free to visit us to help make your decision. We are open 8 am – 6 pm Monday to Friday 10 am – 2 pm on Saturday and by appointment only on Sunday.
We offer free no obligation quotes, all you need to do is call 0151 545 1400 and speak to a member of our team to organise a surveyor to visit your home at a time suited to you.
- Published in Building, Home Extensions, Home Improvements, Uncategorized
Tips for Converting Your Garage
There are many things you need to know when converting your garage. If your property has unused garage space, you may be asking yourself what you can do to maximise it. Your living space may be shrinking while your garage goes unused.
Garages tend to be less about storing your car and more about storing forgotten items. If this resonates with you, then converting your garage may be a good option so why not design and build a creative space or a warm and habitable room to add a unique touch to your home.
What type of Garage do you have?
Your conversion can differ depending on what type of garage you have. Your garage will fall into three categories;
- Attached
- Integral
- Detached
Attached and integrated garages are usually accessible from the house this makes a conversion easy whereas a detached garage may require planning permission as it’s a separate building. However, a good contractor can make any type of conversion run smoothly.
Different ideas for your conversion
When converting your garage, there are many different ideas that you could choose from for your conversion, such as;
- Another lounge
- An extra bathroom
- Children’s playroom
- A larger kitchen
- Home cinema
- Gym
- Office
If you are in the fortunate position to have a double garage you may even consider splitting the space, keeping one side for storage and the other as an extra living space.
Building a conversion to the highest standards can bring fantastic benefits to your home and choosing your options should be fun, practical and creative.
Benefits of a garage conversion
There are many benefits of a garage conversion and a significant one for when your garage is attached, is that there is existing structure meaning you don’t need new foundations, nor do you need to build new walls, many existing garages also have electricity wired in. With these factors this type of conversion can be a very cost-effective way to add space to your property and can even add value, a well-done garage conversion can add up to 10% onto the value of your home which may mean making a profit from your project.
What to consider
A conversion won’t always be straightforward and there may be some things that you need to consider. Such as when the external walls of an integral garage are comprised of a single course of bricks, as this can cause problems with insulation and weatherproofing. Your contractor will be able to advise you on all these issues, but there are many ways, around this, including the creation of an independent stud wall of the damp proof course. These types of problems need to be addressed to meet building regulations so as a result, any design must factor in;
- Moisture proofing
- Ventilation
- Insulation
- Fireproofing
- Structural soundness.
If you are working with the right contractor, then they will go through these issues with you and manage building regulation issues. If you’re looking for contractor help on converting your garage to a living space request a free estimate for your conversion needs.
- Published in Building, Home Extensions, Home Improvements, Solid Roofs, Uncategorized
Top Tips For Extending Your Home
Deciding whether to extend your home can be a hard decision to make, so we have compiled a selection of top tips for extending your home that can help you with your decision.
There can be many reasons why you are considering moving properties; a growing family can begin to restrict your living space, you could have that itch for change that no new colour of paint can satisfy. But uprooting and leaving memories built in your home can be challenging to do, so why not consider extending?
Why extend
Extending your home can be a decision that requires a lot of thinking and discussion with your partner, so we have compiled some reasons as to why you would consider extending.
- Loving the area where you live.
- Being close to what matters to you.
- Adoring the house where you live in and not wanting to uproot.
- Full design control over your dream home. The usual reason for extending or moving is to gain more space, but by extending your home, you are in control of the area you create at the design stage.
- Add value without overcapitalizing. Your extension will undoubtedly add value to your property. The increase in cost will of course vary depending on the number, size and use of the additional rooms but a well designed and built addition will increase the price of the property even further.
- Although extending your property can cause some upheaval to your living situation it can be somewhat cheaper than moving, and you can add value by shaping your family home to the dream you envisioned.
What to consider
There are many different things to consider once you have decided to extend your home, from permissions and regulations to styles of extensions. Read below to see what factors you need to think of when determining the decision to develop your home.
- Planning permission – You can undertake some extension projects without the need for planning permission, such as a rear wall of a detached house can be extended by 8m to the rear if it is a single storey property, and 3m if it is a double storey. If you live in a semi or terraced property, it can be reduced to 6m. There are also height restrictions to this: a single storey extension cannot be higher than 4m in height to the ridge and the roof space, and ridge heights of any extension can’t be higher than the existing property. For a double storey extension, it mustn’t be closer than 7m to the rear boundary. Check our page here for more information.
- Extension style – When designing your extension there are many ways you can do it, depending on how much space you have and how you want to utilise it. Look below at different extensions you can add to your property.
Double Storey
A double storey extension can be a fantastic way to transform your home. This style of extension is great for increasing living space and bedroom accommodation at the same time. If your home is too small for your family, a double storey extension could be best for you. Click here for more information.
Single Storey
If you are thinking of building a single storey extension, then this can be the ideal way to transform your space into a better lifestyle decision. There are different styles of single-storey extensions such as an Orangery or a lean-to extension that can renovate your home and give you the space you need. A single storey extension can add benefits to your property in the way of flooding interiors with natural light by adding roof lanterns and bi-fold doors. Read more here.
Conversions
You don’t have to extend your property to create more space, consider a transformation of unused space to form the house you desire. Convert your wasted loft space into a brand-new bedroom and bathroom, or your basement into a new area of peace and tranquillity or even turn your garage into the designer kitchen you always wanted. Not only does professionally installed conversion make a great addition to your house but it will add value and comfort without the stresses of moving.
Whatever you want to transform your home Celsius will be with you every step of the way to make your decision as streamlined as possible. Click here to contact Celsius today and speak with our friendly team to find out more.
- Published in Building, Home Extensions, Home Improvements, Orangeries, Orangery ideas