11 Home Improvements That Are Worth Investing In

Whether you’re in the process of renovating a property, or want to make improvements to your current home in order to put it on the market, it’s worth knowing which improvements are going to be worth investing in, and which to avoid wasting your money on. Some improvements might make your home look or feel better, but in the grand scheme of things, they won’t add a lot of value to your property compared to others. Here are some of the best ways to add value to your home through making improvements.

#1. Improve Energy Efficiency:

Today’s homeowners don’t just want to invest their money in properties that look great; they also want to know that they are investing their money into a property that will help them reduce their carbon footprint and save money on their energy bills in the future by becoming more energy efficient. One of the best ways in which to do this is to install solar panels at your property; this is definitely a worthwhile investment which will help both you and your home’s future owners save a significant amount of money on energy bills. If your home is situated in a warm, sunny state such as California, then you’ll definitely benefit from harnessing the power of solar energy – you can check out the best solar companies in San Diego to find one that suits your needs for installations. This solar company in San Diego is reputable and has great results for homes in the Bay Area and all around the county. Offering solar installations in San Diego and beyond, they will help you find the right solar panels for your home and ensure that they are fitted correctly.

#2. Modernize Your Kitchen:

The fact that kitchens and bathrooms sell houses is quite well-known, and it’s definitely true. After all, the kitchen is the main hub of the home, so having one that is up-to-date and modern is one of the best investments that you can make in your property. And, updating your kitchen doesn’t have to be a lot of hard work. It could be as simple as giving your walls, cupboards and drawers a fresh coat of paint, or replacing old tiles with new ones. Or, it could be a more complex job, completely changing the layout and look of your kitchen. According to the experts, if you can only afford to upgrade one room in your home in order to add value, then the kitchen should be the one that you choose.

#3. Update the Bathroom:

Second to the kitchen, upgrading your bathroom is another sure way to add value to your home and help it sell. Years ago, bathrooms were nothing but a room that served a purpose, but today’s younger home buyers are looking for a bathroom that doubles up as a personal sanctuary and somewhere to unwind and relax. Modernizing a bathroom is a great way to add a spa-like experience, and you don’t always need to add an entire new bathroom suite in order to do this. In fact, you’d be surprised at home much better your shower can look by simply upgrading the hardware and adding new tiles. But, if you can afford to, then ripping out the existing suite and installing a new one can be very beneficial. Adding a power shower and underfloor heating will make sure that your bathroom has some of the most desirable upgrades.

#4. A Fresh Lick of Paint:

You’d be surprised as to how much value you can add to your home simply by giving it a fresh coat of paint. Drab paint, dated wallpaper and outdated colors can leave your home with little interest, and all it takes is a fresh coat of bright white paint to spark the interest of buyers and improve value to your home. Filling in imperfections or adding lining paper, stripping back walls and adding a simple coat of modern, neutral emulsion can make a massive improvement to the overall look and feel of your home. And, this is particularly important if you are trying to sell your home, as it can help it appeal more to prospective buyers and help you achieve the maximum value for your home. When you’re decorating small spaces, paints that reflect the light, alongside using mirrors is a great way to make the rooms appear larger.

#5. Improve Your Central Heating System:

Central heating systems are constantly being improved and modernized, mainly in order to improve their efficiency. Not having a central heating system can be hugely damaging to the overall value of your home and could put off prospective buyers from making the investment. Likewise, an old central heating system or boiler can also devalue your home and decrease interest from potential buyers. If your boiler is older than fifteen years, then it’s worth investing in a new one. Upgrading your boiler or even your entire central heating system may not come cheap, but it’s definitely worth doing for the savings that you can make on your heating bills in the long term, add the value that it will add to your home in terms of energy efficiency. A smart thermostat is a great investment to make if you are modernizing your central heating system. Making sure that your heating system is smart-ready will ensure that it is future proof. And, since it allows more options for controlling and programming your heating, it can be beneficial for conserving energy and reducing your utility bills too.

#6. Repair Structural Defects:

Structural defects are one of the biggest factors that can take value away from your home, so if you only have a small budget for improvements, then this should be where you are putting your money. Defects in the structure of your home could cause prospective buyers to run a mile, and they could be something as simple as having a cracked lintel. And even if structural defects don’t leave your prospective buyers heading for the hills, they will at the very least expect you to knock a substantial amount off the asking price. In some cases, mortgage lenders may even refuse to lend money for a home that has serious defects, so if your home has any serious problems, then it’s worth investing in getting this repaired as quickly as possible. Damp is one such issue that can prevent mortgages from going through entirely, and often, it is quite easy to fix as it is typically caused by minor issues such as outside ground levels being too high, or leaky guttering. With any structural defect in your home, it’s important to get to the root of the issue to prevent further issues from occurring.

#7. Make it a Smart Home:

Today, it’s easier than ever to make your home fully connected with smart technology, and it’s definitely the future of modern life. Today’s young and modern home buyers want to invest in properties that have the modern edge and allow them to utilize all their favorite gadgets when it comes to managing their household. There are several different options to choose from when it comes to smart home technology; smart thermostats are one popular option that allow you to control the temperature of your home from your smartphone remotely, making it easier to ensure that your home is comfortable when you return whatever the weather while saving money on energy bills in the process.

Smart light bulbs can also be a very simple yet modern addition to your home, allowing you and any future homeowners to control the lighting in your home with a simple voice command or by clapping their hands. Or you could improve the security of the property by adding a smart security system. These systems come with a wide range of features available from simply being able to watch your property remotely to remote alarm setting, door locking and more. The list of smart technologies that you can use to upgrade your home is already huge, and it’s growing at a rapid rate as more innovations are made.

#8. Add Underfloor Heating:

If you really want to give your home a modern and luxurious feel, then adding underfloor heating is the way to go. This could be in rooms such as the bathroom only, or you might want to consider adding it all around your home for an additional layer of luxury and warmth. There are two different types of underfloor heating to consider; those heated via water pipes, and those that use electricity. While there are some pros and cons to consider for each option, they are both very effective methods of heating the floor beneath your feet and also heating the air above the floor in the process. It’s both luxurious and practical, and an element that many prospective home buyers are willing to invest more for.

#9. Convert Basement Space:

If your home has space underneath, then you can add a massive amount of value to the property by utilizing this space to its full potential. If your basement is currently unused or only used for storing your excess items, then it may be worth thinking about what you could invest in this space in your home in order to create another room that could be used for a living purpose. Basement space could easily become a second living room, a games room, a home cinema room, or even an additional bedroom, which will certainly add significant value to your home. Renovating a basement is no easy feat, so it’s worth making sure that you know exactly what you’re going to be getting yourself into before you begin, particularly if you’re going to need to need to add new plumbing and wire the basement for electrics.

#10. Extend the Internal Space:

Even if you don’t have a basement that you can use to create an additional room in your home, you may be able to add some significant value to the property by building more onto the house, and extending the internal space. This could be a simple addition like building a room on top of your garage to extend the upstairs of your home and add an additional bedroom, or even building a sun room on the back of your home to create a new living area that makes the most of any good weather. Or, you could make some serious improvements to your home in order to add even more value, depending on your overall budget and just how much you want to extend. Creating a larger kitchen, adding a bigger utility room, an additional bathroom, or more bedrooms are just some of the best ways to extend the internal space in your home and add a significant amount to the asking price, too.

#11. Add More Natural Light:

Last but not least, rooms that have little natural light coming through can quickly become quite dark and depressing, and noticing this could put prospective buyers off making an offer on your home. Lighting can make or break a room, so if your windows are quite small and you need to switch the lights on earlier into the night than normal for certain rooms of your home, then it’s well worth considering making investments in adding larger windows and allowing more natural light to shine through. You can either make the current windows larger or add additional windows to the room – both are fairly inexpensive to do compared to other home improvement jobs and will make the room feel brighter and nicer, in addition to making it appear larger. Although adding more natural light may not increase the value of your home by a dramatic amount, it will definitely make the rooms appear lighter and more spacious, which will in turn certainly be able to increase the amount of interest in your home from prospective buyers.

Whether you’re improving an old property for yourself or want to give your home a boost before putting it on the market, making one or more of these worthwhile investments will ensure that you’re getting the most for your money.