In today’s economic climate it’s more important than ever to make your home improvements worth the money you spend.
And there are some great ways to do that, which is especially important in today’s higher cost of living.
Read on to discover the top tips that you can employ to improve your own home, and they start from only 10 pounds!
We look at the things you can do to your house whilst getting the biggest bang for your buck.
Home improvements can be very satisfying and the scope, and cost of each improvement is entirely up to you, and what you want to achieve from an improvement.
Is it to spruce up the house to sell?
Do you want extra space?
Do you just fancy a change of scene slightly?
A new kitchen is a great way to add value
Kitchens are often seen as the heart of a home, so it’s no surprise that they’re one of the most popular types of home improvements.
If you have ever been to a house party, and you probably have, what room to people always seem to congregate in? Yes, that’s right. The kitchen.
But the fact is that there are a number of things you can do to make your kitchen cheaper.
First, you could look at installing induction hobs instead of traditional models.
These are smarter and greener, and can save you money in the long run. In addition, you can maximise space by installing waste disposal units.
If you’re planning a new kitchen, you’ll want to shop around to find a price that’s affordable for you.
The price can depend on the retailer and the materials used for the cabinetry.
For instance, you might find that a premium brand is more expensive than a budget model.
It’s also a good idea to take advantage of seasonal sales. You may be able to get hundreds of pounds off white goods.
You can also update your kitchen on the super cheap by retaining the actual units, the carcasses as they are known, and buying new door and drawer fronts instead, much of which you can do yourself, you don’t necessarily have to employ a kitchen fitter if you have the right tools.
Bathroom updates are a good way to improve your home and maybe increase its value
The bathroom is a very practical room and can add significant value to your property.
However, before embarking on your own remodel, be sure to have a clear idea of what you want and how much you can afford.
One of the biggest drivers of value in the bathroom is the en-suite. In fact, a new en-suite can add almost £4,000 to the price of a home.
Adding a shower to a bathroom can also reduce running costs. For this reason alone, it’s worth the investment.
You don’t have to fork out a fortune to improve your bathroom.
A new suite will be accompanied by a whole host of plumbing and electrical work.
These should be carried out by a professional and are a necessary part of the revamp. If you are on a budget, then you may wish to opt for an affordable option such as a basic acrylic bath.
Other factors to consider are the location of the bathroom, the style of the bathroom, and the fixtures and fittings you choose.
Also doing something as simple as replacing the flooring can totally transform your bathroom, usually at low cost.
You can install lino, vinyl flooring or maybe even wooden flooring, again cheap and easy to install yourself and you would be surprised how much of a difference that makes.
As a bathroom is your private area, many people opt to replace this first when moving into a new home, the very first thing would be to install a new toilet seat, and they range from as little as £10 upwards of £100, it’s up to you.
Tidy up the garden!
It may seem pretty obvious but a house with a smart garden usually commands a greater resale value, although if you are not planning to move any time soon, it can be a rewarding way to improve the appearance of the exterior of the house.
Why not buy some bedding plants, you can get a tray of them usually for less than a tenner and a splash of colour can really bring an unloved patch of grass to life again.
Staying with the 10 pound theme, weedkiller and path cleaning solutions can be bought cheaply too so why not give the exterior of the house a really good clean.
Insulating your walls and loft is a real no-brainer, and financially essential
One of the best ways to reduce your energy bills is to insulate your walls and loft.
This is all too important nowadays with super high energy bills eating into everyone’s budget.
This will not only save you money, but it will also help to decrease your emissions of greenhouse gases.
There are a number of different insulation types to choose from.
It’s important to pick the right type for your specific home.
Some options include spray foam and fibreglass.
The type of insulation you decide to use will determine the total cost and you should budget accordingly.
Depending on the type of insulation you choose, you may be eligible for tax incentives to cover the cost of your upgrade.
There are a number of benefits to upgrading your insulation, including reduced heating and cooling costs and improved resale value.
You should consult a qualified energy auditor to determine the right types of insulation for your home.
If you are considering a renovation, you will want to take into account how well your insulation is sealed.
For example, if you have a leaky attic, you can improve the efficiency of your system by injecting insulation into the attic.
You can also buy draught excluder, usually on a roll, for less than a tenner, and if your front or back door is draughty, you will save more than a tenner on your heating bills and it is easy to install too.
Alternative, money saving energy sources
If you’re planning a home improvement project, it’s likely you’ll be able to benefit from alternative energy sources.
These include wind and solar. A number of home owners are already making use of these renewable energies to generate electricity and reduce the cost of their bills.
You can also reduce your carbon footprint by improving your insulation, as we said above.
You can also swap all your lightbulbs for energy saving LED bulbs
A new survey reveals that a third of people planning to remodel their homes are driven by environmental concerns.
Only a minority of those surveyed know they can get financial support for their projects.
The government are planning a series of measures to help people make their homes greener so stay tuned to the news to find out more.
Despite the government’s commitment to energy efficiency, the UK has fallen behind when it comes to reducing its carbon footprint. The report says that this could have been avoided by investing in properly funded schemes.
However, the report also says that the likely costs have deterred investment.
One option the government is considering is cutting the energy company obligation.
This is a funding mechanism that provides insulation to low-income people. It costs around £1bn a year.
By removing this policy, the transformation of the UK’s housing stock will be delayed, experts argue.
Paint your front door to stand out from the crowd!
The front door of your house is the very first thing people see when they arrive, plus its the first thing that YOU see when you get back home after a hard days work so should that not be the first thing to consider?
Repainting a front door is something you can do yourself and would cost probably no more than 10 quid for a pot of paint and a fiver for a decent paint brush.
This improvement would be especially important if you are trying to sell your house.
The same can be said for the garage door if you have one.
This garage door was painted for a tenner by the owner, after we painted their walls, and doesn’t it look smart?
Energy saving wall coatings can make the world of difference to your home.
There are a range of things that you can do to your exterior walls to not only improve the over appearance of your property, but to also make the house more energy efficient and in time, lower your home heating bills.
There are various types of exterior wall coatings to choose from, and if you are unsure what would be suitable for your home, give us a call for advice, on 0800 970 4928.
You can even email us photos of the house to give us a better idea of what to recommend to you.
The 2 main types of wall coating are coloured exterior wall coatings, which are suitable for all types of wall surface, and are guaranteed for 20 years not to fade, crack, chip or peel.
In addition there are clear coatings we offer, one of which has been proven by the Energy Saving Trust, to not only weatherproof your home, but also to lower your heating bills, so a win win situation.
If any type of exterior wall coating is of interest to you, please email us and lets have a chat about how we can help improve your home this year.