Home Insurance - Boosting Your Property's Value

The world of home improvement can be a confusing one; a feature that you personally may consider particularly attractive may not prove much of a delight to a potential future buyer. For this reason it’s vital that before investing in often costly home improvements, you fully consider their cost-to-value ratio. There are certain improvements that are sure to boost your homes value and these are outlined in more detail below.

According to a recent home improvement study, loft conversions represent the best value for money, along with cost-effectively increasing your home’s square-footage. In order to convert a loft, it typically needs to be at least 2.4 meters high, and a typical conversion will cost around £8000.

Adding extra rooms or building an extension are popular choices and when done correctly an extra bedroom could increase your homes value by 11%. However, a great deal of consideration is required before taking on such a costly and invasive task. For instance the loss of outside space, the property’s style and functionality are some aspects that should be looked at when considering this option.

Open plan living isn’t something that is reserved for savvy cosmopolitan homes, on the contrary it is something that appeals to all manner of buyers and for good reasons; natural light and sociable cooking area’s are very attractive features. It’s important to note though, that one should not “over open” their homes as they still need to remain practical, particularly for family buyers.

Central heating is fitted into almost every new home, and therefore considered by many to be a basic requirement. Therefore, if your home is without, then getting a modern central heating system fitted is highly recommended. As well as being one of the least likely improvements to go wrong it is also one of the most cost effective, with figures suggesting a 13% increase in value!

Kitchens and bathrooms are generally ranked as the most “used” rooms of a house and therefore succumb to a considerable amount of wear and tear throughout their lifetimes. Re-fitting your kitchen or sprucing up your bathroom are therefore two aspects which prove very attractive to buyers. As mentioned these rooms are used a considerable amount, it’s important therefore that quality is not sacrificed; put simply - if you’re going to make any improvements then ensure you do them properly.

Less expensive but equally as beneficial methods of improvement include repainting rooms using neutral colours, fixing minor cosmetic blemishes, simple garden makeovers etc.

Its important to note that most of the methods for improving your home must be run past a number of people, namely; building specialists, your lawyer and your home insurance provider. If you are currently paying through the nose for insurance and wish to compare cheap home insurance then the internet is an excellent source. It’s advisable that you ensure you get buildings and contents insurance as this is the most comprehensive.