Now that the children are back at school, parents/carers have a little more time to think. For many, the national lockdowns have made them realise that their home does not meet their current needs. A large number have decided to take advantage of the Chancellor’s Stamp Duty Holiday to move, but many others have decided to stay where they are and to plan some home improvements. Certain home improvements will make their life easier and more importantly, add value to their home.

The past year has certainly changed everyday life as we all knew it and 55% of us have been working from home – as well as juggling homeschooling and making the best use of gardens and other outdoor spaces. During the first lockdown there was a huge demand for DIY products online. Many people spending endless hours at home, soon discovered the strengths and weaknesses of their properties or decided to take the opportunity to tackle long overdue DIY jobs.

Creating a suitable work space

With more than half of the nation working from home, ratedpeople.com has uncovered the interesting fact that 41% of home workers don’t even have a proper desk to work on and consequently 38% of them would like to improve their home office space to make work easier and more comfortable.  The pandemic has changed more than just the amount of sourdough we are willing to make at home, it has changed how we work and our expectations from our ‘home office’. We are as productive when working from home and this impacts the requirement for companies to have sizable work spaces with a desk for everyone – ‘hot desking’ is likely to become the new normal.

The latest designs for houses have flexible spaces that can be used for a variety of purposes by all the family. Whilst this is not always possible in older properties, it is

feasible to create an office space from an unused bedroom or old toy room or even a closet!(https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/eoxszi/i_turned_our_extra_main_floor_closet_into_an). Having such a space in your home will definitely increase its value.

Add a room!

Adding an extra room can certainly add house value, but it can be put to good use long before you decide to sell. A self-contained annexe with its own entrance can add up to £14,385 in value to your property, with a quality loft conversion adding an extra £12,951. The modern trend is to have a larger kitchen with a combined dining area. If this is something you dream of, if you make it a reality, it will add as much as £11,514 to your home.

If you are still pondering on how to get yourself a decent office space, have you got space in the garden? Garden offices can prove an ideal solution to the problem and be the perfect man/ lady cave. An added incentive is that having one can add £9,008 to your property value (Stats from ratedpeople).  With so much time at home there are endless opportunities to change your house so that it can meet your needs better.

Maximising your outdoor space

Private outdoor spaces took on a whole new role during the pandemic as many families used them as an extra room and leisure area. This was especially important with gyms closed! There was renewed interest in how the garden looked and creating decked areas became popular for al fresco dining. Many householders tried their hand at vegetable growing for the first time and landscape gardeners have reported a surge in enquiries.

With summer now on the horizon, many will be giving their garden a makeover. Not only will they be able to enjoy their outdoor space, having an attractive, easy-care garden, definitely increases house values. There are certainly popular features that increase the appeal of a garden and these include a good-sized shed, patio area and even a vegetable garden. https://www.housebeautiful.com/uk/ garden/makeovers /a1832/garden-features-add-value-property/

Give your home a facelift!

Even if you are not planning a major home improvement project, springtime is traditionally the time house owners freshen up their homes inside and out. It is amazing what wonders some fresh paint can do and it is fun to choose one of the trending paint colours such as transforming your kitchen with dark blue or black paintwork and the exterior of your house with any shade of grey! (https://www.idealhome.co.uk/all-rooms-ideas/paint-trends-255611)

If you plan to stay in your home for years to come, it is well worth ensuring that you carry out home improvements that not only benefit you and your family but keep your house looking good. Nothing will knock the value of your home more than if it is looking tired and old-fashioned. Having spent three lockdowns looking at the wall, maybe it is time to freshen it up?!

Other home improvements that you might consider include changing your living room floor to wood (preferably in a herringbone pattern) or having new carpets throughout. Modernising your bathroom will certainly make it more practical and aesthetically pleasing. Another home improvement that adds fun and value to your property and is the home bar.  We might not be able to go out to drink at our local, so why not bring the local home! The bar can be either indoors or out in the garden and with summer coming, I’ll drink to that!