30 Ways To Improve Your Home

Kitchens And Extensions
Painting, Exteriors, And Walls
More Walls, Carpets, And Simple Problems
Go Green
Garden Extras, Curtains, And Storage

With the housing market in its current state, the sensible householder's mantra should be 'don't move: improve'. With this in mind, we've come up with tips, advice and links to our best features to help you boost your home's value so that staying in put won't just make sense financially, it will be an absolute pleasure.

By Lucy Searle

Money House: 30 Ways To Improve Your Home

1 Research First When you're planning and tightening your budget, the last thing you want to do is spend money unnecessarily on your home - so it's worth researching first which home improvements will devalue your house. That way, every penny spent will be spent wisely.

Glass Extension. Credit: Richard Bryant.

2 Extend An extension could add between 10% and 50% to the value of your home, depending on its size and how well it's finished. The key is to get its proportions just right. So, you've plenty of bedrooms but a tiny kitchen? Add on a downstairs extension to create a spacious kitchen diner. Got a huge garden but a small house? Put on a double storey extension to create the family home of your dreams. Want something state of the art? Add a glass extension.

3 Put In A New Kitchen Planning a new kitchen is an absolute must for anyone seriously looking to boost their home's value - it could add up to 10% value to your home, it's the first thing a potential buyer will look for in the future, and it's also the room you're likely to spend much of your time in if it's a kitchen diner and living space all in one. The secret? Pick one that matches the style of your home - choose contemporary for a modern home, or more traditional for a period property.

Dish Washer: 30 Ways To Improve Your Home

4 Do A Budget Revamp Want a new kitchen but lacking the budget? Replacing your kitchen doors and old appliances with new, good quality appliances will go a long way to giving your kitchen that just-renovated feel, but at a fraction of the cost.

Kitchen Worktop: 30 Ways To Improve Your Home

5 Replace Worktops New kitchen wall tiles and replacement worktops will instantly smarten up a tatty kitchen, as will new hard flooring throughout.

Loft Conversion: 30 Ways To Improve Your Home

6 Convert The Loft A loft conversion could also add up to 10% to the value of your home and, unlike a ground floor extension, it won't steal space from the garden. The ideal? Get a bedroom and extra bathroom up there, if you can.