WHAT THE CHARTERED BUILDING SURVEYOR SAYS
Val O’Brien is a chartered building surveyor, a member of the SCSI and a technical director with McGovern O’Brien Chartered Building Surveyors
ON A BUDGET OF €10,000
While this is a lot of money, it is limited in terms of what one can do to a house. Spend wisely – a stitch in time saves nine. For example, decorate timber windows thus maximising their life expectancy. If external decoration is ignored, this could give rise to decay and a shorter life expectancy for the products. Repair the roof and replace slipped or broken slates rather than waiting for damage to show up internally.
The following works done properly and carefully planned will add value and make it your home look better: Essential repairs such as replacing fascias and soffits Repairs to roof and external decorations Do up a room in the house Upgrade the electrical installation or heating installation
ON A BUDGET OF €50,000
This will allow a good upgrade on a house to include modernising electrical, plumbing and heating services and a complete redecoration and new floor coverings — it might even stretch to cover new windows depending on the size of the house. Try to get benefit/payback from any spend. For example, if you upgrade the insulation in your attic or upgrade your windows, you will get payback in terms of reducing your heating costs. Clearly the house will look a lot better but remember that your tastes may not suit the purchaser’s when you come to sell. The primary focus of expenditure of this nature should be for your own benefit but with an overall recognition of the potential sale.
A budget of €50,000 will also get you a small-to-mediumsized extension to the rear of the house which would add value in terms of the extra floor space.
ON A BUDGET OF €100,000
This will allow you to do a very comprehensive overhaul and modernisation to include new windows, new electrical, plumbing and heating services and a complete redecoration. It may also get you a converted attic and/or a small sunroom type extension. Clearly this will add value but remember that the primary value will be in the comfort and personal benefits that this brings to you and your family.