Play the renovation game
RESEARCH by national estate agent Jackson-stops reveals that we Brits are falling out of love with the idea of extending our homes. It seems 71 per cent of us prefer to move to a bigger property rather than live with builders for months on end.
Despite this, more than 80 per cent of us would happily buy a bigger home in need of renovation and that’s possibly because most of us now prefer open-plan kitchen and dining areas – not usually an option in pre-21st century houses.
“We find it is often growing families, who simply don’t want to open up their home to builders and months of mess in exchange for a loft conversion or an extension, who decide to buy a bigger home that is more suited to their requirements,” says Jacksonstops chairman Nick Leeming.
“The prospect of moving to a home which requires major renovation, however, isn’t a complete turn off.
“In fact, many buyers enjoy the prospect of purchasing an older property and putting their own stamp on it, even if it means they have to wait a few months or even years before they can enjoy their dream home or location.”
If you are contemplating renovating your home – either current or future – there are plenty of experts to consult at this month’s national Homebuilding & Renovating Show, including property expert Michael Holmes.
The chairman of the National Custom & Self Build Association says homes can be transformed for under £5,000 if you’re prepared to do much of the work yourself,
Looking for more space to create your dream home? DEBORAH STONE weighs up all the available options although you’ll need experts for priorities such as damp problems and structural damage.
A well-thought-out makeover of a rundown property, though, can add up to 10 per cent to its value he says.
“Repair the walls so they are ready for painting, stripping old wallpaper and sanding and filling to get a smooth finish.
“If the walls are in very poor condition, they can be reskimmed with a finishing coat of plaster for around £2,000-£2,500 for a typical three-bedroom house, creating walls that are as good as new.”
Out-of-date bathrooms can be replaced with simple white suites from only £300 to £400, says Holmes, and while a new standard kitchen may cost £3,500 you can update much more cheaply by keeping kitchen unit carcasses that are in good condition and simply replacing the doors, handles, worktops, sink, taps and splashbacks.
“Replacement doors starting from around £20 to £50 will save on the units and labour costs, but also on a lot of disruption,” he says.
“If you want to change your kitchen’s layout you can reuse the existing carcasses for one run and add new ones elsewhere, then fit matching doors and worktops or choose two complementary styles.”
Building an en suite shower room by sectioning off part of a large bedroom with a timber-framed stud wall will also add value to your home and only cost from £3,500 to £4,500, he says, as well as freeing up the main bathroom for the rest of the family.
“Providing the layout is carefully thought through an en suite shower room need not be very large.a space as small as 0.9metres by 2.7metres is adequate for a WC, basin and 900mm square shower tray.anything larger is a bonus.
“A wet room design, where the floor forms the shower tray with an in-floor drain, can fit into even less space – just 0.9metres by 2.4metres.”
Cosmetic makeovers like these are all many homes need to bring them up to scratch and there are plenty more ideas for bigger projects at Birmingham NEC’S Homebuilding & Renovating Show from March 26 to 29.
For details and information on shows in Glasgow, Surrey, London, Edinburgh, Harrogate, Somerset and Farnborough call 0121 728 9819 or go to homebuildingshow.co.uk