With the economy still struggling to recover following the economic downturn of recent years, many people are looking to improve their current home rather than move. This has led to an increase in the amount of extensions, loft conversions and general building work happening to homes across the UK.
It’s normally the case the cost to move home will outweigh the costs to improve, with considerable improvements to the home not costing as much as you might think. If you are looking at buying a large home in an affluent area, for example, you might have a stamp duty charge of 3%. This can mean that you could have to pay the government £15,000 just for the privilege to move. This is without estate agent fees, solicitor fees, transport fees and everything else you’ll have to pay towards the move. It’s easy to see then that most home extensions or improvements will come in at a price much lower than this.
Cheap renovation tips
Whilst some people opt for an extension or a loft conversion you can make a real difference to how a house looks without spending a huge amount of cash. Simple things such as the room décor and fixtures and fitting can make a real difference. Floor coverings and the condition of windows can also have a real impact on how a home looks.
Some areas worth looking at when renovating a home ‘on the cheap’ include:
- Floors – you don’t have to spend a huge amount on the floor coverings to make a huge difference to how the house looks. Laminate flooring is a cheap way to create an instant ‘wow’ factor and you can even fit it yourself.
- Doors – old doors which are coated with years of paint can really let down the look of a home. Replacing the old doors with new wooden doors is easy and you can give each room an instant lift when a new door is fitted.
- Bathrooms and kitchens – you don’t need a new bathroom or a new kitchen when you renovate – if the old one is not beyond repair. There are many firms today which specialise in bathroom and kitchen makeovers. This negates the need for the buying of new cabinets of cupboards, in the kitchen, as the doors and work surface may be the only parts which need to be replaced. Whilst in the bathroom the bath could be re-enamelled or the taps re-chromed to make the most of what you’ve already got.
Jennifer Jones loves changing her home, whether it’s with small accessories or a drastic make-over. Either way, her newest addition from woodendoors.co.uk is definitely her favourite and she says they’re there to stay.
