Many of us are feeling a bit stretched financially. So, spending money on extensions and loft conversions, might not be realistic. Especially as these often cost upwards of £30,000.
But if your home desperately needs improving, you might be wondering whether there’s anything you can do on a tight budget. Well, the good news is, there are things that you can do – even with limited funds.
The most important thing to consider is whether a home improvement will improve your life and whether it will add value to your house. Ideally, you want to choose projects that tick both of these boxes. That way, you can be sure the improvements are worthwhile and value for money.
Here’s a few essential jobs that do just that.
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Board and insulate your loft
Did you know that boarding and insulating a loft can cost as little as £600 to do? Not only is it a budget-friendly home improvement but it has multiple benefits.
Adding 270mm of blanket insulation to an uninsulated loft not only keeps your home warmer, but it’s estimated to save you over £200 a year on your energy bills. Plus, this is one of the home improvements that’s capable of raising your EPC rating, adding value to your home.
In addition, boarding over the loft at the same time will provide much-needed storage space. So, you can declutter your home without needing to throw things out.
Put down fresh carpets
Treating yourself to new carpets may seem like a luxury, but if your existing underlay is of good quality and in tip-top condition, you can recarpet a small room for as little as £50. Even a large room can be fitted with carpet and underlay for around £400.
New carpets will instantly lift your interior décor and can help to provide a clean, modern feel to any age of house. If you do decide to upgrade your underlay, you’ll be rewarded with more comfort underfoot and you could find it helps to deaden sound and improve the levels of warmth. So, your home is going to look and feel better. In addition, fresh carpets are something that buyers love, so it does have a positive impact on your home’s value.
Make a focal point in the lounge
A boxy looking lounge without a focal point can look a bit dull and uninteresting. So, why not create one? A focal point can be any type of room feature, so you don’t necessarily need a fireplace or chimney breast to do this – which is good news for those living in new-build homes.
If you’re a keen gardener or love the outdoors, why not make your window or patio doors the focal point? Use window treatments, wallpaper, panelling and other décor to help frame the view.
On the other hand, if you love nothing more than a family movie night, why not build an entertainment wall to improve the room’s aesthetics and make a feature of your television?
Or, if you really long for a fireplace, why not fake one? You can simply fit a surround against the wall and tile a hearth to give the impression of a fireplace. Or to enjoy the flickering of flames and gain some extra warmth, you could install an electric feature fire or bioethanol stove. These don’t need a chimney breast or flue installing, cutting down on the building work and costs involved.
Change your front door
Changing your front door is another cost-effective home improvement to consider. The average cost for a new front door is around £1,000 but it can add four times that amount to the value of your home.
A new front door brings multiple benefits. It helps to modernise and add character to your home as well as boost the overall kerb appeal. An attractive entrance can also brighten your mood when you return home. But on a more practical level, it improves security and can help to lower your home insurance. Choose a thermally efficient door and it can also reduce draughts.
If you have a little more to spend, you could add a porch too. This typically costs between £2,000 and £4,000 but does give you somewhere handy to pop your coats and shoes. And if your front door opens straight into your lounge, it also helps to block the out the cold.
Create off-street parking
If you’re currently parking your car on the road, you might find yourself wasting time every day as you search for a space. Sometimes it’s difficult to find a space in front of the house, so you end up carrying bags of shopping down the road. This also prevents you from keeping an eye on your car overnight. So, why not solve these problems by creating some off-street parking?
Dropping a kerb costs from £300 and installing a driveway typically costs from £1,000, depending on the size and surface type. If you’re keen to minimise the expense, then gravel is usually the cheapest option to go for. But whatever the surface, it gives you a convenient parking space and can raise the value of your home by as much as 10%.
