If your finances won’t allow spending thousands of pounds on room renovations; don’t panic. There are plenty of ways to add value to your property without breaking the bank and, what’s more, you can do them all yourself. This means avoiding the costs of labour fees and only having to pay for the materials. Check out our top tips on how to add value to your home with DIY.
Front door
To increase your home’s curb appeal, invest in a new front door. As this is the first thing any potential buyers will see, it is important that they get a positive first impression, so go for a door in an inviting shade. If you can’t afford a new door, a coat of paint in a welcoming colour should suffice. Bear in mind that as you make these changes to your property to add value to it with DIY, you may need to update your contents and building insurance.
DIY Playtime
Playhouses are a classic toy, enabling toddlers to play at being grown-ups whilst interacting with other kids. There’s a huge range of materials, features, and sizes to choose from in the ready-made variety, but if you’ve got some spare time, it can be rewarding to build your own and even encourage your child to get involved.
DIY play-centres don’t have to mean complicated designs or hard labour. There are kits available to buy which make a good compromise if time is an issue. These also make sense if you’ve moving home or taking toys away on holiday as they can be quickly taken down and reassembled.
If you are doing it yourself, different types of playhouses will need different approaches. It’s a good idea to think about where the house will go first of all, as an outdoor den for the yard or back garden will require wood, fittings and some kind of waterproofing treatment.
Alternatively, an indoor play centre can be something more like a play-tent; fabrics and lighter materials like cardboard can make more creative constructions like themed cafés or even castles. Using old boxes and household items for this is also a great way of introducing recycling to your child.
One of the good points about building a playhouse is there are fewer limitations and you can use imagination to build children something they will really enjoy. Whether your child wants to play independent games or to have fun pretending with others, there will be a space for them to learn as well as to have fun.
Paint
A fresh lick of paint can work wonders to transform the look of a room. If your walls are scratched and dirty or perhaps the colour or wallpaper is looking tired and old-fashioned, a well-selected pot of paint will make a dramatic difference. To make a room look bigger, opt for a lighter shade and take into consideration that neutral colours are generally more appealing to potential buyers. If you’re unsure of which colour will best suit your property, try out a few tester pots first.
Crown moulding
Installing crown moulding can be a tricky task, but thankfully there are plenty of step-by-step guides online to see you through the process. The moulding itself can be purchased from a home improvement supplier and may even be available pre-painted. Attaching the strips of wood to the top of the walls requires patience, but it is a feature many buyers will appreciate.
Fixtures
Instantly update your fittings by replacing light switch plates, doorknobs, cupboard handles and curtain rods. This is relatively inexpensive, easily achieved and can make an old fitting look fresh and modern. Remember to choose items and colours that will appeal to a broad range of people and that fit with your existing decor.
Windows
If your curtains have grown old and worn, or your blinds are broken and bent, replace them with some luxe-looking drapes or wooden Venetians. It doesn’t matter if you plan on taking them with you when you leave, the buyer is likely to be looking at how much the potential the property has.
