How you could boost your property’s value by more than £20,000

Air conditioning, south-facing gardens and extensions could add significant value to your home – especially if you sell it during the summer months.

Home buyers are often swayed into parting with more cash if a property they are buying has features such as a south-facing garden, outdoor entertainment space, or swimming pool, especially in the summer.

A swimming pool, for example, could see a property’s value increase by £5,897 on average when based on a three-bed property worth £324,000.

The figures, from Zoopla, suggest that certain features boost a property’s value at different times throughout the year. In the winter months, for example, log fires, underfloor heating and range-style cookers are more likely to push up the value.

It asked estate agents across the country to pick the features which add most value during the summer and winter months and it says the value of a house can fluctuate through the year based on the features it has.

Yet, while these features may look appealing, there are also extra costs – such as for maintenance and energy bills – to take into account.

Home improvements to add value in the summer

In the summer months the feature to add the most value to a property was a swimming pool, increasing the price by 1.82 per cent on average or £5,897 when looking at the example property worth £324,000.

It was followed by a south facing or sunny garden, boosting the value by 1.8 per cent or £5,832, and an outdoor entertainment space, adding 1.66 per cent or £5,378.

Air conditioning could increase a property’s price by 1.52 per cent, or £4,925, while a balcony could add 1.24 per cent, or £4,018.

If someone were to add all these features to a property, the value of their home could potentially be increased by £26,050.

Yet, while it’s an impressive figure, most people wouldn’t commit to such as big list of improvements and the cost of installing the features is not factored in – or the upkeep or maintenance.

The cost of maintaining a swimming pool, for example, is between £80 and £250 a month, according to Checkatrade. This doesn’t account for the cost of the water, chemicals, maintenance around the pool, or things like paying for an electrician to check the pool’s circuit.

Home improvements to add value in the winter

If you’re selling your home during the winter, the data claim the feature to add the most value was a wood-burning fireplace, adding on 1.41 per cent, or £4,568 followed by good insulation, adding 1.4 per cent or £4,536, and underfloor heating increasing the value by 1.23 per cent or £3,985.

Energy efficient measures such as double glazing could add 1.05 per cent to the value, or £3,402, while a range style cooker such as an Aga could add 1.03 per cent, or £3,337.

The value of all of these winter features is £19,828, but you would also need to consider the cost of installing these measures. The average cost of installing and buying a wood-burning stove is £2,950, for example, and you may need to pay to install a new chimney flute too. There are many other factors involved with property values to consider.

Daniel Copley, consumer expert at Zoopla, said: “The research clearly demonstrates that homebuyers are swayed by the season, and in some cases, certain features can help sellers achieve more for their home.

“While it is human nature to be drawn to features like a stunning garden, or cool pool in summer, or underfloor heating during winter, homebuyers should bear in mind that they will also face ongoing running costs for these items, especially with regards to energy usage. Buyers should therefore factor this into their budget.”

The features that add value to a property throughout the year

Property prices are determined by lots of different measures, with location and size usually the most important.

Adding space to a property tends to be the way to improve a home’s value the most, and data from Nationwide shows that if the floor space of a home increased by 10 per cent, this could add an average of 5 per cent to the price tag of an average house while an extra bedroom could add 14 per cent.

It suggests that a semi-detached house going from two to three bedrooms would see the overall price rise by 17 per cent on average. If it was a four-bedroom property, the price would increase by a further 11 per cent.

Adding space

“If you’re trying to add value to your home it always makes sense to think about what will have the broadest appeal to potential buyers, “explained David Hollingworth, associate director of communications for L&C Mortgages.

He said adding living space to a property by extending it to include an open plan kitchen or diner or converting a loft into an extra bedroom is more likely to add value than aesthetic improvements.

Not all extensions add the same amount of value to a property though. A single-storey conversion, like a kitchen extension for example, could add around 5 to 8 per cent to the overall property value, according to Checkatrade, but a loft extension or annexe could boost it by up to 20 per cent or 30 per cent respectively.

Solar panels

Energy-efficient measures, such as solar panels, can also boost a home’s value by between 4 per cent and 14 per cent, according to Checkatrade.

But they’re not always the easiest improvement when looking for a quick return and it can take 10 years or more for the payback period. 

A well-kept garden

If you’re selling your property in the summer, having a well-maintained garden and often a focal point such as a pergola or a pond, can add up to 10 per cent onto the value of your home.

This is especially important in cities where outdoor space is at a premium.

Period features

If you own a house that’s more than 100 years old, restoring the original features can add value to the price tag.

Restoring features like the fireplace, doors, wooden beams and floorboards could add up to 30 per cent, according to Checkatrade.   

Which features will add the most value?

“Improving the kerb appeal and making improvements internally may help to get a buyer more quickly, but it’s more likely to be the more substantial structural enhancements that will act as a bigger boost to the eventual purchase price,” explains Hollingworth.

While features such as a swimming pool, range cooker or underfloor heating may seem appealing, any potential buyer will also need to consider the upkeep of these features.

Hollingworth also warns that some features may work against you if you don’t have the same priorities as the buyer, and the maintenance and upkeep costs could limit your market.