Improve, Don’t Move

There is no doubt about it, moving is hard work. It’s expensive, complicated, stressful and very tiring. The cost of stamp duty alone raises the question whether the money would better be invested in a home renovation or home extension. This is especially relevant in London where house prices are so high. Did you know, that in Hammersmith & Fulham, the average amount spent on stamp duty for a terraced house was £89k in 2017. Lambeth, Wandsworth and Islington are close behind with an average of £60k. A ground floor extension in London costs in the region of £50k to £110k for a typical terraced house. A loft conversion costs in the region of £30k to £70k. 

At Home Tales, we specialise in home renovations across London. This can be in the form of refurbishments or extensions. You would be surprised what you can do with the existing space in your property, in making it more efficient and practical to use. If you want to extend your home, there are a variety of options available to you. Ground floor extensions add practical, functional space. This could include extending your kitchen, adding a dining area, or creating a larger living space. Loft conversions and first floor extensions typically add more rooms to your property. These are a fantastic option if you have a growing family and want to create more bedrooms or perhaps an extra floor level to your home. 

We have worked with lots of homeowners, to utilise their budgets and add effective modifications which increases the value of their home. We thought we would run through some of the ways you can increase the value of your home.     

Ground floor modifications

Most of the properties we work with in London are Victorian and Edwardian terraces. The architecture in these eras favoured rooms with functions. For this reason, we frequently see the 3-room layout on the ground floor of these properties, all with a function. Typically, the front room with the bay window is the living room. The room behind that is the dining room, and the kitchen is to the rear. Modern day living is very different and open plan design is becoming increasingly popular. For this reason, we frequently work with homeowners who was to make modifications to their ground floor. The most common adjustment we make is the removal of a load bearing wall. This integrates two of the rooms to make one, larger area. The removal of a load bearing wall will require steel to be installed. It’s fairly standard work, although it will require an experienced structural engineer to undertake the structural calculations and a reputable builder to undertake the works. The cost ranges from £4k to £8k depending on the size of the property. 

Ground floor WC

The traditional style of a London terrace didn’t allow for a WC on the ground floor. They are a huge selling point of properties nowadays. The main advantage is convenience. For one, most people like to entertain, and they are much easier for dinner guests to access. Another advantage is that for families of four, one bathroom on the first floor might be a bit of a squeeze. Having an extra WC might help that fight for the bathroom in the morning rush! There are lots of options when it comes to incorporating them into your ground floor. Some of these do depend on your existing properties layout and size. We can often squeeze them under the stairs. If you would rather have a bit more space, we can incorporate them somewhere in the middle of the property. They don’t need natural light, so they can take the darkest spot of the house and leave the front and back of the property to benefit from all of that natural light opportunity.  

Add rear glass doors

Indoor outdoor living has become very popular in the last decade. Having a garden in London is a luxury, so why no show it off? There are a huge variety of doors that have been designed to merge the boundaries between inside and out. Full width bi-fold doors, sliding doors and crittal doors are just some of the options available. These offer a real wow factor when you walk into a room, as they draw the eye and frame that rear wall. Depending on the supplier, they are generally very practical to use too. 

Extend your home

If you need more space, consider what home extensions are available to you. This mainly depends on your local planning guidelines and the budget you have available. Home extensions add a ton of value to your current property. You can typically make back the amount invested plus a considerable extra chunk. Lots of our clients get the money to extend from re-mortgages, so it’s well worth considering this as an investment opportunity. 

Have you got questions? Give our friendly team a call today on 0207 043 2378 or email us at hello@hometales.co.uk. We would love to learn more about your project. 


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