Looking to get the most out of your property before you sell? There are a number of home improvements you can do yourself to make your home look its best and impress potential buyers. Let’s take a look at some of the best ones.
Painting
Whether you’re looking to sell your house or if you just want to brighten things up a bit (or cover up scuffs and previous decorating accidents), painting the walls is definitely something you can do yourself.
While you don’t have to be a professional, it’s definitely a good idea to check out some Youtube tutorials so you don’t end up with an inadvertent (and very inexpensive) Rothko painting.
Basic Plumbing
This should be approached with caution, but you can save hundreds by learning some basic plumbing skills. Whether it’s leaky taps or clogged drains, there are quite a few things you can do yourself before calling the plumber out.
For example, you can install a dishwasher without too much hassle, and replacing an older model with an energy efficient one can save a little bit on energy bills and around 500 gallons of water.
Revealing or restoring hardwood floors
If you take a peek under your carpet you might find you have some serviceable hardwood underneath, and this can look a lot more palatable to prospective house buyers when you have people over for a viewing.
Sanding and refinishing hardwood floors might seem like a job for a professional, but you can hire the right equipment and it get it done for a fraction of the cost.
Install a stair runner
So, you just stopped reading this article after the bit about hardwood floors and immediately pulled up your carpets and refinished the hardwood flooring underneath. Nice!
If you’ve ended up with slightly slippery stairs, you might want to think about installing a stair runner. This can be the perfect counterpoint to your flooring while providing some much-needed grip for your kids when they’re bombing down the stairs.
Create some privacy with interior shutters
If you want to get rid of the glare on your TV screen when you’re watching films in the afternoon or if you just want a bit of privacy, interior shutters are a great solution, and what’s more — you can do it yourself!
Add some character to your interiors and check out this video for a quick and easy way to install shutters.
Home improvements you shouldn’t do yourself
Aside from changing a lightbulb, give the electrician a call if there’s something wrong with the circuits in your house. Not only are these jobs potentially dangerous, but a lot of people don’t realise that it’s technically illegal to replace something like a fuse box unless you have a certificate which proves you’re compliance with building regulations.
Likewise, gas can be extremely dangerous, and that includes your central heating system and cooker, along with your boiler.
You should approach walls with caution, too — whether you want to knock one down to create a nice open-plan space, or drill hole for whatever reason. It could be load-bearing, or you and your drill might end up intimately acquainted with a water pipe — or worse — an electrical wire.
Finally, some roofing repairs might seem like a piece of cake, but anything high up is far too dangerous to be worth it. This is particularly true when you get tired (and roofing is hard work!), because that increases the chances you’ll slip and fall.
Thinking of selling?
If you’re thinking of selling your home in the near future, why not give us a call? We’d be happy to make you a competitive cash offer and a quick, hassle free sale with all of your fees paid.