Home Improvements to Avoid If You Want to Add Value

How many times have home interior trends changed over the years? From orange and brown swirly carpets of the seventies, to the resurgence of indoor plants in the 2020s, individual and collective tastes are constantly changing.

As a result, it cannot be denied that homeowners can be lured into wasting thousands, if not tens of thousands, creating the perfect home, only for it all to be ripped out and replaced all over again by new owners.

While the creation of the perfect environment is a long held dream for many, there are some aspects of home improvement that really do not add that much value to a property, and should really be avoided unless you intend staying in that property for a long period of time.

Interior structural improvements giving a home premium storage options, such as good quality cupboards and dedicated wooden wine racks can be viewed as essential, adding to the overall value of a property.

However, non-essentials such as hot tubs and swimming pools might not add value, but more interestingly, can be off-putting to potential buyers due to their high running costs.

Avoid hot tubs and swimming pools

Long seen as a symbol of wealth, hot tubs and swimming pools are not as rare as they may have once been. If you have space in your garden, a swimming pool can be a great place for kids to spend their summer holidays.

However, depending on the climate in which you live, chances are it remains unused for 11 months of the year, unless you are happy to fork out on the energy bills required to heat the water during the winter months.

On average a pool will cost between £150-250 per month to heat, depending on its size. And with energy costs being particularly volatile at the moment, this could go up. You also need to factor in the cost of chemicals and regular cleaning.

Equally, a hot tub can cost anything between £360 to £700 a year to run, as well as all the filters and chemicals, and annual maintenance. If it is a luxury that is regularly used on a week by week basis, then it is worth every penny.

If, however, it is used a couple of times a year and then left covered over, then it is an expensive luxury to have, and your money would be better spent elsewhere.

Home cinemas

Isn’t a home cinema just another name for a TV room. Possibly, but for those who really want to do it properly it requires a large area with all the high end Audio Visual equipment and seating that mimics your local multiplex. Costs can run into tens of thousands if you really want to go mad.

But does it really add value? Historical data indicates that it does not add a great deal. While its presence may attract and delight some, it is usually low down on the list of essentials when it comes to buying a property and could end up putting people off by giving them a false impression of an over inflated property price.

Aquarium

Having an aquarium as part of the structural make up of your property might fulfil your individual passion, but you can’t take it with you, and it might well be nothing but a nightmarish money pit for the next owner. Aquariums take time and money to run.

While they may add a unique ambience and sense of calm to your home in general, they add nothing to the value of your home. So unless it is a passion you can’t live without, stick with a couple of goldfish in a bowl which you can take with you!