Are you refurbishing your home?

Are you considering refurbishing your home? Take a look below for some great ideas on eco-friendly home renovations.

Would you like to create your own perfect family home, invest in a property, or do you simply need to update your home?

There are so many popular refurbishments. Loft conversions create luxurious, large, private master suites. Beautiful, modern open-plan kitchen/dining rooms present ideal entertaining spaces, and attractive enhanced period properties make for really appealing living spaces.  

Many of our clients’ homes are beautifully refurbished properties, finished to a high specification. However, needing to update a property doesn’t mean it is unsuitable to sell.

If your ultimate aim is to sell once it’s finished and the property needs modernising, there are many buyers looking to create their own personal space, finished to their own taste. It could be the perfect opportunity to sell and save yourself the cost, time, and energy of enhancement.

Homes requiring modernisation and refurbishment often make ideal projects, selling fast to someone with the energy, enthusiasm, and experience to place their own stamp on a property. The lure is often even better if there is the possibility to extend and add value.

If you are wondering how much a refurbishment has added or could add value in the future to your property, you can contact your local agent for advice, here.

With the weather generally better this time of year, many decide it is time to update their home. You may find it desirable to be more eco-friendly during the process of refurbishment, as well as to create a more energy-efficient home.

Add panache to your renovations and feel good about your impact on the environment with high-quality reclaimed flooring. Characterful parquet, quarry tiling, oak, and pine flooring is available from a variety of specialists, often with bespoke fittings provided on request.

If new, natural wooden flooring is more your style, look for the FSC logo which means the wood source is sustainable, and forests are not being depleted in the sourcing process.

Add individuality to your improvements with unique, eye-catching focal points such as industrial lamps and lighting, vintage tables, and refurbished soft furnishings, with superb choices to be found at your local antique dealer or on online auctions.

One of the most stunning features of a character home is often exposed timber beams, and these can be refurbished professionally to bring out their original beauty. These properties often enjoy open working fireplaces too, a real treat on colder days and well worth maintaining. If you are replacing your period home kitchen, have a look at country or farmhouse-style units, which add a traditional feel.

Well-considered loft conversions almost always create beautiful spaces with excellent versatility of use as an extra reception room such as a games room or office. Alternatively, a large, luxurious master suite, which can be of great appeal if you have adult children living at home. 

When creating a loft conversion, add Velux or dormer windows to allow plenty of natural light into a room, as well as giving it great character. You might find it useful to know that a loft room can only be classed as an official bedroom on resale if it has a window of some kind. If you are looking for a modern touch, LED spotlighting adds style and, of course, is low-cost to run.

Solar panels are also a great long-term investment, especially if you have a southerly aspect home. You might even make savings through a “Feed-in-Tariff” if you generate your own electricity this way. Installing a smart meter can also help you monitor your own energy use – or the childrens’!

Insulation of property walls and lofts can save a massive amount of energy through heating, reduce your carbon footprint and save on the bills.

Installing double or triple glazing can save an impressive 10% of energy lost from the home, and there are even windows including a special coating now, that reflects the heat back inside the home.

If you are renovating a period home built before 1919, they often have solid walls in contrast to modern properties. This means that the type of insulation should be natural, breathable products like wood fibre or sheep wool to reduce excess moisture in the home. Also, when re-plastering, use breathable lime or clay plasters. As always, if in doubt, seek professional advice!

Our featured photo is from Longfield House, available through our Ash Vale branch, (01252) 353030, ashvale@mackenziesmith.co.uk.

If you have a refurbished property to sell or are wondering if a refurbishment could add significant value to your property, please contact your local agent.