One of the most beneficial things a good architect can do for home owners is add value to their property. But what exactly does that mean – and how can your home benefit from an architect’s expertise?
Improving kitchens and bathrooms, adding double glazing, landscaping/ patio makeovers and adding additional bedrooms remain the top five ways to improve your home (source: propertyworkshop.com UK 2022). In addition to these home renovations, we have seen an increased demand for master bedroom suites, large utility spaces and garden room/ annexes which will also improve the value of your home.
Conversely, there are projects that will definitely not add value to your home – these include swimming pools, luxury decoration, and expensive landscaping.
At Kimble Roden we have vast experience of what works in terms of adding value to your home and can advise you on how to maximise your budget to increase value.
When we carry out our initial consultation with our clients, we start with the same question – what are you hoping to achieve from this building project? Often the answers will be straightforward – a bigger kitchen or an additional bedroom.
But for us, the more fundamental issue is how will the project improve the way our clients use their home and the way they live – in other words the enjoyment value. Adding value isn’t just about adding square footage or ensuring the market value of your home increases following a renovation or extension. It’s the unquantifiable, the wow factor, the way an improved layout makes it easier to navigate your home, how better storage saves you time and ultimately how all of these elements come together to ensure you enjoy your home. This is what adds value and a good design architect can bring all of these elements together for you.
A well-designed house doesn’t have to be huge – it has to flow and to work for the occupants. Some of our greatest challenges when designing have been large homes that have lots of space but feel disconnected, have no relation to the outdoor spaces and bring no joy to the owners. Similarly, the spaces that connect rooms within a house are important too – a tiny hallway that leads to a vast open plan living space will make a house feel unbalanced; a narrow dark corridor leading to bedrooms is likely to create a negative impact on the first floor layout.
The cost of a project clearly has to be proportionate to the ultimate value of a property, but rather than getting hung up on square footage rates and Zoopla estimates, it is important to consider how additional space will create a beautiful AND functional home – one without the other will detract from the overall value of the property.
Kimble Roden can ensure your renovation project brings the highest level of design to your home – adding value in every way.
To read more on how an architect can help you improve your home, click here.
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