What changes/updates have you made to your property rather than moving to a new place

breadlinebetty

Due to the housing market being stagnant in some areas of the country, with people finding it difficult to get mortgages and vendors unwilling to sell for less than they want, are any homeowners now looking at their properties with new vigour and getting quite excited at the prospect of redecorating, altering, adding to their homes?:)

I know some people want or have to sell for various reasons, but there's thousands of homeowners who simply fancy a change. And it's possibly those who get the most joy out of redecorating their homes than anyone!

Has anyone on here decided that instead of moving at this period in time, they'll make some changes, updates or extensions to their properties, and feel quite excited and enthusiastic at the prospect of changing their home? And if so, what changes to the property or decor have you done?:)

dimbo61

Cavity wall insulation, extra loft insulation.
Plastic soffits, guttering and dry verge.

TallGirl

Bought our first house in 1994 still here and love it this is what we have done:

1994 new build 3 bed detached left a wall out so had it as a 2 bed only

- extended above garage and kitchen to create study and double bedroom
- new cloakroom bathroom and changed ensuite into wet room
- extended drive plus got curb dropped
- landscaped garden and new stone patio & deck, new fence
- new gutters, facia etc
- new windows

A lot you would expect after 17 years but getting it from 2 bed to 3 bed plus study has meant we don't need to move. Love the area plus the neighbours so don't think we shall move for a good while.

breadlinebetty

TallGirl wrote: »

Bought our first house in 1994 still here and love it this is what we have done:

1994 new build 3 bed detached left a wall out so had it as a 2 bed only

- extended above garage and kitchen to create study and double bedroom
- new cloakroom bathroom and changed ensuite into wet room
- extended drive plus got curb dropped
- landscaped garden and new stone patio & deck
- new gutters, facia etc
- new windows

A lot you would expect after 17 years but getting it from 2 bed to 3 bed plus study has meant we don't need to move. Love the area plus the neighbours so don't think we shall move for a good while.

I'd love a wet room!

summerholiday

Well Breadline Betty for me it started with a rear extension and switching the kitchen and bathroom around enabling a view into the garden from the new kitchen and not to my immediate neighbours.

This was just the start. I lost count of the hours spent imagining changes and had headaches actually.

Next came damp-proofing the cellar. Now my office or spare habitable room. Inbetween forever decorating and now only use reflective white paint - saves lots of headaches choosing decor and making colour mistakes. Cheaper in long run too!

After this came new pipework for cold water mains to property.

Then came the second bathroom changed from a small 3rd room off the second bedroom including Jaccussi - waste of money in hindsight.

Doggedly, I then went on the have a Vaillant boiler installed - very good Which best buy.

I then turned my flaggng attentions to the outside space and re-slabbed all of the front, side and rear garden with only one raised brick-built flower bed.

New roof and fencing one side - very smart.

Outside woodwork painted last year Gutters cleaned.

And finally have been re-decorating previous decorations from last year efforts (I took 2 weeks off work last year) only to have the Dulux paint turn colour like old emulsion yellow/cream after 2 weeks which got progressively worse. These old houses seem to have lots of deep skirtings, picture rails and wood surrounds.

So basically Breadline Betty if I am not up a ladder or occasionally swimming or working I am fairly exhausted. All this from a daughter whose mother called her 'Lady Jane!' and never liked getting her hands dirty. My mantra seems to be keep going! What about you, since you ask?

summerholiday

Insulating the attic and boarding it out complete with a Velux light window.

On hands and knees. Screeding floors ready for vinyl flooring.

Of course, I would not have done all this if the property and its location was not desirable and keeping its prices anyway.

Davesnave

Sorry, I sold & moved to a new place. Dropped my price, rather than sit in a house that had reached its full potential and become obsolete, due to kids growing up etc. 'Groundhog Day House' would have been the name if we'd stayed.

We change, and it's not always possible to change a property to suit a desired lifestyle. Far better to price realistically and make the break, rather than play safe and make fiddling alterations, the costs of which may never be recouped.

Just my opinion. If you expect to get 10 - 20 years out of your improved house, then naturally, that's different.

breadlinebetty

Davesnave wrote: »

Sorry, I sold & moved to a new place. Dropped my price, rather than sit in a house that had reached its full potential and become obsolete, due to kids growing up etc. 'Groundhog Day House' would have been the name if we'd stayed.

We change, and it's not always possible to change a property to suit a desired lifestyle. Far better to price realistically and make the break, rather than play safe and make fiddling alterations, the costs of which may never be recouped.

Just my opinion. If you expect to get 10 - 20 years out of your improved house, then naturally, that's different.

You were obviously happy to drop your price and lose out on possibly getting much more for your home, but some people ae content to wait until they get the price they're asking for, or are happy to improve their home and make it feel like a new home altogether.:)

Obviously, if you feel your house has reached its full potential and become obsolete, then perhaps you were never really that happy there in the first place. Some people (especially older folk such as yourself) like to stay in the family home for all the lovely and happy memories it holds, and moving can actually be traumatic for them!:(

I think if you've had a lovely family home for years, and your childen have gown up in it, it's a big wrench to sell it.

I understand that people and their needs change as they age, but familiararity of the house and area is very comforting in old age. And the upheaval of moving when you're older - especially into unknown territory - can really unsettle folk.

You can't change the area you move into, but you can make alterations to the home you've lived in for years and years - there's SO much you can do to a property.

And it isn't just about adding value or recouping the cost - it's about living in a home that makes you happy to be there!:)

Davesnave

breadlinebetty wrote: »

Obviously, if you feel your house has reached its full potential and become obsolete, then perhaps you were never really that happy there in the first place.....

What an odd thing to say! Unhappy? Terribly. We just lived in that street and the one behind for 32 years.:rotfl: