These Pointless Home Improvements Won’t Add Value to Your Home

Thu, Jan 30, 2025 04:11 CET

Home improvements can be a great way to boost the quality of our daily lives and provide an exciting task to embark on. However, they also often come at a steep cost, and it is important to consider whether it is actually going to benefit us before jumping in head first.

A wood planks and a ruler

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One way home improvements are often justified is with the notion that they can add to your property value and improve your sales chances and profits later down the line. However, this does not always prove to be the case. Below, property expert Thomas Goodman at MyJobQuote.co.uk goes through some pointless renovations that could either just not add to or even decrease the value of your home:

Fitting a New Bathroom

Renovating the bathroom is a very expensive job that requires installing an all-new plumbing set. From a buyer's point of view, whether or not the existing plumbing is working efficiently will be all they are interested in.

So rather than replacing your entire bathroom with a brand new toilet, sink, shower, etc., if your plumbing is all in working order, a fresh lick of paint and some new tiles may be all it needs to spruce it up and add value to your home.

Changing Your Flooring

Upgrading your flooring can be a great investment if you are looking to enjoy the benefits yourself. However, from a selling point of view, it is something that is very much down to personal taste, which will vary from person to person.

You may think it seems a great idea to change the carpet in your living room to a fresh new set of wooden panels that will make it look shiny and new. It could be the case, though, that the buyer of your property prefers carpet, and all of that hard work and money spent will just end up with it being replaced again.

Overdone Landscaping

Many of us take great pride in our gardens, and we want to make them look tidy and presentable to estate agents and potential buyers. However, there is such a thing as doing too much and costly installations such as water features may not always be necessary and could actually act as a deterrent.

Equally, going too far with creating the perfect neat set of hedgerows, blossoming trees, and perfectly trimmed grass could also put buyers off as it gives the impression that the garden will require a great deal of regular maintenance – something not everyone has time for.

Creating a Walk-in Wardrobe

You may have always dreamed of converting that spare room in your home into a walk-in wardrobe like the ones you see in the movies. This won't, however, be everyone's dream, so this expensive installation could decrease the value of your home.

It is important to remember when making any home improvement that these things are often a matter of personal taste, and we must weigh up what they bring to our quality of life against the impact they could have when we are trying to sell.

Built-in Electronics

Built-in electronics, such as home cinemas, can be a great addition to our lifestyles if they match our interests. However, installing them purely to add to property value will not always be worth it.

Such built-in systems are expensive in terms of both the initial products and installation costs and are likely not actually what buyers are looking for. Technology and gadgets are constantly going in and out of fashion, so this could actually lead to a decrease in value by the time you come to sell.

Garage Conversions

As a homeowner, it can be very tempting to convert your garage into a liveable space such as a games room, home gym or even an extra bedroom. If you are planning to live on your property for a time, this could, by all means, be beneficial to you.

It will likely not, however, add to the value of your property, so it should be avoided if you are looking to sell. The selling point of a garage for many property seekers will be a safe place to store their car, so converting it into something else entirely could put them off.

DIY Projects

When undertaking any of these home renovation tasks, the temptation can be there to do it all yourself. This could save money and be a fun project if you have the relevant skills and feel confident in the task.

‘If’ is the key word in this sentence, however, and too often what seems like a cost-efficient DIY project can actually end up leaving our homes in a far worse state than they were to begin with. If you have any doubts about your ability to make an improvement that can add to your property value, it is always worth calling in professionals.

Final Thoughts

Before commencing your next home improvement project, there are certain things to think about. The first is quality of life – is this renovation going to be beneficial both for you and any potential buyers in the future? The second is financial impact – is the amount you will need to spend on the work going to be outweighed by the boost to your property value?

If the answer to either or both of these questions is yes, it may well be worth doing! Just think carefully before spending those hard-earned pennies on a renovation that may not actually benefit you at all and even cause potential losses.

THOMAS GOODMAN

Thomas Goodman has worked as a property and construction expert for MyJobQuote for six years and has worked in the construction industry for over twenty years. Thomas continues to work on building projects while providing expert construction and property advice to industry professionals and DIY enthusiasts.

MyJobQuote is one of the UK's top trades matching sites that helps individuals find a reputable tradesperson in their local area.

MyJobQuote also has a wide range of experts with extensive knowledge in interior design, cleaning, gardening, property, construction and more. MyJobQuote's experts have been featured in over 700 publications, including Woman and Home, The Times, House Beautiful, BBC News and more.