When Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the announcement back in March that everyone in England should stay at home except for essential reasons, there was an explosion in the number of people working from home.
This led to many people making do with laptops on their knees on the sofa or sharing the dining room table with children embarking on their home learning odyssey. As children return to school for the start of the new academic year, allowing most people to get back to work, there is still the thought at the back of many minds about local lockdowns, a second spike, and the impact of the cold and flu season. These factors have put one home design aspect to the top of the most desirable list: the home office.
A new office
Whether this is down to wanting to improve the current working from home space or a drive to repurpose a different space into a more work-based environment, making or improving an office space is one of the top DIY projects amongst homeowners.
According to a survey by CIA Landlord, around 27 per cent of homebuyers would be prepared to pay more for a house with an office than a similar house without an office. Given that creating a home office is likely to cost around £1,700 on average, this could represent a fantastic investment.
Other improvements listed
The only improvement that is more desirable than a home office is new flooring. Whether this is a new carpet or solid wood or laminate wood flooring from a stockist such as https://www.irwintiles.ie/wooden-flooring/laminate-flooring.html, new flooring is a key factor in people placing increased offers for a home; in fact, 37 per cent of those surveyed would be prepared to pay more to have a home with new flooring.
A cheap improvement that is likely to see an improved offer is a new set of curtains. Whilst it is certainly possible to spend a king’s ransom on new curtains, this is more likely to be a cheap and cheerful upgrade.
Other DIY jobs that will make a home more profitable include garden furniture, sink renovation, a bar, and even something as simple as a lick of paint on the front door.
Painting the shed or kitchen cabinets are seen as DIY projects that fall further down the list of desirable aspects by potential buyers.