In Australia, more than anywhere else on the planet, we are proud of our ability to do our own home renovations. This holds as true in Perth as it does anywhere in Australia. We love our homes and we constantly want to improve them and renovate them.
But are you better served leaving some home renovations to professionals? Let’s take a look.
Why Home Renovations can be Important in Perth
The housing market in Perth can be volatile. During the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), we were not affected nearly as much as many other parts of Australia due to the mining boom. But that doesn’t mean we weren’t affected. Our prices rise and fall like everyone else’s. Many economists feel that housing affordability is terribly low right now.
There are two common reasons for renovating a home: increasing its value for sale or making it more fun to live in. If you are increasing the value for resale, it is important to only do renovations that will turn you a profit. If you are enhancing your lifestyle, you want to make sure the renovations are done perfectly so they aren’t a problem down the road.
What You Can and Can’t Do Yourself
Here is the basic rule of thumb. It works 95% of the time. If you are a master builder, you can do it all yourself. But if you are not a professional builder, pay very close attention to the next sentence.
Do the cosmetic work yourself and leave the structural work to the professionals.
Cosmetic Work: How to Increase Your Home’s Aesthetic and Value with the Least Money and Effort
Your Action Plan
Go over your entire home and figure out what renovations make sense. Break every room down into a series of small tasks. Then, write out your plan for renovation and execute it. This helps you “compartmentalise” your tasks and keeps you from being discouraged at the enormity of the job. It also keeps you “on task” if things start to go sideways.
The Highest Returns for the Least Work
If you are renovating for resale, it is crucial that you increase your home’s value by at least $2 for every $1 you spend. The best way to do this is to know what makes prospective buyers excited and ready to pay more money for your home and do it right now. Most of this will be done outside.
For example, it is estimated that a high quality paint job can increase your home’s value by as much as $10 for every $1 you spend. That’s because your home looks newer on the outside and is more attractive to buyers. You can also add cement rendering to brick, stone or cement walls.
It is easy to renovate your garden to make it look extremely attractive. You can install new plants and garden beds. You can use pavers to create new garden paths. You can use paving paint to refresh your driveway and older garden paths.
While you have the paint out, don’t forget the garage and the shed. Prospective buyers look at everything. And while you’re at it, make sure to buy high quality paint. Cheap paint makes your home look cheap. The higher quality paint will more than pay for itself.
Remember that any outside improvements can make people more likely to view your home. The outside is the first part any prospective buyer will see of your home. It provides the powerful first impression. Make sure prospective buyers have a great first impression of your home; you can thank us later.
Indoors, there are many small jobs you can do yourself that will have a huge impact on how visitors view your home. You can easily update your doorknobs and the handles on cabinet doors. You should also paint your interior, especially the door frames.
Leave the Rest to the Professionals
For everything else, leave it to us at Next Level Extensions. We specialise in home renovations in the Perth area. We know what makes your home sell for more and we can do it safely for a lot less money than you may think.
To learn more, call us today: 1300 948 094.
