11 mistakes that could devalue your home

Overhauling your house? These missteps could knock money off your property's price tag when it's time to sell

Everyone wants their house to feel like a home and many of us have been inspired to give our properties a revamp since the lockdown.

However, the alterations we make can have a serious impact on the value of our homes when it comes to selling and some things could even devalue your house.

Even if you've no plans to up sticks soon, you probably won’t live in your current house forever, so it's important to steer clear of making the home mistakes that can devalue your property further down the line.

To help you make your home your own without knocking thousands off its future market price, we've collated advice from several property experts to find out what devalues a house the most.

1. Dodgy DIY work

It can be tempting to try and save cash by undertaking a weekend DIY job yourself, but it can be a false economy if you're a novice.

Thomas Goodman, property expert at MyJobQuote.co.uk, says: “Professional work is second to none in quality, when buyers step into your home and agents do a valuation, they will take note of details.

“Your DIY tiling job might look appealing to you, but amateur work doesn’t have the same finish.”

Even if you are a dab hand at decorating, you should always hire qualified tradespeople for anything related to plumbing, heating or electrics—if you don’t know what you’re doing, you could create hazards in your home.

2. A lack of kerb appeal

We all know first impressions count and nowhere is this truer than with property. If your front fence is falling down, potential buyers are unlikely to enter your home in the buying frame of mind.

Dasha Klyachko, CEO and Founder of Livlet, a digital home-managing app, says improving your kerb appeal is one of the simplest ways of increasing the value of your property.

"Cleaning your outdoor spaces by keeping your front garden neatly trimmed, fixing any broken fences and gates and painting or repairing the exterior of your home can add around 10-20% to the value of your property," he says.

Klyachko also points to research from Sell House Fast that says that the colour of your front door can either add value to your property or devalue it. A blue door, he says, can add up to £4,000 to your home's value, while a brown door can devalue it by up to £700.

Image: christopher babcock / Shutterstock

Image credit: Christopher Babcock / Shutterstock

3. Removing period features

Though contemporary style may be more your bag, for many buyers, original features tell the architectural story of a property and may encourage them to make a good offer. Cornicing, beams and Victorian fireplaces all add character for certain buyers.

So before you pull out that old feature, you might want to think again. Polly Shearer, an interiors expert at Tap Warehouse, says: “Period homes and their elements are often timeless and never go out of style, however the same cannot be said for online trends."

4. Bold décor

It sounds boring, but when it comes to interiors, neutral schemes are likely to appeal to more house hunters when you come to sell. It will be easier for buyers to imagine themselves living in your home if they don’t have to paint over bold, colourful walls or rip off textured wallpaper.

“A bright yellow wall in the kitchen could be comforting for you, but it might portray your room in a different light to others,” says Goodman.

The same applies to hanging expensive wallpaper—there's no accounting for taste and though you may appreciate the hand-painted design of your bedroom's silk wallpaper or the premium quality of the Graham & Brown in the living room, the chances are, potential buyers already have mood boards for how they want their dream home to look and this isn't it.

If you really want to go for quirky décor, be prepared to tone it back before you put your home on the market.

5. Installing a new kitchen

Tired kitchens are a definite no-no when it comes to selling your home. Daniel Copley, Consumer Spokesperson at Zoopla, says: “As a focal point for many houses, it’s important to ensure that, where possible, your kitchen is not devaluing your property with features like poor lighting, broken cupboards and cluttered surfaces all having the potential to make your home harder to sell."

However, while a modern kitchen is top of many buyers’ wish lists when it comes to property, putting a new one in may not add the value you are expecting.

People are very particular about their kitchens and though you may love the style and design you've chosen, the next owner may just want to rip it out and start all over again.

There are far cheaper ways to refresh and update your kitchen without stumping up the cost of a new one. You could paint or replace the cabinet doors rather than upgrading the units entirely. A change of taps and worktops can also give older kitchens a new lease of life, as can retiling the splashback.

Image: Benoit Daoust / Shutterstock

Image credit: Benoit Daoust / Shutterstock

6. Built-in smart tech

Though it may be tempting to splash out on lots of technology for your home, it's not the surefire way of adding value that you might think it is. First of all, fully rigged sound systems and clever lighting tend to be designed to suit your lifestyle, and what's right for you might not be right for the next owner.

Even snazzy additions such as home cinemas don't tend to add much value—about £2,000—though they can cost in the tens of thousands.

7. Inconsistent flooring

When it comes to floors, consistency is generally key. While broken-plan flooring is still trendy, a house full of floor trims that separate different rooms with various types of coverings can be off-putting for buyers.

The majority of house hunters today tend to prefer hardwood floors, at least in high-traffic areas such as hallways and living rooms. Installing the same durable flooring across these areas will give a better flow than opting for drastically different types of floor.

This is especially true in smaller properties—if the same flooring runs throughout the property without dividers between rooms it can make your home seem larger.

Carpets are generally preferred for bedrooms, though bear in mind that some buyers may be put off as it’s much harder to keep clean, especially for those with pets.

8. Dark rooms

In an ideal world, all of the rooms in your home would be flooded with natural light. But unless you have dual-aspect windows and optimum outdoor conditions, this isn’t always possible.

You can help your property appear brighter by painting the walls in lighter hues and bringing plenty of different artificial light sources into your living spaces. Mirrors can also help reflect and maximise light in dingy rooms.

9. Transforming a bedroom into a wardrobe

Always wanted a walk-in wardrobe? You're not alone, these luxury additions can be appealing to buyers.

Andy Briggs, Head of Graphics and Interior Design at Spaceslide, makes the bold claim that walk-in wardrobes can add up to £100,000 to a home's value. “A dream home for prospective buyers offers features that they won’t have to pay to change once they move in," he says, "which is why unique storage solutions, such as a modern walk-in or built-in wardrobes, may bolster your home’s value."

However, before you let your inner Carrie Bradshaw take over, just consider what you are sacrificing to make it happen. If it's just a little space in an already large bedroom, then it's probably OK, but if you're adding a wardrobe at the expense of a bedroom—even if it's a box room—then you could be committing the cardinal devaluing sin. A walk-in wardrobe is no replacement for an extra bedroom.

walk in wardrobe

Image credit: 2017 mariakray / Shutterstock

10. Swapping a lawn for artificial grass

Though some people swear by the ease of having artificial grass in their garden, it may surprise you to know that swapping a traditional lawn for a less sustainable material, which will do little to attract local wildlife, could devalue your home.

“Despite being easier to maintain, many buyers are not keen on artificial grass for their gardens. For family homes where young children or dogs are often in the garden, artificial grass can be a preference, but for others, it can cost thousands to remove or reduce the sale value of the home if buyers are not willing to absorb the cost," says Samantha Richards, a gardening expert at Gazeboshop.

11. Not having a bath

Many of us live busy lives and don’t have time for long baths. It can therefore be tempting to rip out the bath and replace it with a walk-in shower. But while this might make your bathroom look bigger, it could also rule out your property for some buyers, especially those with babies or young children.

“One common mistake sellers make is to replace the only bath in your home. Baths are a popular option for many people who like to wind down after a busy day,” says Goodman.

If you have more than one bathroom, it’s probably OK to have one with a bath and one with a shower, but if you’ve only one wash space, opt for a shower fitted over the bath instead.

Lead image credit: Lime Lace