Irrespective of the money you pour into your home upgrade, it will fail to make an impact unless you weave it in sync with the immediate neighbourhood. The old designing gospel of “don’t get a blue roof if your neighbours have a beige one” rings so true for upgrades, too. Apart from that, you need to keep a close eye on the market trend, local preferences, and the geographical placement of your home.
Shying away from the above advice is like making the most severe error of any upgrade. Let me take you through 4 more home upgrade errors that you can ill-afford.
Home upgrade #2 to avoid: built-in electronics
Do not spend on built-in electronics. Often, you may be wooed away by its chic appeal but the glam quotient lasts only till your electronics is surpassed by another powerful toy in the market.Suddenly your coolest home upgrades will be very uncool.
Also, built-in electronics occupy too much space and take away from the peace of the adjoining room.
It is a lot better to spend in free-standing electronics. For one, they come a lot cheaper and you can keep replacing them at will, thereby keeping up with the trend.
Not without any reason, built-in electronics is often that one piece of home upgrade you feel like ripping apart in less than two months’ time.
Follow the neighbourhood standards for bedroom count
Never substitute a bedroom with a closet or a master bathroom. You should once again take a peep into the trend followed in the neighbourhood. Anything short of the neighbourhood standards (in terms of bedroom count) and you put yourself at a serious disadvantage. In fact among the best home upgrades for resale value is usually the addition of a room.
Attic over basement, well, any day!
Below-grade improvements do not factor in as well as the above-grade improvements even if you talk about adding a master bedroom. Your first line of upgrade should thus be your home and your attic rather than the basement.
While basement holds unquestionable structural importance, it still does not truly fall within the realm of aestheticism. Give it a miss for the upgrade you have in mind and spend instead on modifying other zones of your home.
If you live in Sydney, do not make your home upgrade relevant to Bali
Outdoor upgrades are an enjoyable experience but refrain from being carried away into flights of fancy.
For instance, Sydneysiders should know that while the tropical Balinese or medieval castle theme may be great for a few individuals, it won’t do much to raise the market value of their home.
So if you are ever thinking of selling (and eventually you probably will) – this needs being kept in mind.
You can contact me if you have got home upgrade project or staging in mind. I will be glad to use my years of experience and craftsmanship to assist in adding value.
What is your favourite home upgrade that you have seen in a home?
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