Renovate and add value to your home

The old adage 'there's no place like home' rings true to this day, even though the times we live in are a little more uncertain in terms of the economy and household expenses than at the time those iconic words were first uttered.

Considering your home as an investment is an attitude that any homeowner can benefit from - after all, staking savings on an asset like a home is a big responsibility.

You will want to make sure that the money you spend on a house will be returned, hopefully with some left over, once the process of selling up and moving on is done - and there are a few ways you can make sure that value is added without the operation becoming too costly.

Firstly, consider the areas of your home that will benefit from renovations as well as boost profit.

For example, re-surfacing your roof could set your savings back a significant amount, but while it's certainly a good idea to maintain the structural elements of your house, buyers will expect the roof to be in good shape.

Instead, look for ways that bathroom DIY or a few licks of paint can spruce up dull or outdated features.

Also, think about how you can add space and light - interiors can benefit from the addition of windows and skylights and the removal of unnecessary walls.