Top 3 valuable additions to the home

If you know your way around a fuse box or know how to sand a floor, it's probably safe to say you're pretty handy. And once someone with DIY skills has been living in a home long enough, sooner or later the siren call of renovation starts to filter through the ear drums. Whether it's a small repair or addition or a major renovation you're thinking about, it won't be long before that trigger finger starts getting itchy and you start scraping, sanding and hammering away. 

Before you start, however, you might want to carefully consider what type of renovation you'll do. Certain additions to the home can raise its value more than others, so it's useful to think about your options. 

Don't curb that kerb appeal

You probably don't need to be told that, when someone drives up to your house, the outside of your home will be the first thing they see. But what is important to remember is that this makes boosting your kerb appeal an even higher priority. Add lights, either on strings or into the ground, to increase visibility during the evening, and maintain your lawn - keep it nicely cut and green, trim trees, spread mulch in the planting beds and plant a tree.

(Repaint) Everything but the kitchen sink

The most cost effective way to improve your kitchen's value is to give it a fresh paint job. If your kitchen's decor is still stuck in the era before colour television came to Australia, paint the room with new, modern colours that will immediately give your home that brand new feel. And if you're not sure how to paint a home, don't be afraid to seek out advice. 

Avoid the bargain basement

While basements usually bring to mind dank, foreboding places where no man dares to tread, it doesn't have to be this way. Turn your basement into a lounge or sports den with the addition of hardwood floors or by installing a TV onto your wall. Turn a useless space into somewhere you want to spend time.