Are you thinking about making your home bigger? Maybe you need an extra bedroom or want more living space. This is a big decision, especially if it means giving up part of your garden.
So, which adds more value to your home - extra rooms inside or more space outside in the garden? Let's look at both options.
Many people love their garden. It’s a peaceful spot to unwind after a busy day, and for some, it's an essential part of daily life. If you love the outdoors, you may want to preserve your garden.
When buyers are looking for a home, first impressions matter. A spacious garden can be a great selling point, but so can a spacious kitchen or living room.
Consider what brings you joy now. If your garden adds value to your daily life, keeping it may be the best option for you and your family.
Making your home bigger is another option. If you’re after an extra bedroom or a more expansive kitchen, an extension might be the solution.
There are various types of extensions—single-storey, multi-storey, or a whole new wing. But before you call builders, decide what the new space will be used for. Do you need a larger bedroom or a home office?
While extensions provide extra space, they come at a cost and require time to complete. If you don’t urgently need the space now, it might be worth reconsidering before making a decision based purely on future value.
An extension can cost thousands of pounds. It might increase your home's value over time, but remember you have to pay for it now.
Before jumping into an extension, consider reworking your existing space. If your rooms are already decent sizes, you could add a wall to create an extra room—without the need for a full extension.
Alternatively, if you’d like a more open feel, consider making your downstairs more open-plan by removing some walls.
Of course, this depends on how much space you already have. Think carefully about whether these changes make sense for your home.
Research shows that larger rooms are often more attractive to buyers. Avoid splitting a room into tiny bedrooms if there's a more practical solution. Poorly executed work could make your home harder to sell in the future.
It’s easy to assume that buyers only care about the number of bedrooms a house has. But a well-maintained garden can be just as appealing. If you already have a good-sized home but a smaller garden, it might be worth keeping that outdoor space intact.
Remember, the value of your home is ultimately determined by what someone is willing to pay for it. If a buyer places a high value on a garden, it could be the deciding factor.
That said, if your home is small and your garden is large, using some of that outdoor space for an extension could be a good compromise. You could also talk to your neighbours to see what they’ve done with their homes for inspiration.
Home improvements, whether for your house or garden, can be costly. The final price depends on the work you choose, but it could run into tens of thousands of pounds.
A home improvement loan could help you cover the costs. This allows you to borrow the money and repay it over time, making payments more manageable.
Many lenders offer eligibility checkers so you can see if you qualify for a loan before applying. However, keep in mind that with a homeowner loan, your property is used as security. This means your home could be at risk if you don’t keep up with payments.
Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure content is correct when published. Information on this website doesn't constitute financial advice, and we aren't responsible for the content of any external sites.
Fiona is a personal finance writer with over 7 years’ experience writing for a broad range of industries before joining Ocean in 2021. She uses her wealth of experience to turn the overwhelming aspects of finance into articles that are easy to understand.
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