Which improvement to spend ££££s on?

[workininacoalmine]

Name changed. We want to sell our family home (largeish 4 bed Edwardian semi) to downsize now DC have all left. We have about £50k to improve it. One bedroom is currently in loft conversion but it's a bit crap. We are going to spend about 30k on building a new garage and landscaping the garden (a mess currently), then have 20k or a bit more left over to do one of these options: 1. Improve the current loft conversion to make it a wow factor master bed with en suite; 2.Build a utility room on side of the house 3.En suite to main bedroom and improve and modernise the family bathroom. Kind of guessing at the costs right now these are just thoughts. Want to make the house attractive to buyers and increase its value if we can. Any nuggets of wisdom welcome! Thanks mumsnetters

If you were selling to me i would prefer option 2 or 3. But what everyone else would like i have no idea. Maybe speak to a local agent see what people looking at your type of house would prefer?

Depending on the size, I don't think you'd have much change from £20k after building a utility room, but I also don't think having one would add £20k on to the value of your house when you sell, unless it can all be tied in with the garage build - might be cheaper then?

The bathrooms would probably give you most benefit.
But - if suggest getting an/some estate agents round to value as is, and then how much they think it will be worth after the works are done. It might not be much benefit for the hassle and stress of doing the work.

If I were buying your house I think I’d prefer option 1. We are looking to buy something of a similar size at the moment and have decided that we would rather pay a bit less but then replace things like kitchen/bathrooms ourselves.
Even if a bathroom is brand new it’s unlikely it will be to exactly our tastes and we’d have to replace at some point so I’d rather not pay for it.

There is no way I would spend £50k on any of those just to sell, and would doubt whether you would recoup it.

I would expect your money to work much harder for you in being available for your next purchase or to make that to your liking. Or even to simply add to your savings.

Definitely consult a couple of local estate agents about respective values.

Can you build the space for the utility 'as part of the garage build' but keep costs down by kitting it out cheaply (secondhand units from FB Marketplace etc,, avoid doing the ensuite to the main but put the ensuite to the loft, decorate nicely and stage manage that loft space as cheaply as you can.

Have you had it valued with & without the improvements? You could spend a lot & not get it back which would be pointless.

Given the buoyant property market, I wouldn’t spend anything on the house, other tidying up the garden so it’s presentable. I’m sure it’ll sell fast and for more than you think. Let the next person put their own stamp on it 😊.

I would also just sell and spend nothing. Get it on the market now, while people are still desperate and you might get more than you think anyway.

As housing market is very strong for sellers atm i would just make it presentable and get on the market like I would get garden tidy and finish anything half done. I would get estate agents round now and see their views. Loft conversion make sure been done to all building regs etc before advertising as bedroom. If you really want to do something only thing I would want out of those is family bathroom but if its usable would leave it unless looks really dire.

As above I’d save the cash and reduce the hassle and sell as is. Lots of buyers want to put their own personal twist on the house and with it being a sellers market a declutter and tidy up will probably be sufficient.

I think it depends on whether you're trying to sell your house as done up or as something that needs work. The advice I've received from estate agents and seen on here is that it needs to be either one thing or another thing.

So if you're selling it as a turn key/move in ready house then you will need to probably do all the things you're suggesting other than building the garage including fully redecorating, new(ish) kitchen, bathrooms etc.

Or and tbh if it was me I agree with others I don't think I'd do anything other than tidy stuff up and make it look well maintained and loved (as I'm sure it is) but not replace old bathrooms etc.

As @UpTheJunktion said definitely get estate agents round to give you some advice as they'll know what's selling in your local area and what is a wise investment.

I would also sell as is.

Don't spend £50k on it if you are planning to sell! That's daft talk. (Disclaimer if you'd double or triple your money fair enough)

Check with agents locally.

I agree with those saying don't spend any money, at least not without speaking to estate agents first. Save your money to do up your next house. If you must improve I think bathrooms and a nice garden.

I wouldn’t spend anything. Stick it on the market and save your £50k. If you have any trouble selling at least you’ll hopefully have some feedback from viewings on where to improve.

"Do nothing" should be one of your options. A young family coming in will probably have a very different idea of how it should be modernised.

Get it valued. Lots of people want to choose new when they move in. And especially in a period property will pay a premium if it's relatively untouched.
I tarted up our house to sell, cosmetic, but painted, carpets etc.
Walked past the house the week we sold after to see all the new carpets in a skip!

Walked past the house the week we sold after to see all the new carpets in a skip!

My uncle put a new kitchen in before selling his lovely beachfront home. He was informed by his ex-neighbour the whole house had been bulldozed

I wouldn't bother with all the mess and stress and put it on the market
Touch up paintwork is all I would do tbh

Keep your 50k would be my preferred choice.

A master suite on the third floor will not be appealing to a family.

If the bathroom is very dated then that might be worth doing.

Is there already a garage that you'd be knocking down and rebuilding? Tidying the garden does make sense, but I wouldn't spend £ landscaping it if new occupants might want to be extending.

Utility room sounds nice, but the new occupants may have their own ideas as to how they'd like to re jig things.

I agree with everyone else. The house I bought needed everything doing and it suited me fine as it was priced fairly for the work involved. I couldn’t have afforded it done and there is never a house 100% to your taste.
A house down the road has had an extensive Reno, putting it c£100k above ours. They’ve done a great job, but when I had a nose at it there were still several things I’d change.

I'd get an estate agent or two in and see what they say, however I'm inclined to suggest doing nothing, apart from maybe sorting the garden if it's a complete mess.

Oh and make sure that the loft conversion has all of the relevant sign off - it might be worth spending a few £ on that if you don't have the right certificates etc.

Agree with everyone, tidy up, de putter and put it on the market quickly as it's crazy buoyant at the moment.

Don't spent £50k!

A grand master bedroom in the attic is wasted on a family with young kids (most parents wouldn’t want to be on a separate floor).

I honestly don’t think you’ll recoup you costs for any of those options.

Agree with others. Keep your £50K. Depending where you are it’s v hard and v expensive to get builders in - you will likely be waiting months just for a quote and months more for a start date - probably x2 costs you are anticipating if you haven’t had work done recently.

I agree with others - do nothing - put it on for a fair price to gain interest and competition. Clear/tidy the garden (don’t landscape) - declutter the house so the features and space can be appreciated.