After working with several clients with houses in Levenshulme, which are often smaller than their Didsbury counterparts, I was inspired to write about ways that you can increase the value of your home and find more space in a smaller property.
Like many areas, Levenshulme is growing and there is an increasing demand for larger bedrooms or additional bedrooms which houses in this area are unable to offer.
One of my clients had two small double bedrooms and a small box-room of less than 2m on both sides. This small room couldn’t really fit a single bed in it, and if you did, you wouldn’t have found any space for any storage! This is common with properties in this area and an issue which many are facing as their family outgrows the space available to them.
How can I make my small house bigger?
When thinking of how to increase the size of your small home but also increase the value of your property, there are two main options. The first is, if the garden allows, extending out to the side of the property. The second is to try an internal reconfiguration upstairs.
One of the changes that could not only increase the size of your property but also offer the biggest value is to move the staircase out of the hallway and into a side extension. This will release that space upstairs and allow for either an additional secondary storey bedroom or to increase the size of the bedrooms already there.
Here are my top 5 ways to increase the value of your house
1. Bedroom Extension
The main thing to think about to increase the value of your house is a bigger bedroom or an additional one, this can be achieved either through a two storey extension or internal reconfiguration. This makes your rooms for comfortable and enjoyable for whoever occupies them.
2. Loft Conversion
In many houses like this, a loft conversion is a possible option – this could provide you with a beautiful space to use as an additional bedroom or home office.
3. Downstairs Toilet/Utility Room
Adding a side extension with additional WC and utility will not only add some value to your house but will also free-up space elsewhere like the kitchen. Check out the different utility room layouts you could create
4. Open Plan/Larger Kitchen
An open plan kitchen will provide a big, bright space for you to have a more enjoyable kitchen & dining experience and also space for you to entertain in.
5. Garage/Storage for Bikes
There is usually space for a garage in properties of this size, it may not always be big enough for a car but definitely for motorbikes, bikes, garden tools and such – helping you to keep these things safe and out of the main property.
How do you know what is possible for your home?
A Concept Design Workshop with an Architect is the best way to look at these options, see which best fits for your home and how to implement them. At a Concept Design Workshop, we can immediately judge the space and create a design with you there and then which can be priced. As all plans produced at a Workshop are in scale, a quantity surveyor or builder can take a look at these and see what you’re planning to change and how much it would cost. This is one of the reasons the workshop is so valuable when considering having work done on your home. At the Workshop you get an immediate answer to your questions – what is possible for my property, how much could it cost, would it add value to my property.
Concept Design Workshops with Pride Road start from £300 (for a half-day, suitable for a single storey extension) or £500 (for a full-day, suitable for a two-storey extension). For a limited time, I am offering 1 hour extra free at a Workshop if you skip the initial consultation stage. Have one more hour for 2 more ideas!
Do you need a Manchester architect? Do you want to design your dream home on a budget? Thinking about extending your house, getting a garage or loft conversion, or reconfiguring the kitchen? Pride Road Architects can help.
If you’re looking for an architect in Manchester and would like to talk to us about how we can work closely with you to make your dream home a reality, just book a workshop or give us a call.
We also have Architects in our ever-expanding network, covering areas like Liverpool, and North Cheshire.
