subject: Kitchen 'seen as most attractive room [print this page] Kitchen 'seen as most attractive room Kitchen 'seen as most attractive room
Individuals who are planning to build their own home may want to pay particular attention to their kitchen if they want to increase the property's value, it has been suggested.
Recent research from Halifax Estate Agents showed that over a quarter of respondents believe that a new and modern kitchen is the home improvement most likely to appeal to buyers.
Other popular home improvements which are seen as attractive to potential buyers - and which individuals building their own house may want to focus on - include energy-saving measures (14 per cent), a good central heating system (10 per cent) and double glazing (eight per cent).
A fifth of homeowners also said the kitchen is the room they would most like to change if they got the chance to.
"Our research shows that most people are influenced by the kitchen when buying a house," Gordon Edwards, managing director of Halifax Estate Agents, said.
People planning to extend their own kitchen may want to follow the advice of Melanie Griffiths, Homebuilding and Renovating magazine's assistant editor, who recently said the appearance of nearby properties should be considered before changing a home's exterior.
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Kitchens and bathrooms are the two main rooms which increase the value of a property, an industry expert has claimed.
Self-builders currently working on a project may like to know that a good quality kitchen could add thousands of pounds onto the value of the house and increase the saleability of the property, the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) suggested.
The role of the kitchen has replaced that of the dining room as a social venue, which is why good quality craftsmanship can add value to the property, Andrew Leech, technical consultant to the NHIC, said.
Mr Leech added: "The kitchen is definitely the kind of place you need to update. The kitchen these days is becoming more and more a place where you meet people, rather than the lounge."
Research published by Nationwide building society in May 2006 stated that, although location remains key to house value, bedroom and bathrooms can add over five per cent to property values.
