Improving your home on a shoestring budget Everyone wants to get the most amount of money possible for their property.

But when you’re undertaking repairs and renovations it’s easy for the pounds to add up.

However, while it’s true that purchasing a new bathroom suite or creating a loft conversion is going to cost you thousands, there are some cheaper alternatives that can also add value.

Here we offer some beneficial advice for homeowners looking to add value to their homes, while working to a budget.

Focus on the kitchenFor many people the kitchen is the most important room in the home and where a large proportion of our time is spent.

So if yours is outdated or dirty then you should really do your best to get it up to scratch.

While kitchen upgrades can easily run into thousands of pounds, there are improvements you can make for much less such as cleaning up appliances, replacing handles or taps and applying a coat of paint which will cost significantly less.

A lick of paintSpeaking of paint, one of the simplest ways to revamp a tired and out of date property is to give it a fresh coat of colour.

Dark colours can often make a room feel stuffy and cramped, while lighter neutral tones can make the most of natural light and make a room feel larger than it is.

Home buyers tend to prefer neutral tones anyway as they allow them to visualise how they might like a room to look.

It shouldn’t just be the inside of your home that get’s revamped though; peeling paint on front doors and grimy exteriors are also quite likely to put off potential buyers.

Click here to read our guide to choosing paint for the exterior of your property.

Remove the clutterFor a potential buyer, a room full of personal items like drawings, photographs and ornaments is going to be off-putting.

A clean and clutter free room is much easier to imagine living in than one that is full of someone else’s stuff.

You should extend this minimalist attitude to the outdoors too.

Keep your garden grass trimmed, your windows clean and try to move any children’s toys or garden tools somewhere out of the way so that the garden can be enjoyed.

Make the most of your home’s featuresPeriod features and focal points like fireplaces, ceiling roses and cornices can create lots of interest in a property.

They not only draw the eye at property visits but also when potential buyers view photos of your home on the internet.

Restoring pre-existing features or simply rearranging the room so that they become more prominent can really help.

If you don’t have any stand out features then a nice piece of art, carefully positioned, can create a strong focal point.

Look belowAnother way that you can totally revitalise a room is to look under your feet.

Tired threadbare carpets, stained laminate or heavily scratched wooden flooring can really date a property.

If you don’t have a carpet then consider buying an affordable neutral coloured one, or if you do have a carpet and it’s heavily soiled then consider having it professionally cleaned.

It’s worth the investment and will leave a good impression on buyers.

Plan for the futureA final tip to leave you with is to consider applying for planning permission for your home.

It doesn’t really matter if you can’t afford to have the work carried out.

Just having the permission for a conversion or extension in place will help buyers to see the future potential of your property.

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