04 Jan Adding Value to Property

Property if left devoid of investment becomes unsuitable for continued use and derelict. That applies to building plots and land as well as buildings. Investment in refurbishment and new building projects can lower running costs and improve living and working environments.

Many office workplaces are based in wholly cellular former domestic buildings or tired open plan offices. Neither are particularly suited to modern working practices that often need a mix of the two to accommodate more flexible / informal working practices that often suit businesses better. Even many new workplace buildings are not designed with end-users in mind!

Similarly, many existing homes are better suited to rapidly declining lifestyles with the number of rooms being considered important by house builders and estate agents. In actual fact it is the quality of rooms that is more important these days. A 1930s Kitchen can rarely accommodate modern appliances let alone more than one person, whereas modern lifestyles often require the cooking, dining and living spaces to be much better connected. It is a waste of valuable ‘real estate’ to reserve a room for use on high days and holidays only as a ‘front parlour’. Yet even many new homes are built by house builders that way.

Most existing buildings are capable of being altered to reduce their use of energy, the cost of the work being covered by the drop in running costs.

Bringing empty floors and roof spaces into use can increase the commercial income of property or allow larger homes without building a ground floor extensions eating into a small garden. Extending a property out into a larger garden can remove the need to move and all the costs that would involve.

So if you, your family / business or your clients would benefit from your property being  increased in value functionally, as well as financially, please get in touch. That is what architects do, add value and increase possible incomes from property. KR.eativ: Architects is an RIBA Chartered Practice and a member of the Association of Self Build Architects (ASBA).