5 home additions that increase property value

These 5 popular home additions offer a variety of advantages to homeowners looking for improvements that will enhance their quality of life while giving their property investment a boost.

Garden cottage

Whether you’re planning to rent out or want a place to house family members, garden cottages offer potential buyers an additional source of income that can be used to assist with bond repayments.

Before making a decision to build an additional residence on your property consider the amount of free space available for the garden cottage and consult your municipality about any building restrictions.

Loft conversions

For those homeowners who don’t have the space to build out, extending up offers attractive opportunities. Loft conversions are especially popular for homeowners in need of an additional bedroom, home office or a spacious family room.

Without the cost and disruption of adding a full second floor to your home, a loft conversion can increase floor space by as much as 30% and takes around 4 to 8 weeks to complete.

Additional bathroom

No one likes waiting in line for the bathroom so ensuring you have enough facilities in your home is not simply a ‘nice to have’, it’s a matter of family harmony.

The ideal number of bathrooms depends very much on the size and layout of your home but work towards an en-suite bathroom to your master bedroom, a full bathroom for the rest of the family and a half bathroom or 2 for the convenience of guests in the case of large or multi-level houses.

Entertainment area or home office

Understanding the type of people attracted to your neighbourhood will help you decide on whether you should invest in an entertainment area or a home office.

If the houses in your area are smaller and attract young executives or first-time homeowners, a home office could appeal to those with remote working in mind.

For well-established neighbourhoods with larger family homes, on the other hand, a well laid-out entertainment area for family braais and friendly get-togethers could be a big selling point.

Swimming pool

In the heat of summer, nothing sounds as good as having your own swimming pool, but that doesn’t mean investing in a pool will attract buyers willing to pay a premium for the pleasure.

This is another situation where you should let your neighbourhood guide you on how to decide on a swimming pool. If your area attracts young up-and-comers a small cocktail pool could be a great selling point, while neighbourhoods attracting families might like bigger pools. Bear in mind though that some buyers might feel that a swimming pool requires too much maintenance.

Whichever size you choose, remember to have kid safety measures put in place and get a pool cover that will reduce evaporation and provide some protection from high water bills.