Value & Durability: reasons 1 - 27

Home and property owners/managers who have edged into negative equity can reverse the downward slide with home improvements, which can raise the sale price and protect against a reduced valuation from the mortgage lender.

But...... Abbey National recently asked 100 Estate Agents “which home improvements” do they consider “add most to the value of a home?” What was surprising is that it's not the large projects like extensions or expensive kitchens that add the most value - in fact, they said, often these tend to lose money - as much as 50% on their cost! On average, a home extension costs £ 33.800 but adds only £ 13.568 to the value of a home: that's a loss of over £20.000!

One of the more quicker and simpler to realise improvements decorating, like replacing carpet with wooden flooring, turns out to add the most value. Based on the calculations above, every £ 1.000 spend on quality decorating adds more than 265% to the value of your home/property (1330 x 2.65 = £ 3,524.50)
(Of course there is a common sense limit in spending: spending £ 10.000 on decorating one or two rooms will not increase the value of your home with £ 26.500).

Installing a quality wooden floor in an average sized room of 4.5 by 4 meters (20 sq m including saw-waste) will costs you around £1,150.00 including VAT for materials = wood floor, underlayment, adhesive and beading included! Based on the results of Abbeys survey it adds around £ 3.000 to the value of your home! (Not bad for 1 or 2 days work as DIY-er)

According to a recent study done by WoodCare, adding wooden features to your home will increase its value 5% - 15%, almost immediately.

“You achieve an instant positive effect by stripping down and exposing the natural character of wooden banisters, re-instating those genuine wooden doors and, particularly, installing real wooden floors (especially in the reception areas)”.

Exposing original (hidden underneath carpets) wood floors and restoring them to their old glory is easier than most think. See also reason 21.

A recent national survey organised by Woodfloor.org among Estate Agents testifies:

90% of estate agents said that houses with wooden flooring are more marketable, 58% agreed that homes with wooden floors sell for more money.

From the same Woodfloor.org survey comes the following statement by Estate Agents:

46% agreed that homes with wooden floors sell more quickly than those without.

Potential buyers know the many benefits wooden flooring has as well as you do, so when offered the choice between a house that already has (professionally) installed real wooden floors and a similar house without wooden flooring, which one do you think will sell quicker and for more? It's an obvious answer of course.

Natural hardwood flooring has become so popular over the last years that since February 2009 is it included in the Retail Price Index (Consumer Price Index).

Installing a wooden floor can be done quickly - in 99 of the 100 times there are no other building works involved.

Installing a wooden floor can be done cleaner - in 99 of the 100 times there are no other building works involved.

Installing a wooden floor can be done cheaper - in 99 of the 100 times there are no other building works involved.

And still it adds more value than most home improvement projects that do involve building works.

Every property program in television will tell you: a 'staged' home attracts offers more quickly and more often than showing your house as you would normally live in. No offense, but clutter distracts your viewer from the true value of your home.

“Staging your home is vital when you are trying to sell it, you need to make sure the space is as clean and fresh as it can be, a fresh coat of paint is a great idea and make sure any unnecessary clutter is packed away and the space is de-personalised as much as possible, you need to allow potential buyers to visualise their belongings in your home, if there is too much clutter they won’t be able to do this.

When it comes to home improvements, there are certain ones that will add value or at the very least make sure you get the asking price for it. So if the improvements you are making are for the eventual re-sale value of your home, then it is important to plan wisely, for example a white bathroom suite is a must and a good quality, well laid wood floor enhances your homes beauty and would be a real selling point when you market the property.

It is a proven fact that 2 houses side by side, if the decorated, clean and tidy one is more expensive, it would still sell quicker!"

Sarah Dolton - Managing Director of Inspiring Interiors

Your wooden floor - a large optical area, cleared from clutter so it can show off it cleanliness and elegance best, will surely contribute plenty to the feeling your home is more valuable and desirable.

Starter homes and/or apartments can feel small and sometimes even claustrophobic. They also contain 'shared-spaces' like kitchen-dining area or living-dining area.

Installing the right wooden floor can make this combined/shared spaces look just that: more 'optical' space. Because every boards is different, it keeps your eyes occupied which gives the 'mind-eye' the impression the room is larger and wider. Wood is never boring.

85% of wooden floors being sold are made of Oak. Oak will never go out of fashion, which means you don't have to worry it will not be for sale any more. Which brings us to the following: if you have a large home with many different rooms you could decide to spread the 'investment' over a period of time, doing one or two rooms at a time.

Most manufacturers will produce the same floor types for many years, so even if your total project takes more than one year your original selected floor type will still be around for you. And who says you should install the same wood floor everywhere? You could even decide to purchase a different one for the bedrooms - low traffic areas - than you have in your lounge - higher traffic area -, giving you even more options budget-wise.

It's not only home-owners that profit from the fact that wooden flooring adds value, property managers and landlords can ask for and will receive higher rents for properties that have quality wooden floors installed.

Most of us like the look of luxurious, elegant and of course practical furnishings. We perceive them as having a higher value than other items and so are prepared to pay more for it.

A potential tenant will perceive your property as more luxurious when you have real wooden flooring installed, hence is willing to pay more rent for it, increasing your ROI instantly.

Colin and Justin, property experts (and tv-presenters) frequently state:

"Most people envy, and like to buy into, those signals of ‘success’ so effortlessly portrayed by lifestyle ‘visuals’."

Features, such as wooden flooring - which is light and hygienic, provides a sense of space and elegance, wonderfully easy to keep clean and dust free, and exceptionally robust and long lasting – can make a huge difference to the value of your home.

Standard carpets last around 5 - 7 years, standard wooden flooring already comes with a manufacturers guarantee of between 10 - 30 years.
High quality carpets will set you back around £50 - £70 per sq m supplied and last around 10 - 15 years. Highest quality wooden flooring costs around £50 - £70 per sq meter supplied and even without the manufacturers promise will definitely last around 30 - 50 years.

Translated in 'costs per year':
high quality carpets between £ 3.33 - £ 7.00 per sq m per year
highest quality wooden flooring between £ 1.00 - £2.33 per sq m per year.

Like every type of investment the perceived value can go up and down, the stock market comes to mind. Experts on the stock market always tell you to think of the long term profits, it's proven time after time that shares do have a very good ROI over a longer period - 30 to 40 years.

The same can be said of the value of your home. The housing market goes up and down, it has always done this and will always keep doing this. So, invest in brick and mortar for a longer period of time - 30 to 40 years. As seen above, the life-span of quality wooden flooring - 30 to 50 years - keeps pace with this.

Clever home owners and property managers think ahead and invest in their property no matter if house prices go up or down.

Wooden flooring is increasingly popular, more and more it replaces carpets as floor covering. At the end of the last century 85% of UK homes had carpet as main floor covering, 15% had other coverings like wood, tiles and lino. The latest reports show wooden flooring has increased to 20% of all floor coverings, be it new installed wooden floors or rediscovered original Design Parquet Floors - herringbone still the most popular pattern.

Manufacturers too take advantage of this increasing trend and with improved technology are now also able to supply you with 'original' herringbone boards in pre-finished wood-engineered form. Complete with Tongue & Grooves for easy installation and no need to sand and fill the blocks afterwards - the most labour intensive part of installing an original Design Parquet floor.

Accidents and incidents happen to the best of us. Spilling food, drinks on the floor - especially during parties - is nothing out of the ordinary.

Stains however are a completely different matter - especially when you notice the stain the morning after a really good party. Can the carpet stained in red wine or worse curry be saved? Even with a chemical cleaning product - applied by a professional - removing it as if the carpet is still brand new is not guaranteed.

Wooden flooring come complete with a dirt and stain repellent character. A slightly damp cloth followed with some maintenance product applied takes away the stain for good. 5 - 10 minutes work.
And even in the event the stain has gone unnoticed for weeks and the floor needs a light sanding (rubbing with Steel wool 000 mostly does the trick) and the application of a maintenance product - it still keeps its unspoiled appearance and elegance.

The very same applies to heavier damage of your floor covering. A rip in the carpet - double sided tape might keep it down for a bit longer.
A scratch in a wooden floor adds character, shows your home is truly lived in. And otherwise a light sanding and re-applying a coat of finish (like oil) will restore the wooden floor without it losing any of its value or elegance.

Imagine putting your house up for sale: can you clean the carpet stains and repair damages well enough so buyers won't notice? Or do you need to 'splatter' little rugs around to hide them? Wooden floors will show off their value and elegance 'naked'.

This year's new black is Honey Colour and next year's new black is light chocolate brown.

If you plan to sell your home and know trendy buyers buy into the colours of that year, how are you going to please them? With a wooden floor - especially the lighter European wood species like Oak, Ash and even Pine - you can quite easily change the appearance of your floor without having to replace the whole floor-covering.

All it needs is a light sanding and the application - by yourself or done professionally - of the right colour finish. This tactic will also make your wooden floor almost brand sparkling new again.

Many older homes (still) have existing old fashion floorboards over the void: causing draft and dust because these boards do not have a 'modern' Tongue and Groove' construction. Gaps between the boards cause draft and dust coming through.

Knowing that exposing wood will add to the value of your home, it would be a shame to cover this old floor covering with carpets to make your home look and feel warmer. If needed new floorboards with T&G and at least 18mm thick can take the place of your existing floorboards.

If that is too much work and hassle you can quite easily install new (thinner) floorboards on top of your existing drafty floorboards to stop the draft and dust devaluing your home.

Plus in all circumstances it will reduce your heating bills!

(Filling the gaps between existing old floorboards is a very temporary - and 'ugly' - solution: due to the natural movement of the wood any filling material will drop into the void underneath the boards within a matter of weeks!
And no matter what you do: DON'T block any ventilation - air-bricks - in walls, your house needs ventilation to remove excess humidity. Blocking air-gaps can cause damp and the rotting of joists.)

Talking about trends and of heating sources: wood-engineered floors are highly suitable to be installed on underfloor heating systems. Some ranges, like our Duoplank Oak range, are even guaranteed on underfloor heating.

It doesn't matter which underfloor heating system you select: water pipes, electrical, in between battens or embedded in screed - there is a wood floor installation method and special adhesives or underlayment for every system.

Underfloor heating underneath carpet is not a good idea: bugs, like house mites, love a warm and humid 'climate'. You will provide them with the best breeding environment when you use carpet with this type of heating. Opt for wood-engineered floor covering instead to benefit in more than one way to increase the value of your house.

High quality products in wooden flooring and accessories enable most who enjoy DIY-projects to install the floor themselves.
It's mostly down to the correct preparations, the correct products and the correct - simple - tools to make light work of this. Installing a wood floor yourself isn't rocket-science. However: it is a known fact that the better quality you buy, the quicker and easier the installation is. We think that's obvious.

So, again no rocket-science: the choice is yours:
Buy lesser quality and struggle - or have a professional install your floor which could still turn it into a reasonable result
Buy better quality and install the floor like a professional yourself, the quality of the product will be your highly valued assistant!

Wood You Like has created a "Comprehensive Installation Guide" filled with many tricks of the trade to give you a helping hand in installing your own natural wooden floor like a pro. See our Wood Guides section of our website: www.wood-you-like.co.uk

What is a nicer surprise than to remove the carpet from a room in your home and to discover a valuable original parquet floor is hiding beneath it!

Even if your floor is missing some blocks, has damaged blocks – damages from plumbing comes to mind - or you notice areas where the blocks no longer stuck firmly down on the underfloor, it can be restored to its old glory and beauty.
There are now many professional companies around who specialise in restoring these hidden treasures for you, so you can cherish your original wood floor for decades to come.

Imagine trying to restore carpets, lino or tiles. Wooden floors withstand the test of time - many very old manor homes and castles still have their original Oak flooring in situ. Versailles in France is just one example to prove this.

As mentioned above, hidden treasures can be restored to its old glory and beauty. Sometimes only some rigorous TLC is required, removing sticky rubber backing from old carpet underlayment or cleaning off layers of old wax.
If more work needs to be done and you enjoy DIY projects you could even consider to do the restoration yourself. Take your time and do consider it a labour of love, the rewards are plenty!

Wood You Like has created various guides to help you restore your valuable floor covering so you too can enjoy its lustre and elegance for many decades to come.

Truly, with every little bit of TLC you give your wooden floor, it will reward you by becoming more beautiful. The modern maintenance products are very easy to apply, they will feed the wood and at the same time make it keep its dirt and moist repellent character.

The wax or polish prevents it from drying out - just compare it with your own skin - and no matter how old you wooden floor is, it will stay 'young' and full of vitality.

Wood is a product of nature, versatile in colour, structure and grain. Not one board or wood block is ever the same. That means your wooden floor will be truly unique.

Remember that furniture, cabinets, doors etc are fabricated in a factory under ideal conditions and that they contain 1 - 10 different pieces of wood. Your floor is 'fabricated' in your own home and is made up of 10 to a thousand individual pieces.
Remember also that your floor is never to be duplicated, a truly custom wooden floor of your own!

Wood-engineered floors are so stable and especially when you select a type that has water-resistant-plywood as backing can safely be installed in bathrooms and cloakrooms.

It won't warp of buckle, drips and even splashes will stay on top of the quality finish layer and not penetrate the material. Laying on top also means you can easily remove the excess moist and know for sure it is gone, no more soggy carpets. You don't have to worry that the floor covering - like those soggy carpets - will stay wet and moist for a long time or even worse: becomes stained with mold.

Kitchens are known to be the "engine-room" of a home: cooking, washing all take place there - keeping your family fed with warm food from clean plates and in clean clothes.
Those activities do cause moist.

Nothing a wood-engineered floor can't handle. As mentioned above, the same dirt and moist repellent character of this wood flooring type makes it a highly suitable and durable floor covering in this 'engine room' too.

From an interior design point of view, selecting wooden flooring for your kitchen can complement your kitchen units and kitchen furniture to create a truly homely feel.

Adding the correct underlayment underneath your natural wooden floor will not only improve the sound acoustics in your own home, it will also improve the sound insulation between floors.

So even if your property is a second floor flat or apartment, there is absolutely no reason why you couldn't benefit and profit from adding value to your home with wooden flooring too.