A property and construction expert has warned that transforming your garage into an additional room could actually knock value off your house.
Thomas Goodman from MyJobQuote shared the most common home design trends that could potentially devalue your property, including a garage conversion.
Thomas said: "Converting a garage into a liveable room such as a gym, office, or living room will increase the amount of space in the home and is a very popular home improvement."
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"However, this type of home improvement won’t have much of an impact on the value of your home. In some cases, it could lower the value of your home. Many home hunters search for homes with a garage as this is a great place to store things or a great place to park the car and keep it safe."
Another popular home design choice is going open plan, but aside from being messy and expensive, Thomas warned it might not be what buyers are looking for.
He added: "With more people working from home now, open plan living is becoming less appealing and people are preferring to have separate spaces for areas such as the living room and home office."
Costly additions such as creating a home cinema, installing a swimming pool and installing high-end appliances can actually decrease a home's value "significantly", according to Thomas.
He said: "While home cinemas are great for people who watch movies on a regular basis and enjoy the thrill of being at the cinema, for most people, a home cinema is not really something you look for when buying a property.
"Owning a swimming pool at home sounds like an extremely exciting and fun thing to have. However, in reality, a swimming pool takes a lot of upkeep and maintenance and can cost a lot to keep it in its best condition."
Adding solar panels should be thought about carefully too. Thomas added: "Solar panels are a great investment if you’re planning on staying in your home for many years. However, if you are planning on moving in a few years’ time, adding solar panels is not going to be a cost-effective option for you.
"The initial investment of adding solar panels can be quite expensive. Although you’ll save money in the long run, if you’re not planning on staying at your home for many years, the investment won’t pay for itself."
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