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With their high ceilings, large floor space and period features, it’s no wonder that Victorian properties are still as popular as ever. There are opportunities to extend into lofts or to the rear, making them great family homes as well as a great investment. If you want to add value to your Victorian home, here are some things to consider.
Go Open Plan
If you are willing and able to do structural work to your property, then making it open plan can certainly add value. There is often a front and rear reception room in a Victorian home, with a smaller kitchen and bathroom to the rear of the property. By taking down walls and opening up the space you can create a large kitchen, dining and living area that can be great for families. Along with the high ceilings, this can be a wonderfully spacious and light living space.
Relocate the Bathroom
As mentioned previously, the bathroom is traditionally downstairs in a Victorian house. This may not suit the modern family, with children upstairs in bed having to come downstairs to use the toilet in the night. By moving the bathroom into a room upstairs, you are making the house suit modern times and modern families. This will make it more attractive to family buyers in the future. By moving the bathroom upstairs, you also create space to then extend the kitchen downstairs, or perhaps have a utility off the kitchen.
Restore Victorian Features
The Victorian features are what draws people to buy this style of period property over a new build, so make sure you are not neglecting them. Make sure coving and ceiling roses are replaced with Victorian style designs if they need replacing. The same can be said for a Victorian fireplace. If you need to update the fireplace, make sure you get one that is in keeping with the period. Sash windows and Victorian floor tiles are other architectural features that you should try and keep when making renovations. Not only is it important to keep the architectural history alive, but it will also be an attractive feature for buyers in the future.
Convert the Loft
Victorian properties often have the benefit of a loft space. If you are able to not have to use for this storage, then converting this space to a bedroom will add a lot of value to the house. Everyone knows, the more bedrooms a home has, the more value it holds. If you are taking a room from the first floor to move the bathroom up there, then moving up into the loft is the obvious choice for adding more value.
Extend to the Rear
A Victorian home and bi-folding doors may not seem like they could go together at first, but if you add a rear extension to the property then you can create possibilities of extending the open plan living area, as well as creating a blend between the inside and out with bi-folding doors. Extensions can be done sympathetically to the style of the house, or in stark contrast. Either way, it is a great way of adding more space and value to the property.
In conclusion, buying a Victorian property can be a great investment for the future, but can also be a great asset to your family life if you are able to renovate and restore it to its fullest potential.