Upgrades And Renovations That Add Value To A Property
Looking to improve the value of your property without breaking the bank?
There are four key factors that affect the overall value of a property: its location, its size and condition, its facilities, fixtures and finishes and lastly, the economy. While there is little you can do about your property’s location or the economy, you can address the other two factors to raise the value of your asset and ensure your Return on Investment (ROI).
Certain upgrades and renovations can add instant value to a property without expensive remodelling and structural changes – just like a facelift! We asked a few industry experts which “cosmetic” changes actually increase your property’s sale price – whether corporate, commercial or residential.
There are four key factors that affect the overall value of a property: its location, its size and condition, its facilities, fixtures and finishes and lastly, the economy. While there is little you can do about your property’s location or the economy, you can address the other two factors to raise the value of your asset and ensure your Return on Investment (ROI).
Certain upgrades and renovations can add instant value to a property without expensive remodelling and structural changes – just like a facelift! We asked a few industry experts which “cosmetic” changes actually increase your property’s sale price – whether corporate, commercial or residential.
1. Extending the floorspace
Ensure your selected decking material works for the specifications of the site and that your project meets local building codes and regulations.
“Add more square metres by extending the functional floorspace outdoors to convert ugly, unused areas into beautiful, welcoming ones,” says Duane Davis of Deckon Projects.
Since the pandemic, people are looking for more open-plan, outdoor spaces. There’s no easier way to add value to your property than to transform unused outdoor areas into more functional spaces with a few clever additions. Adding an exquisite Eva-Last composite deck or shady pergola made from lightweight Lifespan beams increases the perceived size of a property. Although you’re not technically increasing the actual size of the building’s footprint, you’re effectively extending the usable living or working area. Bonus! You seldom need planning permission to add a deck, as it’s seen as a temporary, removable feature, and provided it is not elevated too high off the ground.
Think winding walkways down to a riverside pavilion for a gorgeous outdoor wedding chapel… pause areas in open-plan offices with castellated privacy screens … extending that restaurant terrace (and floorspace!) with decking for more tables for outdoor dining on the piazza…cosy fire pits, rooftop bars, garden terraces and pool decks. Even old office blocks and factories are being revitalised into modern apartments with decorative privacy screens, or shopping centres with multi-level lifestyle areas unified by low-maintenance walkways and shady porticoes.
2. Improving the appearance
The age and condition of the building is often evident in its façade. This has a direct impact on first impressions. Improve the “curb appeal” of any property with a soft, new natural-looking “skin” with VistaClad from Eva-Last. Composite Cladding or decorative screens can be affixed to existing structures, walls or perimeters to instantly update any dated exterior and hide a multitude of sins and give it a new modern look and feel.
“One of our more affluent customers gave his dilapidated carport a makeover simply by cladding the shell, “says Jean Kuyper, Project Manager at Eva-Last. “This simple step added thousands to his selling price purely because it just looked better,” he added.
Updating the exterior to improve the appearance will also give the building a fresh new look in line with current fashions and finishes, adding to its appeal.
“You can create a whole new identity for a building simply by changing its skin,” says Thomas Kriel, lead designer and architect at TJA (Theunissen Jankowitz Architects).
Kriel breathed new life into KFC’s franchise outlets by adding the natural tones and textures of Eva-Last’s Lifespan beams to create wood-look screens to tone down the hard aluminium, steel and brick elements. “These sculptural screens added both an aesthetic and functional value. They introduced a softer, more inviting, natural appearance, as well as provided shading in the harsh African sun,” he concluded.
Kriel breathed new life into KFC’s franchise outlets by adding the natural tones and textures of Eva-Last’s Lifespan beams to create wood-look screens to tone down the hard aluminium, steel and brick elements. “These sculptural screens added both an aesthetic and functional value. They introduced a softer, more inviting, natural appearance, as well as provided shading in the harsh African sun,” he concluded.
But it’s not only the outside facades that shows signs of wear and tear. Wooden decks, stairways and hand rails or fencing, also discolour and deteriorate with exposure to the elements, giving away the age of the building and detracting from its value. Eva-Last’s bamboo composite profiles are ideal for these types of areas – they look the part giving you that natural wood-look but are engineered to outperform natural materials, so won’t be subject to the usual degradation or rot, cracks or splintering. Easy to install, durable and weather- and UV-resistant, using Eva-Last products for your project ensures your building exterior or deck will look and stay as good as the day it was redone, with minimal maintenance for years to come.
3. Add facilities, and update fixtures and finishes
The more your property has to offer in terms of facilities or features than the next, the higher the value. A home that offers a beautiful outdoor entertainment area or pool deck is worth more than a home with just a garden. A conference venue with a covered piazza that can be used for breaks or luncheons offers more than just a conventional dining room. A hotel suite with a private balcony or shady pergola to enjoy a morning coffee enhances the hospitality experience beyond just a pool or breakfast on the deck.
And just as the taps and tiles in the bathroom or kitchen can enhance an interior, so do the materials you use in your outdoor areas enhance the exteriors. By introducing the soft, natural colours and finishes of wood-look cladding, screening, rails or decking to your property, you can instantly update its appearance and functionality with a more modern, contemporary touch. Modern building materials such as Eva-Last’s bamboo composite products offer added convenience, saving you time and money on maintenance and upkeep and even earn you brownie points for being eco-friendly.
