House prices: This boiler 'turn OFF' knocks £5000 from your value – here’s a £45 fix
HOUSE PRICES: You could be affecting your property's value with this common boiler problem – here's a simple, cheap trick to fix it.
House prices are ultimately all in the eye of the buyer, and unsightly attributes in your home can have a serious toll on what people are willing to pay.
Some of these unappealing attributes can cost you more than others, with an unconcealed boiler is said to be a bigger “turn off” in a property than outdated kitchen appliances or clunky radiators.
In fact, over half (57 per cent) of home buyers said they would ask for a price reduction of £5000 if a boiler was on show in a property they were looking to purchase.
What’s more, two thirds said they would be put off from purchasing a property at all if the boiler was not concealed.
Boilers are hardly the most obvious of starting points when it comes to adding style to your home
The good news is that it won’t cost that much to hide your boiler, adding value to your home at a cost-efficient price.
“We always aim to help our customers spend smartly and this research shows that a little investment can go a long way,” said Ed Madden of npower, who commissioned the study.
Helen Powell, interior stylist and design blogger of Design Hunter, said: “Boilers are hardly the most obvious of starting points when it comes to adding style to your home but we all know what an essential role they play in helping to keep us cosy and warm.
Luckily there are lots of different options when it comes to covering them up. With a little creativity it’s even possible to come up with a solution that will add an extra feature to your home.”
Helen’s clever methods for covering up your boiler include a budget trick that will cost less than £50.
The trick involves building a wooden cupboard around your boiler, in order to conceal it from view.
Wooden cabinets can be purchased flat packed from IKEA for as little as £45 and constructed at home.
“It’s relatively easy to build a simple wooden frame around it, and then clad it with your preferred panelling,” said Helen.
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“Cover the cupboard with a blackboard, pinboard or magnetic board - this will provide somewhere to attach photos, notes, scribbles and sketches to give your home a personal touch,” added Helen.
This way, potential buyers need not even notice the boiler – adding a handy few thousand pounds to your property value at a fraction of the price.
Earlier this month, it was revealed how to know when your boiler needs a service from a plumber.
For instance, an inefficient boiler is a sign you need to get a plumber to do a service, or even replace your model.
This is because it points to a blockage in the system, caused by dirty water or sludge.