What home improvements will add value to my home?

While the chancellor has sanctioned unprecedented spending — £407bn and counting — Andy Haldane, the Bank of England’s chief economist, estimates that £250bn will accumulate in British people’s bank accounts by the end of lockdown. And since the pandemic has changed how we use our properties, there’s a temptation to spend some of this loot on home improvements. Especially if you think you’ll recoup those costs — and more — from an increased price when you sell up.

But be careful. Not every project is going to add value to your home. Recently, John Lewis reported record sales of hot tubs. Their cheapest, the £799 Camaro Round Inflatable, has sold out. Good. Let’s stop any more of these horrors being installed.

You may be tempted by a top-of- the-range number, setting you back £16,000: Bluetooth speakers, 47 hydrotherapy jets, LED lighting and a host of other features are included. Think again. “I must buy that house because it has a hot tub,” said no one, ever. Just because Love Island hasn’t been on telly lately doesn’t mean your garden is the place to replace the show.

And why are the British still obsessed with UPVC conservatories? These hideous relics from the 1990s are brutally hot in summer and fearsomely cold in winter. But often they are considered an investment. It is also assumed that any added square footage will end up on the bottom line when you sell. This is not always the case.

So, what can you do to add value? Consider space and how you use it. Use sunlight to your advantage, and the outdoors to its full potential.

If your kitchen is small and poky or unconnected to an area to eat or relax in, change it. Increasing floor area is one objective. Improving the flow of that space is just as important. Internal walls are often in the way, or kitchens are located in the wrong part of a house, with little thought as to where the sunshine will be on a summer’s evening. Don’t be afraid to change the layout.

You could add a rear extension, providing you don’t take up too much of your garden. Creating an uninterrupted space with a kitchen and seating areas on a single level is a project likely to return the money you’ve spent. Add roof lights (with electric blinds to control levels of light) and bifold doors to open the space from indoor to outdoor. Make sure to install underfloor heating. Spaces that open up are a delight in the summer. But they’ll be freezing in winter.

When you slide back those doors, indoors moves outside. Cheap stone patios, outdoor lighting from a DIY store and a range of garden furniture that looks like it’s fallen off the back of a lorry are not the way to go. These things matter. So does having a convenient place to put a barbecue. Better still, install an outside kitchen. Yes, they cost a bomb, but buyers love them.

A retreat away from the main house has always been on buyers’ wish lists, but the pandemic has brought this to the fore. When former prime minister David Cameron bought a shepherd’s hut for a reported £25,000 a few years ago, the nation pricked up its ears — perhaps with a furrowed brow. A whole industry building bespoke outside rooms has emerged since.

The planning system is relatively easy to navigate. You can usually put a retreat in your garden without permission but do check with your planning authority. Personally, I’d avoid a shepherd’s hut and go upscale. Bert & May, the makers of beautiful tiles, have just launched a prefab range of offices and garden pods. For added value, put one of these bad boys in your garden, even if you need deep pockets. Don’t expect much change from £35,000-£50,000.

Back in 2008, as the property market cascaded into oblivion, commentators opined on home improvements that lost you money. Top of the list was a swimming pool — because they take a lot of time and money to maintain, they put off buyers with small children, and the UK weather is rubbish anyway.

Wrong! A decade and a half later, swimming pools are more desirable than ever. Make sure they’re designed properly and installed well. The weather is better than you might imagine. Modern technology means that chemical balance and cleaning can all be done by systems and tech.

Lower-cost solutions, such as an Aligator device, can ionise the water — or try chemical feeders that maintain the right pH and chlorine levels. Robotic pool cleaners such as a Dolphin or Zodiac will happily keep the tiles spick and span. The best machines cost up to £1,800 but they save a lot of work.

A pool without a pool house is like a car without a windscreen. And you’ll want to keep wet feet and dripping bodies from traipsing through your home. Don’t forget to install a fridge and freezer. Perfect for a poolside plastic (never have glass near a pool!) of fizz or a cheeky ice cream. It’s these little features that sell a concept and add value to a bigger spend.

A pool doesn’t come cheap. For a proper 11m x 5m outdoor pool, expect to spend upwards of £100,000. Yes, you’ll see quotes for less but often they don’t include earthworks or, conveniently, VAT. Will it return that amount for your property sale? Yes, if you’re at the top end of the market, where a pool is considered as standard.

Don’t shoehorn a pool into an average-sized garden, though. Or build one that’s too small. No one is going to pay a premium for a pond. And wibbly shapes are best left in the 1970s. Manual covers annoy users so don’t be tight — go hydraulic. And don’t skimp on the heating system. Choose an air source pump rather than gas boilers. The biggest horror is a pool that’s installed above ground.

When it comes to making home improvements, check what’s for sale locally as markets differ around the country. If you get the project right, you’ll make a decent return. And if the money is just sitting in the bank anyway, you might want to consider spending it before the chancellor spends it for you.

James Max is a property expert and radio presenter. The views expressed are personal. Twitter: @thejamesmax