DIY bank holiday: The exterior of the home is vital to appearances

This bank holiday Monday could see many people in the UK planning to make changes to their home as a way of increasing its value and practicality. This can be done if people are looking to sell their house on the UK property market, even if that is not their immediate plans.

However, while it may be your plan to add a new bathroom or redesign your bedroom, it could be very important to also make sure that the exterior of the home is completely sparkling to ensure that it is attractive to any potential buyer, whether now or in the future.

Sara Corker, director of Sara Corker Designs, said that it is important that the kerb appeal is always spot on when it comes to houses in the market for properties for sale.

"When you approach a person's house, whether it is a friend, family member or client, the first thing you see is obviously the house and garden. Unfortunately, first impressions always count. It may be that you have a nasty type of brick that makes the house look cheap, have it rendered and painted, it will totally transform the look. If you have some uneven areas perhaps you could cover with wood, to make it look like a colonial cottage."

She said that on a basic level, it should be important that you take the time to make sure anything that is broken is swiftly mended. For example, if you have guttering that is broken or a fence that has been partially blown over, this will give people an idea about what the house is like, and could potentially turn them away. These problems should therefore always be fixed as soon as they can be.

Other things you could do to improve how your home looks to potential buyers could include adding a driveway, which may lead to the value increasing, as it will give people a safe and secure place to leave their vehicle at night, or simply power washing the house and paths in the garden to make sure that nothing is covered in grime and mulch, making it look fresh.