Invest wisely in keeping up appearances

In the current tough property market, Kya deLongchamps says sellers neglect repairs and refurbishment at their peril

THE property market is a tough race and with prices already depressed, capable buyers are leading the field.

The sight of a crooked electrical faceplate can inflate latent fears in a viewer’s feverish mind, like yanking the pull on a life-raft. You know it’s a barely loose screw letting the switch leer off the wall, but for the potential purchaser, it fuels a cascade of suspicion of structural problems and decades of neglect. You may think the paint job you did 10 years ago is fresh as an April morning, but all the beady-eyed strollers with the agent will notice is muddy tram lines on the cabinets caused by the prodigal dog, or that tea stain you casually dabbed into the wool pile with a damp rag.

If the viewer is not distracted by a smarter, tidier prospect, and maintains enough interest to make an offer, you may well find yourself confronted with a lower number, backed up by a whining list of ‘problems’ that will have to be addressed. This gives any covertly keen purchaser a distinct advantage when negotiating.

Good is not good enough: the place really needs to be beyond reproach. With so many properties jostling for position, it’s sheer idleness to let your home down by long-fingering simple DIY repairs and decorative refreshment.

LIST THE LET-DOWNS

* Go through each room and make a list of every single thing, big or small, that reduces its appeal and finish, for example a cracked tile, dirty paint-work, bare wiring or damaged door threshold.

* Consider if you are capable of tackling the work yourself.

* Ask your agent to tell you frankly where he or she feels money could be spent to sweeten up the surroundings. They may save you unnecessary work.

* When you’ve covered the whole house, it’s time to prioritise, based on your budget and the time constraints imposed by the house sale/work/family needs in the home.

* Plumbing work beyond a dripping tap and all electrical work past wiring a plug are best left to a qualified plumber or RECI-recognised electrician. If you have never mitred a corner in a timber second-fix, surrender all thoughts of carpentry too.

* If you’re carrying out jobs yourself, make a timetable and stick to it.

MAN IN THE VAN

Bundling multiple jobs for a reputable tradesman to handle could well save you money, so know exactly what you need done before lifting the phone for professional help. Keep in mind that adding incidental tasks once your helper is on site will not only slow progress but will tickle up the costs on time and materials. There are a number of tradesman sites on the Internet offering both search and tender facilities by location, but check the credentials of the chosen one in the flesh before agreeing to take them on. www.findatradesman.ie, www.tradesmen.ie, www.clevermike.ie.

WHAT ROOM WAS THAT?

Every room, circulation area and approach must have a working identity and some sort of presence. Some rooms will have multiple functions, and these should be clearly flagged with suitable furniture and arrangements. Don’t expect your viewers to imagine potential. We’re not all dripping in this kind of creative genius.

For example, you must have a front door. If the elevations and architecture of your house don’t make this abundantly obvious, signal it. A truly exhausted door can be replaced or renovated. Flank the door with ornamental trees or shrubs (leave them in pots and carry them off when you leave). A few well-chosen flagstones can be bedded down into gravel to dress up the doorstep and wall-mounted lighting used to enhance your main arrival point. Where tarmac’ or cement runs right to the door, a new large welcome mat (nothing quirky) will suffice.

UNDERFOOT

The square metres of your house are mapped out in flooring that come with the house, and its quality and condition will be noticed immediately. Ripped vinyl in the kitchen will draw a buyer’s eye away from your gorgeous oak cabinetry. Re-carpeting may seem a drastic investment for a house you’re leaving, but for smaller areas with ghastly pile that cannot be saved, it’s worth considering. Look into deals with a reputable supplier, as buying and installation can offer value. At this point, carpeting is not worth an experiment in first-time DIY, and stairs are a no-no. A good steam clean can lift a filthy carpet back to life, and steaming units are available to hire by the day.

HALL

The hall is a small space in most houses, making the replacement of the flooring relatively inexpensive and well worth consideration if foot traffic has beaten a shabby track. Tiles, hard- wearing carpet (wool and high wool mixes can stand the pace) or durable laminates are perfect. Wood veneer and even some solid plank-style flooring is within reach of a competent weekend warrior as the latest floating floors click together systematically, often without a single nail being shot. If you’re replacing cracked floor tiles, ensure an exact match in size and depth profile.

PATCHWORK AND PAINT

As your emotional investment in the property fades, the temptation when doing up to sell, is to cut corners. The results can be disappointing. Paint is not inert once it goes on the walls or woodwork. UV light, heating and cooling, and chemical changes cause changes in the tints and binders, slightly altering the colour. For this reason, touch-ups of old finishes are in general screamingly obvious. If you want to clean up a wall (and it’s not a washable matt or vinyl), paint the entire wall, rather than daubing on more of the same colour.

If a banister is worn, take the time to go through the entire process, breaking the job down into component steps in your timetable. Sand a banister down, undercoat the timber, and reapply a gloss or satin finish along its whole length.

Don’t start mucking about with stencils or introducing dramatic tonal struggles. When it comes to wall and floor colours, three adjectives should be written in letters of fire on your soul — light, warm and neutral. Buyers want value for money and that translates as spaciousness, even apparent space.

Clearly you don’t want to present your house as a sterile temple of bland vanilla, but reserve any bold colour for clever accessorizing. Tired tiling can be perked up with a re-grout. Try www.lets-do-diy.com for step-by-step instructions on small sprucing projects.