Home insurance - tips & advice - buying and selling property

Current trends show that retaining your home’s original windows, fireplaces, floorboards and other period features is a great way to attract buyers – so think before you take them out, as it may add more value to restore them. Follow our guide to find out what features to look out for, when to call the experts in and how making changes to your home can affect your Direct Line Home Insurance.

It’s all in the detail

A house should work as an extension of your personality if you want to turn it into a real home. However, the building you buy may already have some characteristic features in place. If kept in place or restored well, these could add considerable value to your home. Desirable features include:

• Fireplaces – Look out for Victorian, Edwardian, Art Nouveau, Art Deco designs plus unusual or highly stylised post-war surrounds from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Remember, some local authorities will only allow smokeless fuel so you may need to compromise on this point.
  
  
• Ceilings and walls – Restore any cornicing, dado and picture rails, where possible. These can add instant period grandeur to a room.
  
  
• Windows – Sash windows can shine alongside a contemporary interior. If you have to replace, look for UPVC windows that mimic period design.
  
  
• Floors and doors – Check for original wooden floorboards – you may find them hidden under carpets. Doors with original fittings, such as panels and brass door knobs, have also proved popular in recent years.

Ask the experts

If you’re restoring or replacing original features it’s important to get it right. For expert advice on everything from re-pointing walls with lime, to rules and regulations associated with listed buildings, plus a list of specialised tradesmen, try: www.periodproperty.co.uk or go through the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings at www.spab.org.uk. For a list of architectural salvage yards, auctions and companies near you, log onto www.salvo.co.uk, while sites like www.victorian-society.org.uk can offer specific help. It may seem daunting at first, but the challenge of restoring a part of the UK’s heritage, and benefiting from the results, can be hugely satisfying and great fun!

Value-added trends

The decision to restore period features may start as an aesthetic project; done with economic prudence and expert care, it can also add value to your home. With original features at a premium, good quality period properties are therefore increasingly likely to be snapped up. When making changes to your home, however, just remember you may need to amend your Direct Line Home Buildings Insurance too. This is so it reflects the true rebuilding costs of your newly- refurbished or renovated home in the event of a claim. You should also amend your Direct Line Contents Insurance so it covers any new carpets, wallpaper or fittings that you may have added to enhance the period features of your property. Any queries, just call us.

For more details on Direct Line Home Insurance see our policy documents.