As a leading London construction company who specialise in listed building restoration, interior fit out and basement construction, we have encountered all types of properties across prime central London and have worked for some of London’s most prestigious clients, developers and designers. Below is some insight into how we and these individuals think when it comes to presenting a project to buyers.
First Impressions – Even before your applicant steps into the property, the presentation of your homes facade is absolutely crucial. It goes without saying that your windows should be pristine clean, all paintwork is looking flawless and all accessories such as plants, steps and even your door mat is trimmed, clean and presentable. Below we have an illustration of Piperhill’s restoration to the front facade of our Fitzrovia House project where not only did we provide facade restoration, but also a full refurbishment and interior fit out to this Grade I listed Terraced house.
Attention to detail – I’m afraid a quick spring clean is just not good enough. You must ensure that there is no dust, cobwebs or blemishes anywhere visible or hidden. Certain buyers tend to look extremely closely and like to touch surfaces or move things around so making everything appear as new and clean as possible will enhance your chances of making a good impression on the buyer. It also shows that you have been looking after the property or, if recently renovated, you have chosen a good Architect, Interior Designer and then a first rate construction company.
Maintenance – It is advisable to check over all frequently used items. Make sure all cupboards, drawers, kitchen appliances are in good working order. Check all lights are working reassuring the buyer that the property is bright and again, well looked after.
Declutter – Ask any selling agent and they will politely ask you to remove any clutter that is left around your home. Buyers tend to like a very minimal look, large spaces, and all walls and furniture looking nice and crisp. This will enable them to better visualise what they can do with the space given to them if they were to live there. Believe it or not many people lack the imagination to visualise this if your property is cluttered or over furnished. Ultimately, you want every room to look as large as possible.
Character preservation – If you are in the process of getting rid of any furniture or clutter, you must also remember to keep the traces of originality and to keep any splashes of colour and character. Some buyers will be taken away by it, others will simply see this as something they can easily change – a win win situation. Traditional features of terraced houses or old Victorian townhouses would hugely appeal to some buyers. This includes original fireplaces, exposed brick walls and large floor to ceiling windows or doors. Remember, whatever made you purchase the property in the first place (or what design you have recently used in your interior fit out), is an easy place to start when thinking about what to keep and what to move around. Below we look at our St Katherine Docks apartment where we renovated a once very tired warehouse near Tower Bridge into a contemporary home for our private client.
Bathroom details – In my opinion, an impressive bathroom really does help sell a house. And to be specific the bath alone is a huge key factor. Usually a buyer would not particularly want to refurbish a bathroom unless they had plans to fully renovate your property. make sure this is all looking clean and presentable. Check water pressure and limescale removal. It makes a massive difference. Below is an interior of Andre Fu’s on the 5th floor of our ongoing Berkeley Hotel Project. This can of course be replicated in any residential dwelling. You can see a full article of Andre Fu’s incredible design of the two largest suites at the Berkeley Hotel in our other blog post.
Additional space – If there is any scope to extend or add value to your property in any way by maximising the floor plate of the property, consider how you can present such ideas or even obtain planning permission without the expense of any structural work before your potential buyers walk through the door.
Piperhill Construction pride ourselves in being qualified and experienced to undertake all aspects of work; from new build, basement construction, Interior fit out, through to fully integrated services and first class designer finishes. Whether working within design and build or traditional contracts, our unfailing aim is to satisfy all of our clients and their consultants requirements and to produce the highest quality finished project.
Please contact us on 0208 166 5607 if you wish to discuss a project.