Something as simple and cost effective as draft proofing your home could make a significant difference to the value of your home.
This is according to a study by Money.co.uk which discovered environmentally-conscious buyers valued eco-features in a potential home to such an extent that sellers could add as much as £29,000 to the price by undertaking green refurbishment.
And while the idea of making energy efficient upgrades may sound expensive and labour intensive, some of the quickest and easiest ‘fixes’ could actually increase the value of your home the most.
Take draft proofing. This very simple upgrade involves blocking areas which let in cold air (or through which warm air can escape) meaning you lose less energy to heat from your home.
Money.co.uk said it was the eco-improvement offering the greatest added value, costing just £200 roughly to implement, but valued by potential homebuyers as adding £3,208 to a property.
Thermostat installation was second on the list. This cost £215 on average to install but generated an added value figure of £2,790.
Third on the list was the installation of a Smart Meter, which can be done in under an hour, costs just £50, and on average can potentially add £2,746 of value to your home.
More expensive
Equally there were other upgrades which cost more than their perceived value. The research found geothermal heat pumps added the least amount of money to a property.
The average installation cost was £13,000, but the study participants only valued a geothermal heat pump as adding £4,041 to a property, making it the least lucrative green home upgrade on the list.
Biomass boilers (which combust sustainably sourced wood pellets instead of gas or oil) were the second-worst eco-upgrade when it comes to adding value to your home. They could potentially lose homeowners £4,459, with their actual installation cost being around £8,000 but potential homeowners only valuing them at under half that price.
Green roof (the latest environmental trend to sweep across major cities’ skylines) was fourth on the list, followed by triple-glazed windows.
Top 10 eco-improvements homebuyers value the most (Source: Money.co.uk)
| Eco Improvement | Actual Cost (£) | Perceived Value By Potential Homebuyers (£) | Potential Added Value to Property (£) | |
| 1 | Draft Proofing | 200 | 3,208 | 3,008 |
| 2 | Thermostat Installation | 215 | 3,005 | 2,790 |
| 3 | Energy Metre Installation | 50 | 2,796 | 2,746 |
| 4 | EV Charging Point | 800 | 3,419 | 2,619 |
| 5 | Low-VOC Paint | 96 | 2,636 | 2,540 |
| 6 | Biodiverse Garden | 500 | 3,022 | 2,522 |
| 7 | Energy Star Ceiling Fans | 300 | 2,613 | 2,313 |
| 8 | Energy-Saving Light Bulbs | 175 | 2,469 | 2,294 |
| 9 | Tankless Water Heater | 937 | 3,163 | 2,226 |
| 10 | Evaporative Coolers | 550 | 2,759 | 2,209 |
The six cheapest eco-improvements to install in your home are:
- Energy Metre Installation (£50 average installation cost)
- Low-VOC Paint (£96 average installation cost)
- Energy-Saving Lightbulbs (£175 average installation cost)
- Draft Proofing (£200 average installation cost)
- Thermostat Installation (£215 average installation cost)
- Energy Star Ceiling Fans (£300 average installation cost)
The 10 eco-improvements least valued by homebuyers (Source: Money.co.uk)
| Eco Improvement | Actual Cost (£) | Perceived Value by Potential Homebuyers (£) | Potential Added Value to Property (£) | |
| 1 | Geothermal Heat Pumps | 13,000 | 4,041 | -8,959 |
| 2 | Biomass Boiler | 8,000 | 3,541 | -4,459 |
| 3 | Air Source Heat Pump | 8,000 | 3,712 | -4,289 |
| 4 | Green Roof | 5,300 | 3,366 | -1,934 |
| 5 | Triple Glazing | 4,400 | 4,540 | 140 |
| 6 | Rainwater Harvester | 2,500 | 2,665 | 165 |
| 7 | Cool Roof | 2,900 | 3,115 | 215 |
| 8 | Double Glazing | 3,500 | 4,210 | 710 |
| 9 | Solar Panels | 4,000 | 5,109 | 1,109 |
| 10 | High-Efficiency Boiler | 2,500 | 3,641 | 1,141 |
