Enhancing kerb appeal | Wickes.co.uk

Anyone who’s ever been to view a house knows the importance of kerb appeal - it’s all about how attractive our home looks from the street. First impressions have a big impact (93% of us are more likely to attend a viewing if the house’s exterior is well maintained) so it should come as no surprise that customers want their place looking good for guests, potential buyers or passers-by.

There’s plenty of exterior maintenance to do this season; renovation is having its moment, with almost half of homeowners doing work on the house this year opting for a full renovation project. Wickes has everything you need for any upcoming kerb appeal jobs.

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Reasons for improving kerb appeal

There are a few reasons why your customers might feel compelled to give the front of their house a bit of a face lift. When it comes to value and selling, a study by Dulux Weathershield found that even just adding a simple lick of paint to a customer’s home’s exterior can help increase its perceived value by up to 25%. Real Homes believes that “..a fresh, attractive exterior could add up to 10% to your home’s value”.

Of homeowners wanting to make changes to their homes in 2023, 21% are doing it to be less embarrassed by their home, 18% are doing it to increase its value and 16% are doing it because it’s cheaper than moving into a new house. That last part is particularly good news for tradespeople - we’re in a moment where customers are more compelled to create their ideal home as opposed to buying it. That means there’s plenty of work to be done.

What to improve: gardens

According to a DIY Retailing UK 2023 report from Mintel, “20% of British homeowners have undertaken an external project on their property to improve the aesthetic of their home in the last 12 months”. When it comes to the kind of things people are looking to enhance, Houzz UK found that upgrades to front gardens have risen by 7% since 2020. A tidy front garden not only makes a good initial impression, but also leaves a lasting one about what it might say about the rest of the house. Like Ideal magazine says, “...if the owner can’t be bothered to take care of the small patch of land out front, we dread to think what’s lurking within”.

What to improve: fixtures

Other frequently searched for exterior improvements include windows, gutters, timber cladding and exterior doors. A stand-out front door can have a huge impact on the overall look, so they’re in the spotlight with searches for “double front doors” up by 6.5x and “modern front doors” up by 4.5x. As well as accentuating and highlighting the good points, you might find customers want to hide any unsightliness outside the home. There’s a noticeable uptick in searches for bin storage and other cover solutions to keep them tucked away.