With a wide variety of doors and windows available, you’ll be spoiled for choice at B&Q. We have a range of interior and exterior doors, as well as stylish windows to make the most out of your home. Take a look at our huge selection of window and door handles to suit any style and decorate your home, your way. Don’t forget to store your car safely with our collection of garage doors, made to order for your convenience at B&Q.74 in. x 81.625 in. Sapphire Patina Fan Lite Unfinished Smooth Fiberglass Double Prehung Front Door Set your store to see localavailabilityThe days of “doing up” your house cheaply to turn around in a quick sale are long behind us. Since the property market downturn, we are moving less, and this, says Phil Spencer, is probably a good thing. The Location, Location, Location presenter and house finder believes in changes that add enjoyment to our homes. In his new book, Adding Value to Your Home, he emphasises the importance of “enhancing your property so it is a place to take pleasure from;

it is not about simply turning a fast buck along with some profit on top”. “There is no point improving your home just before you sell. You might as well do the work straightaway if you can and get the benefit out of it yourself,” he says. Above all, be canny about how you add value for the long term. upvc door company problemExtend and open up Good long-life ideas include adding an extension, converting the loft or basement, or knocking down a wall to gain more light and space. garage door opener cambridge“The way I look at it, it is cheaper to build space than it is to buy it,” Phil says. timber sliding door for sale melbourne“Square footage equals money.” sliding glass doors new orleans

An extension can add what Phil calls “no-nonsense” space: a proper kitchen, extra bedroom, utility room, home office, garage or a bedroom if your family is bursting at the seams. But Phil also applauds “an extension that simply brings delight to your life”, a bonus room. “We work terribly hard and should remember that our homes are sanctuaries from the outside world.” Building yourself a new mini-gym, garden, steam or hobby room will give you pleasure and in many cases can add value later on when you sell. Make better use of your existing space, reorganise rooms and, if practical, knock down some internal walls to create flow. Phil has removed wood panels to open up a boxed-in staircase in his south London house, ending up with a smart first impression and focal point for the hallway. Kitchens If your kitchen is “the heart of the home”, rather than a place where you boil the kettle, then it’s worth paying more and enjoying the space where you spend most of your time.

But before forking out £60,000 on designer units, remember that this is the first thing new buyers may rip out and replace with their own style. Nicholas Brown, from Knight Frank’s Henley-on-Thames office, questions why people feel they have to spend huge sums on a new kitchen and bathroom before they sell. A better idea is to change cupboard doors – hire a carpenter for the best finish – add smart new handles and perhaps a new worktop in wood or quartz. Update light switches and sockets, replace worn flooring with tiles or stone, add a plate rack or hanging rails for utensils, declutter your surfaces and go for good-looking everyday items such as your kettle and toaster. Bathrooms “Gone are the uninviting, draughty rooms of yesteryear where we performed our decidedly practical daily ablutions,” Phil says. Features of today’s bathrooms would rival any luxury spa. “I knew we had turned a corner a couple of years ago when I picked up a brochure of a glamorous new housing development,” Phil says.

“The word 'bathroom’ wasn’t even mentioned, instead 'water therapy’ was prominent on the page.” You don’t have to go that far, but you should at least aim for somewhere that is clean and warm. Regrout and replace old taps. Keep the loo and bath but add a statement sink to lift the whole room. Install a new shower-head, or go for the “wet room look” with frameless shower doors and panels that look clean and minimalist. Finally, invest at least £50 in a good chrome heated towel rail. Flooring The longevity of solid, hard-wearing wooden floors appeals to Phil, who thinks they can work particularly well for families. If installed in the main living area of a house, it saves worrying about stains from spilt drinks and muddy footprints. “This has to be a lot more relaxing than hovering with a damp cloth and bottle of carpet-stain remover,” Phil says. Wooden flooring is one of those features that appeals to just about everyone when it comes time to sell as well. Before you shell out thousands on expensive oak or black walnut, Phil suggests you take up a bit of the existing carpet and check what is underneath.

You might be lucky enough to discover decent wood hidden below nasty carpets and filling in gaps or replacing the odd board won’t cost much. Details Adding good value frequently is about choosing the less sexy option. Simon Buhl Davis of Savills Interiors advises spending on what you don’t necessarily see, such as wiring for sound and pipes for underfloor heating. Once you’ve taken care of the basics, you may choose to install some breathtaking features. Phil’s top tips are: Invest in a superb sliding door system that takes up a large part of the back wall of your house and leads visitors out onto the terrace, patio or garden. Expect to spend £5,000-£10,000 – but for light and an all-year-round uninterrupted view of the garden it can be worth it. Add skylights for drama and much-needed light to dreary corners. Replace internal doors with floor-to-ceiling doors. This makes the house look bigger, the ceilings feel higher and gives a rather grand effect. Opt for smart wood in a period property.