Step by step design guide for investment refurbs

Are you looking to renovate a property you are renting? Or, do you want to update it before selling? Hopefully you have a budget in mind, know the amount of work involved and hopefully good contractors to do the work. What about the design element? Not all landlords understand the value of design and let friends, a relative or even their builder decide for them with disastrous results. 

This guide should help any landlords who want to refurb their rental, although every property is different, these tips should at least help you on your way!

Flooring

Floor finishes are important, cleanability and durability are key factors. You might want to consider wooden flooring throughout your rental property, include the bedrooms and fully tile the bathrooms. Carpeting bedrooms will save you money initially, but laying wooden flooring saves on maintenance costs later.

Kitchen

The layout and finish in a kitchen are crucial, it should be piratical and include plenty of storage for kitchen equipment, and room for dry goods. When it comes to the design, pick neutral colours, especially if it’s open plan.

Bathroom

Porcelain tiles are much more hardwearing, which is the main thing in a rental property, the last thing you want to do is keep changing tiles because there is a crack or a chip. The best thing to do is choose a feature wall: a clean wall with no awkward corners or windows and choose a styled tile for it.

Don't go too crazy, a dark or concrete effect tile, something with a pattern will do the trick. Tile the rest of the bathroom but keep it fairly simple with a complimenting range not too patterned or textured.

Painting

When it comes to paint opt for light, warm colours. This is an uplift from white and will make the interiors feel luxurious and thought through and give warmth to the space. You might want to consider a feature wall in the living area, this can make a room stand out and add a little extra on the design side. 

Quality of finish

The main thing is quality, and not just for the materials, but fitting as well. Use a good company with a wide project portfolio to do the work, you don’t want to waste your material budget is wasted the product if not correctly installed, as this can lead to fault and damage.

If you are looking at buy to let properties and need advice, you can get in touch with our team here.