Beware the worst top 10 property 'improvements' that turnoff buyers

53% said they would choose home improvement over moving homeAvocado bathrooms, woodchipwallpaper and stone cladding undesirableDesigner fitted kitchens, en-suite bathroom and swimmingpools popularLime green and purple least desirable colours to paint a houseValue added by homeextensions varies significantly depending on location By

Jane Denton For Thisismoney

Published:

16:06 GMT, 19 May 2015

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Updated:

16:26 GMT, 19 May 2015

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If you own a house with lime-green paintwork, an avocado bathroom suite, woodchip wallpaper andsome rooms with strip lighting, selling your home could be a struggle.

Home improvements currently add on average £31,000 to a property, findings suggest, but over thelast 50 years households plumping for the latest artex ceiling fad or pebbledash cladding have runthe risk of diminishing the value of their home.

A Barclays Mortgage survey found that 62 per cent of 2,000 people surveyed said an avocadocoloured bathroom suite was the biggest turn-off in a home.

What a turn-off: Avocado bathrooms are the biggest home interior faux pas of the last 50 years,according to a survey by Barclays Mortgages. TV property expert Phil Spencer, pictured left said,'Over the years, I've learnt that simple is best and to keep improvements as neutral as possible.'

This was followed closely by woodchip wallpaper (60 per cent) and stone cladding (54 per cent).Artex ceilings and carpeted bathrooms are similarly unpopular, with 47 per cent citing them as theworst DIY faux pas of the last 50 years.

With homeowners living in their property for an average of 14 years, over 50 per cent ofrespondents said they would choose 'home improvement over making a move'.

TV property expert Phil Spencer said: 'It's fascinating to see such a large appetite for homeimprovements in the UK. The freedom and flexibility this allows homeowners when adapting theirproperties is clearly a big draw and one that I hope continues.

THE TOP 10 PROPERTY TURN-OFFS 1. Avocado coloured bathroom 62%

2. Woodchip wallpaper 60%

3. Stone cladding 54%

4. Flocked wallpaper 49%

5. Artex ceilings 47%

6. Carpets in bathrooms 47%

7. Pebbledash 43%

8. Strip lighting 375

9. Linoleum 29%

10. Synthetic wood 28%

Spencer added: 'The UK's current view on home improvements and the most offensive styles, issomething every home improver should be aware of. Over the years, I've learnt that simple is bestand to keep improvements as neutral as possible.'

It's not only the interior of a house that comes under scrutiny. Getting the exterior right is equally, ifnot more, important.

The most off-putting colour to paint your home is lime green, according to the survey.

Curiously, while 41 per cent of women surveyed took offence to a lime green exterior, 'their malecounterparts are not as opinionated on the subject matter', according to Barclays Mortgages.

Meanwhile, 20 per cent said they find a purple house most offensive, while for 10 per cent theprospect of a red house turned them green.

Zipporah Lisle-Mainwaring hit the headlines recently after being ordered by Kensington and ChelseaCouncil to restore her home to to its original white colour after causing an outcry with garishpainted red and white stripes.

Garish: The most off-putting colour to paint your home is lime green, according to the BarclaysMortgages survey. Purple came a close second

As home improvement fashions change, so too do our property wish-lists. A wow-factor designerkitchen is currently the most desirable home improvement, with 42 per cent putting it at the top oftheir list to add value to their home.

UK's least favourite house colours 1. Lime green 37%

2. Purple 20%

3. Orange 18%

4. Red 10%

5. Yellow 8%

Other desirable improvements include an en-suite bathroom, voted for by 38 per cent, and aswimming pool, opted for by 29 per cent of people surveyed.

For 26 per cent of those surveyed, a games room would make the most desirable addition to theirhome.

While tastes differ, our appetite for home improvement appears unabated. Forty-five per cent ofpeople surveyed said they were planing to repaint their interiors, while 25 per cent said they wereplanning on having new carpets fitted. Nineteen per cent said they were planning on getting a newkitchen fitted in the near future.

Value of home improvements depends on where you are

In total, UK homeowners have added roughly £164billion to the value of their properties, BarclaysMortgages suggests.

On average, home improvements, including extensions, add approximately £31,000 to a property ifsold within 12 months.

While homeowners typically estimate that they could add £9,829 to the value of their home bymaking improvements, the actual value that can be added varies significantly depending on whereyour property is located in the country.

Desirable or just dull? A wow-factor designer kitchen is currently the most desirable homeimprovement, with 42 per cent putting it at the top of their list to add value to their home

By adding an extension of 30 metres squared - the size of two average double bedrooms with fittedwardrobes and a chest of drawers - Barclays Mortgages and estate agents Countrywide suggest thatUK homeowners can expect to add an average of £14,000 to the value of their home.

In London, an extension of this size could give homeowners a return on investment of £156,000,while in York it could be around £30,000, the findings suggest.

Other areas where homeowners can make considerable gains by adding an extension includeBrighton, Edinburgh, Bristol and Cardiff.

Meanwhile, Swansea, Derby, Newcastle, Nottingham, Liverpool and Hull were identified in thereport as places where home owners could potentially make an overall loss by adding an extensionof this size.

Andy Gray of Barclays said: 'Each homeowner should research the best option for them, taking intoconsideration the home improvements they would need to make, how much this would cost andinvestigate whether moving property may actually be the better option.

'Homeowners should also seek independent financial advice to assess the best option for theirpersonal requirements.'

Will your extension add value to your home? The value a 30 metre squared extension can add to yourhome can vary significantly depending where in the country you are, according to BarclaysMortgages and Countrywide

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