Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel. Someone has
told me that "only block paving ads value", someone else has said "it
dosn`t make a difference as long as there`s off-road parking".
Secondly, what kind of per cent would turning the loft into a fourth
bedroom increase the value by?

All these questions depend entirely on the area in which the house is
situated. If there's tonnes of on-street unrestricted parking, then off road
parking won't be as valuable as it would be for a city centre property,
where the nearest free parking is 3 miles away.

As to the surface of the parking, this would depend on the aesthetics of the
area and the taste of the potential purchaser. There's also no point in
dressing mutton as lamb. Having a spectactular driveway on a delapidated
property will please no-one.

Personally, I'm not too keen on gravel. It looks great when laid, but
spreads around and is hard to maintain. I quite like tarmac, as it peaceful
on the eye, low maintenance and doesn't draw attention to itself. Block
paving can look OK, but sometimes is too vibrant, and takes attention away
from what you should be looking at, the planting and the architecture.

Again, the value of a loft conversion depends on many factors.

Some builders don't give a toss, and build it as cheaply as they can, thus
destroying the value of the work. They do horrible things like not planning
the stairs, so that first floor rooms below are disfigured and the stairs
use all of the apex roof space, or not planning the floor joists or roof
insulation properly, so the head room is too low. Such poor attention to
detail can dramatically reduce the value of the work.

Other things that can affect the value of loft conversions are ugly front
dormers (Velux skylights aren't usually a problem), or over-development of
the property. Adding two loft bedrooms to a cramped 3 bed terrace with only
one toilet and a single reception won't create as much value as adding the
same two bedrooms to a spacious 3 bed detached property already fitted with
ensuite, family bathroom and downstairs cloakroom. However, even this
situation could be reversed if the cramped terraced house is in a student
area and the bedrooms count as "lettable rooms".

Christian.

On Wed, 02 Mar 2005 14:11:27 +0000, saat wrote:

Hi, I`m intending to have some work done on my house, and I`m
wondering what effect the following things would have on the property
value.
Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel. Someone has
told me that "only block paving ads value", someone else has said "it
dosn`t make a difference as long as there`s off-road parking".

I don't know how it is in general, and it is a bit of a case of "one
man's meat...", so...

All points IMHO:

Any off-road parking adds value. Definitely. It would be rare to get a
buyer who misses the bit of garden that used to be the drive.

Concrete's the worst appearance wise, unless it's that finished patterned
stuff that looks like paving, in which case it depends on how well it's
done. Blocks are a fashion trend, which doesn't mean I don't like them. I
don't particularly like new-red-brick blockwork, because everyone's got it
and it seems a bit trite to me. But it's functional and I don't hate it
with a vengeance either. Tarmac's nice if done properly but don't drop
engine oil on it and gravel can be nice, but need maintenance
(levelling/compacting) if you wish to retain a non loose surface.
Actually, railway ballast isn't bad for a car standing, I've done that
before. Drains well and looks OK in small areas next to greenery. Does
silt up and get weeds though.

I think, if the driveway is basically OK and presentable, in any medium,
it's presence will add some value or at least leave a good impression.

In short, I'd put gravel and concrete at the bottom of the list and
look at paving/blockwork. But try to do something pleasing to the eye and
functional, eg: will it survive a car jack with a 2" wide base on it? BTW,
reclaimed railway ballast makes an *excellent* foundation for any type of
drive, if rammed down with a vibroplate compactor, which is easy to use.
Useless tip: 8" compacts to 6" for your volume calculations.

Secondly, what kind of per cent would turning the loft into a fourth
bedroom increase the value by?

Quite a bit I would have thought, but of course it will cost a fair bitto
do.

3-4 upgrade makes a noticeable difference if you have a couple of kids,
so I would consider the types of buyers you get in your area. Leave some
flexibility (someone could use it as a study).

Thanks
Mark

Most of all, have you paid the local estate agents a visit. I've found
many are quite happy to have a chat and offer some (non binding, no
liability implied etc) opinions and some generalised off the cuff numbers.

HTH

Tim

Our place was a 3 bed detached that has had a loft conversion to add a
4th bedroom (the previous previous owners had it done). The property is
certainly big enough to make the extra bedroom worth while but we found
that the estate agent was hard pushed to describe it as a bedroom and
now that we have lived in the place for a couple of years I can
understand why.

The loft conversion has generally been done well (the 'lectrics leave a
bit to be desired) and the builders haven't wrecked the shape of the
bedrooms. They have also left a good amount of space in the loft with
enough head room for most adults (it's about 6'6" in the bulk of the room).

There is quite a lot of usable space as it's about 19' long but the
space is fiddly and it might be tricky to put a bed and a half way
decent sized desk in at the same time. I use it for an office and it's
great for that.

The stairs up to the loft are very steep and run up from the landing in
what was the airing cupboard. Children certainly won't have a problem
with the stairs and I am completely used to them now and run up and down
them like a mountain goat.

All in all though I would rather they had built out sideways, perhaps
adding a two storey extension as it would have IMHO produced more usable
space for about the same cost.

As for block paving, again the previous previous owners had it laid, I
quite like it now that it is weathered in and it matches the house
fairly well. You will need to pressure wash it every few years and then
re-point with dry sand which is a messy job but quite rewarding. I
certainly wouldn't lay gravel unless you have a level drive (I'm not a
gravel fan anyway).

wrote:
Hi, I`m intending to have some work done on my house, and I`m
wondering what effect the following things would have on the property
value.
Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel. Someone has
told me that "only block paving ads value", someone else has said "it
dosn`t make a difference as long as there`s off-road parking".
Secondly, what kind of per cent would turning the loft into a fourth
bedroom increase the value by?
Thanks
Mark

Mark wrote
| Hi, I`m intending to have some work done on my house, and
| I`m wondering what effect the following things would have
| on the property value.
| Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference
| of some degree,

If there is good on-street residents' parking, and the house appeals to
young families, and the front garden is the play area, turning it into a
parking place might actually down-value.

| but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
| compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel.
| Someone has told me that "only block paving ads value",

That would be a block paving salesman would it?

| someone else has said "it dosn`t make a difference as long
| as there`s off-road parking".

.... in reasonably good order and in keeping with the style of house and
locality. Concrete's a bit dismal, and gravel more appropriate for a larger
drive; I think paving or tarmac probably the best. Expensive finishes will
not add value but may increase saleability.

To turn a front garden into off-road parking will require Planning
Permission for a new road access (and consent from the road owner if not the
council).

| Secondly, what kind of per cent would turning the loft into a
| fourth bedroom increase the value by?

Depends. If the house is currently unbalanced with too much reception space,
adding a bedroom will correct that. However if the lounge is already a bit
small for a 3-bed it will make the house more unbalanced adding a 4th. Bear
in mind you might lose a bedroom on the middle floor to make space for the
stairs. If you do add a bedroom you should add at least a shower/WC room on
the same level. Also depends on the market for your house -- if it is older
people / empty nesters then they won't want lots of bedrooms and two flights
of stairs. If it is buy-to-let, fire regulations in 3-storey HMOs are more
stringent.

Owain

wrote in message
news:1109772035.a11fc72560a1b2b62c5d0ea9cf3a6dfe@b ubbanews...
Hi, I`m intending to have some work done on my house, and I`m
wondering what effect the following things would have on the property
value.
Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel. Someone has
told me that "only block paving ads value", someone else has said "it
dosn`t make a difference as long as there`s off-road parking".
Secondly, what kind of per cent would turning the loft into a fourth
bedroom increase the value by?

As a general rule, anything you do is unlikely to add as much value as it
costs.

Colin Bignell

"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert_my_surname_here wrote in message
...

wrote in message
news:1109772035.a11fc72560a1b2b62c5d0ea9cf3a6dfe@b ubbanews...
Hi, I`m intending to have some work done on my house, and I`m
wondering what effect the following things would have on the property
value.
Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel. Someone has
told me that "only block paving ads value", someone else has said "it
dosn`t make a difference as long as there`s off-road parking".
Secondly, what kind of per cent would turning the loft into a fourth
bedroom increase the value by?

As a general rule, anything you do is unlikely to add as much value as it
costs.

Colin Bignell

What??? So how come off-road parking costs approx £2k to £3k to do, and add
approx £5k to £8k on the value of the house. A £5k kitchen update may add
anything from £5k to £10k on the value of a house.

You can't just generalise

As for drive ways as someone said its all dependent on personal opinions.
Mine personally is to go for gravel the reason being... Is that: (When using
large gravel (Pebbles))
a) for large drives its beats paving in terms of cost and ease of fitting,
b) alerts you to anyone approaching the house, the amount of times ive been
woken by a car driving round the drive at 2am only to drive out again.

however its not ideal as someone mentioned because it does tend to
distribute everywhere and also is a bugger for weeds. Next time if we dont
go for pebbles we will probably go for cobbles with a bit of gravel for the
noise.

"ABC" wrote in message
...

"nightjar .uk.com" nightjar@insert_my_surname_here wrote in message
...

wrote in message
news:1109772035.a11fc72560a1b2b62c5d0ea9cf3a6dfe@b ubbanews...
Hi, I`m intending to have some work done on my house, and I`m
wondering what effect the following things would have on the property
value.
Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel. Someone has
told me that "only block paving ads value", someone else has said "it
dosn`t make a difference as long as there`s off-road parking".
Secondly, what kind of per cent would turning the loft into a fourth
bedroom increase the value by?

As a general rule, anything you do is unlikely to add as much value as it
costs.

Colin Bignell

What??? So how come off-road parking costs approx £2k to £3k to do, and
add approx £5k to £8k on the value of the house.

Not around where I live it wouldn't. A garage might add value, at a greater
cost, but on-street parking is plentiful and free.

A £5k kitchen update may add anything from £5k to £10k on the value of a
house.

Once you have deducted your expenses, that translates as zero to £5k
increase in value. As a percentage increase in the value of a property
today, that is not very impressive. A coat of white paint on all the
ceilings and something warm and bright on the walls would be a much better
use of money.

A new kitchen would actually put me off buying. One of the first jobs when I
get a new house is to rebuild the kitchen to suit my way of cooking, which
makes an old and tatty one more attractive to me.

You can't just generalise

There will always be exceptions to any generalisation, but that does not
make them generally untrue.

Colin Bignell

wrote:
Hi, I`m intending to have some work done on my house, and I`m
wondering what effect the following things would have on the property
value.
Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel. Someone has
told me that "only block paving ads value", someone else has said "it
dosn`t make a difference as long as there`s off-road parking".

Gravels normally a pita, primarily because its usually badly laid. To
make a better gravel drive:

1. Put cement powder down before the gravel.
2. Put larger hardcore down before gravel
3. Compact the gravel with a whacker.

Failure to do these results in the typical slumping weedy muddy patchy
thing one often sees.

BTW block paving is not maintenance free.


Secondly, what kind of per cent would turning the loft into a fourth
bedroom increase the value by?
Thanks
Mark

Will vary, ask estate agents for valuations, or look in papers to get
rough figures.


NT

"Oliver Ciaravella" wrote in message
...
....
however its not ideal as someone mentioned because it does tend to
distribute everywhere and also is a bugger for weeds. ...

I put a weed inhibiting membrane under six tonnes of 20mm limestone
chippings seven years ago and have never had to weed any of it.

Colin Bignell

wrote in message
ups.com...
wrote:
Hi, I`m intending to have some work done on my house, and I`m
wondering what effect the following things would have on the property
value.
Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel. Someone has
told me that "only block paving ads value", someone else has said "it
dosn`t make a difference as long as there`s off-road parking".

Gravels normally a pita, primarily because its usually badly laid. To
make a better gravel drive:

1. Put cement powder down before the gravel.
2. Put larger hardcore down before gravel
3. Compact the gravel with a whacker.

Failure to do these results in the typical slumping weedy muddy patchy
thing one often sees.

BTW block paving is not maintenance free.

I put gravel down and am very happy with t, although I had problems to
start.
My tips a-

Use gravel+10mm - smaller stuff is picked up on your shoes when wet, and
cats
use it as cat litter.

Put down a geotextile membrane to stop weeds coming through.

At least put a little bit of hardcore down the areas the tyres will cover to
prevent slumping.

Make sure the gravel is constrained on all sides: if you have a drive that
slopes downwards
to your gate, and there is no ridge to prevent its escape, it will migrate
onto the pavement.

Finally, a little binder might be necessary in certain cases to 'solidify'
the gravel. I used
rounded large-size pea shingle, but found it was easier to walk on and less
liable to
reveal the geotextile if I added some clay subsoil to the mix.

Clay/brick pavers can look good, but add a surbuban feel to a house, whereas
gravel
(particularly attractive stuff ) lends a sort of bucolic charm IMO.

Andy.

nightjar nightjar@ wrote:
"Oliver Ciaravella" wrote in message
...
...

however its not ideal as someone mentioned because it does tend to
distribute everywhere and also is a bugger for weeds. ...


I put a weed inhibiting membrane under six tonnes of 20mm limestone
chippings seven years ago and have never had to weed any of it.

Colin Bignell



Alternatively simply water with sodium chlorate once every 6 months
(when it's dry). Keeps the weeds down a treat and (maybe it's just my
eyes playing tricks on me) it seems to keeps the block paving clean.

Graham

wrote in message
news:1109772035.a11fc72560a1b2b62c5d0ea9cf3a6dfe@b ubbanews...
Hi, I`m intending to have some work done on my house, and I`m
wondering what effect the following things would have on the property
value.
Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel. Someone has
told me that "only block paving ads value", someone else has said "it
dosn`t make a difference as long as there`s off-road parking".
Secondly, what kind of per cent would turning the loft into a fourth
bedroom increase the value by?
Thanks
Mark
Speaking to an estate agent friend, the only things that add recoverable
value to houses (and also attract more buyers) are central heating and
double glazing. Anything else you will not recover your costs in increased
value of the house.

Speaking to an estate agent friend, the only things that add recoverable
value to houses (and also attract more buyers) are central heating and
double glazing.

And even this will depend. Replacing old wooden SG sashes with plastic DG
windows would lose you around 5-10K around my way, even if the old windows
were past their prime.

Christian.

andrewpreece wrote:

wrote in message
ups.com...

wrote:

Hi, I`m intending to have some work done on my house, and I`m
wondering what effect the following things would have on the property
value.
Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel. Someone has
told me that "only block paving ads value", someone else has said "it
dosn`t make a difference as long as there`s off-road parking".

Gravels normally a pita, primarily because its usually badly laid. To
make a better gravel drive:

1. Put cement powder down before the gravel.
2. Put larger hardcore down before gravel
3. Compact the gravel with a whacker.

Failure to do these results in the typical slumping weedy muddy patchy
thing one often sees.

BTW block paving is not maintenance free.


I put gravel down and am very happy with t, although I had problems to
start.
My tips a-

Use gravel+10mm - smaller stuff is picked up on your shoes when wet, and
cats
use it as cat litter.

My cats use 20mm gravel as litter.


Put down a geotextile membrane to stop weeds coming through.

At what stage? Before or after hardcore..

At least put a little bit of hardcore down the areas the tyres will cover to
prevent slumping.

Make sure the gravel is constrained on all sides: if you have a drive that
slopes downwards
to your gate, and there is no ridge to prevent its escape, it will migrate
onto the pavement.

Indeed.

Finally, a little binder might be necessary in certain cases to 'solidify'
the gravel. I used
rounded large-size pea shingle, but found it was easier to walk on and less
liable to
reveal the geotextile if I added some clay subsoil to the mix.

Clay/brick pavers can look good, but add a surbuban feel to a house, whereas
gravel
(particularly attractive stuff ) lends a sort of bucolic charm IMO.


Agreed.
Andy.

wrote:

I basically agree with you entirely. I want/ need to get a
hard-standing for practical reasons, but I`d really like to know if
one kind of hard-standing will ad significantly to the house value,
whereas other(s) wouldn`t ad much. If it`s all going to ad the same
amount then I might as well just go for tarmac. But is it?


Tarmac ain't cheap, but to my mind, in a suburban context, its probably
the best IF LAID PROPERLY. wee www.pavingexpert.com

Paviors are cheaper but twee and have their problenms

Concrete is plain ugly.

Flagstones are quite cool but expensive.

Gravel looks great in the country, but its a bit weird in suburbia.

I'd pay a little extra for a house with a well sorted drive AND decent
front garden.

wrote:
I like the look of tarmac, but how durable is it, compared to
concrete?

More durable if anything; tarmac is slightly flexible - concrete cracks.
See www.pavingexpert.com (or .co.uk ? - offline so can't check)

To turn a front garden into off-road parking will require Planning
Permission for a new road access (and consent from the road owner if not the
council).
Do you for a drop-kerb? My local council has a monopoly on installing
them, so P.P. would be done through that.

A drop kerb is physical work done to facilitate the passage of a wheeled
item (eg a wheelchair, not necessarily a car) between the road and the
pavement. It must be installed by the Council as they are the
landowners. You still require the legal permission to drive your car
over the pavement.

Owain

In message ,
writes
On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 14:29:51 -0000, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare,

snip

I basically agree with you entirely. I want/ need to get a
hard-standing for practical reasons, but I`d really like to know if
one kind of hard-standing will ad significantly to the house value,
whereas other(s) wouldn`t ad much. If it`s all going to ad the same
amount then I might as well just go for tarmac. But is it?


I don't think that the surface will really make any great difference to
the house value, I think it might make a bit of difference to the
'saleability' of the house, as being at the front it may impact on 'kerb
appeal'. From this POV I'd avoid concrete, probably tarmac, or maybe
block paving, depending on what else is going on around visually.
--
Chris French, Leeds

In message ,
writes
On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 17:07:07 -0000, "ABC"
wrote:

As a general rule, anything you do is unlikely to add as much value as it
costs.

Colin Bignell

What??? So how come off-road parking costs approx £2k to £3k to do, and add
approx £5k to £8k on the value of the house.

If by "off-road parking" you mean block paving then that`s what I
though up til recently. Now I`m wondering if there`s much of a
increase in what you spend, i.e. £2k spent gets a £2k value increase?

As has already been pointed out, it very much depends. In an area where
parking is at a premium, and you have to pay a significant sum for on
street parking permits then it probably would add greater value. In our
street, it would probably detract from the value of the house
--
Chris French, Leeds

In article , "Owain"
says...

wrote:
I like the look of tarmac, but how durable is it, compared to
concrete?

More durable if anything; tarmac is slightly flexible - concrete cracks.
See www.pavingexpert.com (or .co.uk ? - offline so can't check)


But it doesn't like having petrol or oil spilt on it, and it can be
too soft to support things like heavily loaded axle stands for any
length of time.

In article , Owain owain47125@st
irlingcity.coo.uk writes
wrote:
I like the look of tarmac, but how durable is it, compared to
concrete?

More durable if anything; tarmac is slightly flexible - concrete cracks.
See www.pavingexpert.com (or .co.uk ? - offline so can't check)

Concrete is loads more durable than asphalt, a crack doesn't mean its
not durable it just means it was underdesigned/not installed properly,


To turn a front garden into off-road parking will require Planning
Permission for a new road access (and consent from the road owner if not the
council).
Do you for a drop-kerb? My local council has a monopoly on installing
them, so P.P. would be done through that.

A drop kerb is physical work done to facilitate the passage of a wheeled
item (eg a wheelchair, not necessarily a car) between the road and the
pavement. It must be installed by the Council as they are the
landowners. You still require the legal permission to drive your car
over the pavement.

Owain


--
David

Rob Morley wrote:
More durable if anything; tarmac is slightly flexible - concrete cracks.
See www.pavingexpert.com (or .co.uk ? - offline so can't check)
But it doesn't like having petrol or oil spilt on it, and it can be
too soft to support things like heavily loaded axle stands for any
length of time.

So don't spill oil or petrol or use axle stands ...

I'm not sure if the OP is interested in quick-fix solutions to last 6
weeks before selling the house ie doing a Beeny, or is actually wanting
to live in the house first.

Owain

Ian_m wrote:
wrote in message
news:1109772035.a11fc72560a1b2b62c5d0ea9cf3a6dfe@b ubbanews...
Hi, I`m intending to have some work done on my house, and I`m
wondering what effect the following things would have on the
property
value.
Firstly, off-road parking is going to make a difference of some
degree, but what I`d like to know is how do the various options
compare, i.e. block paving, concrete, tarmac or gravel. Someone has
told me that "only block paving ads value", someone else has said
"it
dosn`t make a difference as long as there`s off-road parking".
Secondly, what kind of per cent would turning the loft into a
fourth
bedroom increase the value by?
Thanks
Mark
Speaking to an estate agent friend, the only things that add
recoverable
value to houses (and also attract more buyers) are central heating
and
double glazing. Anything else you will not recover your costs in
increased
value of the house.

So that's another sweeping generalization, then. I wouldn't sell
through his agency.

MBQ

Ian_m wrote:

Speaking to an estate agent friend, the only things that add
recoverable
value to houses (and also attract more buyers) are central heating
and
double glazing. Anything else you will not recover your costs in
increased
value of the house.

Your estate agent friend must have been pretty careless when saying
that. The work I'm doing now has been estimated to add 6-8x cost price
onto the house value.

The point that sellers often misunderstand what adds value to a buyer
is true, but the claim that nothing excpt CH and DG add more value than
cost is vapourtruth.


NT

wrote:
I'm not sure if the OP is interested in quick-fix solutions to last 6
weeks before selling the house ie doing a Beeny, or is actually wanting
to live in the house first.
The latter :-)

Then I'd go for tarmac. The wear layer can be replaced just before
resale if it's looking tatty.

Owain

In article 1109984733.c2bd1b65066130abb1039c54b4db6e03@bubba news,
writes
On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 23:53:48 +0000, Owain
wrote:

wrote:
I'm not sure if the OP is interested in quick-fix solutions to last 6
weeks before selling the house ie doing a Beeny, or is actually wanting
to live in the house first.
The latter :-)

Then I'd go for tarmac. The wear layer can be replaced just before
resale if it's looking tatty.

Owain

Yes, I think that`s the conclusion I`m being drawn to. Which brings me
to my next question: The garden that I`m going to cover has an L
shaped path running along the front of the house, and out to the
street. Can the tarmac be put over this, or does it have to come up?
If the latter, why? And does the answer also pertain to concrete?
(Just in case I go mad and decide to have that!)
Thanks
Depends what the path is made of, if its concrete then no problem, if
its slabs then I would crack and seat them (break them into smaller bits
and consolidate them with a roller)
The main difference between concrete and asphalt (Tarmac is a name not
the material) is that concrete can be structural and self supporting.
--
David

wrote:
Yes, I think that`s the conclusion I`m being drawn to. Which brings me
to my next question: The garden that I`m going to cover has an L
shaped path running along the front of the house, and out to the
street. Can the tarmac be put over this, or does it have to come up?
If the latter, why? And does the answer also pertain to concrete?
(Just in case I go mad and decide to have that!)

I think the path has to come up, at least back to hardcore. Thin layers
of surface tarmac break up. See the pavingexpert.com site for details
The advantage of tarmac (bitumen macadam) is that the wearing layer can
be renewed very easily without affecting the underlying structure.

Owain

wrote in message
oups.com...
Ian_m wrote:

Speaking to an estate agent friend, the only things that add
recoverable
value to houses (and also attract more buyers) are central heating
and
double glazing. Anything else you will not recover your costs in
increased
value of the house.

Your estate agent friend must have been pretty careless when saying
that. The work I'm doing now has been estimated to add 6-8x cost price
onto the house value.

The point that sellers often misunderstand what adds value to a buyer
is true, but the claim that nothing excpt CH and DG add more value than
cost is vapourtruth.

He was basing this on his experience of what people do to try and sell their
houses. Sellers seem to think that anything they add to the house can be
recovered (and more) in the sale price. He has seen people add £25k kitchens
and then try adding £35k to price (and failing, getting only 5k) as not
everybody wants a £25k£35k kitchen. Be careful there are two things working
here, things that increase sale value and things that increase the number of
potential buyers who will look at a property.