As Phil Spencer accurately highlights in his television series, Phil Spencer: Secret Agent, there is much more involved in selling your home than simply putting it on the market. The bathroom is a key focal point within any home and can be the pivotal tipping point to a property being sold. Furthermore, a new bespoke fitted bathroom could add as much as £13,000 to the overall selling price of your property.

So if you’re struggling for ideas on how to get the most out of your bathroom, help is at hand! We’ve put together 5 easy steps to ensure your bathroom is appealing to potential buyers.

Step One – Create an action plan

Take a step back and objectively consider how appealing your bathroom is. Sentiment can be an issue when thinking of changing your bathroom, so ensure a friend or family member is on hand to provide a more objective view. On the basis of this feedback, create a shortlist of what could potentially put a buyer off and create a summary of key issues to address. Along with deciding what a buyer will want, you also need to develop an action plan for the renovation itself. For example, deciding on a contractor or DIY route will need to be considered, along with waste disposal. Obviously, when it comes to waste disposal you can look for cheap skips in Reading or somewhere closer to home, but deciding on a contracted vs DIY renovation will need more thought.

Step Two – Turn your ideas into reality

Now it’s time to put your plan into action, and it may be that very little needs to be done. If so, then all you need to focus on is cosmetic issues such as filling in wall and ceiling cracks and giving your bathroom a new paint job. If fixtures are a little worn or your tiles have seen better days, a new set of taps or brand new tiles can add a lease of life to your bathroom.

A general clean and tidy up can go a long way!

Step Three – Make sure damp is extinct!

There is nothing more off-putting than visible damp or mildew in your bathroom; their presence may also highlight an underlying problem with ventilation, which first needs to be addressed. A new extractor fan can often be all it takes to resolve this.

It’s now time to remove the damp. A hardened brush and bleach and water (1 part bleach to 3 parts water) and a thorough scrub is all you need. It is then recommended to repaint your bathroom with anti-damp paint.

Regrouting tiles is fairly straightforward and there are a number of ‘how to’ videos on YouTube. There are also plenty of tile accessories available to assist with this.

Step Four – Tackling the more extensive jobs

In some cases, your bathroom might have seen better days and may need a complete makeover in order to make it a more attractive prospect for potential buyers. A great quality toilet and basin suite can cost as little as £100, whilst a brand new set of ceramics can also be cost-effective.

Step Five – Tackling the cosmetic look and feel

In the world of property buying and selling, image is everything. It is therefore vital that your bathroom is absolutely spotless during viewings – toilet seat down, a nice aroma (potpourri is a good alternative to artificial air fresheners) and of course, ultra-clean baths, shower areas and basins. All of these add up to making the right impression when a home is being viewed.

If there are children in the house, ensure toys are tidied away, and of course, keep toiletries on display to an absolute minimum. Potential buyers want to be able to imagine themselves adding their own finishing touches to your bathroom, so the less clutter the better! Feel free to add a plant or two to break the space up and ensure towels are fresh and where possible, matching.

So, with a bit of financial outlay and of course, a dash of elbow grease, your bathroom will be in perfect shape when it comes to selling your home – good luck!

Adam Chard, bathroom consultant at Victoria Plumb