New homeowner? Or lived in the same property for several years now? Regardless of the time, most if not all homeowner will want to make their own mark on the property.
Home improvement is a great way to not only add value to your home but also give it that personal modernized feel that adds to your character.
Some home improvements can have a negative effect on your homeowners’ insurance premiums, whether it may be by installing a brand new kitchen or by adding another room such as a Sunroom, but what about those improvements that will actually help reduce the cost of your home insurance?
Here are five minor improvements that can be made to your home at a relatively low cost and help increase the value of your buildings and decrease insurance premium.
- Fire Safety – Making your home safer from fires is a must if not required for any homeowner. The best way is to fit smoke several alarms throughout the property and regularly check them to ensure they are working. A carbon monoxide monitoring system and depending on the type of home, an indoor sprinkler system will go a long way to reducing your annual premium.
- Theft and Safety – Now this is something we hate to think about, but unfortunately it is a reality we live in. One in three homeowners will be the victim of burglary, reducing this risk can save up to 7.5% off your home & contents premiums. Look to install a NACOSS approved standard alarm and even security lighting near the front and back of your home. I can help deter unwanted visitors from loitering around.
- Update your locks and install double-glazing – External doors should be fitted with five-lever mortise locks. Apart from the savings on your gas and electricity prices, installing double-glazing also increases the security of your property as they usually come with state of the art locks. Placing locks on gates and doors to outbuildings, such as sheds can also help reduce the cost of home insurance.
- Install a back-flow device. Many home cover policies do not cover damage from sewer backups and this is a problem that has the potential to flood your home. For those areas especially prone to floods this will help prevent the return flow of sewerage through the main drainage system.
- Reduce the overall risk – Updating the electrical wiring, heating and plumbing systems can severely reduce the cost of your home insurance as you will be reducing the risk of fires, broken pipes, floods etc. Always hire an approved engineer or plumber and remember to update your insurance provider once the work has been carried out.
- Flood Damage – It is important to ensure all your establishments are properly secured by flood damage or prevention systems. It is important to have this installed properly the first time or you run the risk of having to strip and demo your entire home again due to damages and instillation requirements. At Archway we believe in doing the job right. If you are struck by flood damage you should give us a call and we can work directly with you to reevaluate your home and work with any homeowner or insurance company in restoring or remodeling your home. We are insurance certified and offer hassle free estimates, working with all insurance companies.