There are plenty of ways to improve your home’s saleability. You could fit a new kitchen, knock through a wall to create an open plan living space, get your garden landscaped, or, if you are so inclined, extend your home.

All of which is good. But no game-changers. If you really want to increase your home’s saleability, these five home improvements should be top of your list:

1. New front door

First impressions count, and what’s the first thing a prospective buyer interacts with? It’s often your front door (or gate, but this is opened in haste). It’s also the first thing they look at closely since it’s right in front of them when they knock.

A brand-new front door or well refurbished older door improves the saleability of a home considerably. There’re three reasons for this: 1) It suggests your home is well looked after, 2) It suggests your home is secure, and 3) it suggests your home is efficient – after all, no one likes old draughty doors, do they?

There’s a wide range of doors available. Aesthetics count, so please choose a high-quality UPVC or composite door that matches your property.

2. Add a conservatory

The cost to build a conservatory is around £15,000 with a glazed roof or £18,000 with a solid roof (both of which are better than a polycarbonate roof). Solid roofs are the best type because they mimic the appearance of your home.

The reason a conservatory can increase the saleability of your home is that it creates additional living space and opens up a house to the outdoors. If your back garden has space for a conservatory or even an orangery, this is a sure-fire way to attract more buyers and even increase the valuation of your property.

3. Convert your loft

Converting loft or attic space is another sure-fire way to increase the saleability of your home and its value. The average cost of a small dormer loft conversion is around £15,000 but some conversions can cost £30,000 to £40,000. It depends on how big space is and if any plumbing is required for an en suite.

A recent study by banking group Nationwide found a loft conversion adds an average of 21 per cent to the value of a property.

4. New windows

One of the first things prospective buyers look at – especially in the case of period houses – are the windows, which is quite normal when you consider the cost to replace windows runs into the thousands of pounds.

That’s a lot of money for someone buying a house, but it isn’t for someone who is looking to sell up because that money can be clawed back. Brand new windows look the part and can be listed as a key feature when selling. If they’re casement windows, sashes, tilt turn or vertical sliders, then all the better for these are in huge demand.

As with doors, aesthetics count but so do functionality and efficiency. Choose A+ rated windows and double glazing if you can. If you have an older property with timber sashes or casement windows, just have them refurbished.

5. Paint and decorate – to a high standard

Lastly, we have the cheapest home improvement of the bunch – painting and decorating. Quality tells here, so hire a painter and decorator. Painters and decorators charge on average £130 a day. If your walls have cracks or aren’t perfect, you may also need to hire a plasterer. Plasterers charge around the same, so £130 a day.

Choose neutral colours and create a tasteful colour theme for feature walls. Keep it consistent around your home and avoid bright and loud colours. Pastels are in vogue right now and work well with dramatic artwork. If you use wallpaper, again quality tells so choose a high-quality one, ideally from a reputable brand.