Clean, bright colours and thoughtful use of furniture can give an impression of space and trasnform cluttered corners

THE biggest mistake people make is not keeping their house in good condition by carrying out regular maintenance, says celebrity builder, Tommy Walsh, who is a DIY advisor to Wickes.

Keeping up with repairs is vital, not just so that it's comfortable to live in, but also, if you decide you want to move, then its condition will really count.

If prospective buyers see leaking pipes and flaking paintwork they'll worry that other more major jobs - like subsidence, damp patches and cracks - have also been neglected - potentially landing them with big bills if they buy your property.'' Do the basics - ensure drains and pipes are working properly, and there are no leaks in them or the roof.

If you can't afford to repaint, wash down exterior woodwork, downpipes and paintwork. Treat exposed timber like gates and fences with preservative.

For top tips on home DIY projects and advice on getting the best out of tradespeople there's a new Wickes booklet, How to Cope with Building Works, available at its stores nationwide or downloadable from www.wickes.co.uk n A smart kitchen can send the price of your home rocketing, according to research by Halifax. It found that 29 per cent of would-be buyers regarded a newly-fitted kitchen as the most value-adding improvement, with the National Association of Estate Agents estimating it can add 21 per cent to value.

Homeowners are now so fashion conscious about kitchen style that, in general, they renovate the room every three to five years.

But if you're seeking the right style, bear in mind that the trend is for kitchens to double as family rooms if space allows. So opt for wood finishes and coloured units to achieve a warmer and less sanitised look than the industrial style of a few years back.

Jim Barnard at Wickes said: More than ever the kitchen is the heart of the home with two thirds of us saying we prefer to socialise and entertain in the kitchen - rather than the living room or family room.'' Splurge on the worktops for your kitchen so they make a visual statement and good quality will ensure they last. Granite or marble, or even concrete, are in vogue but laminate can also impress and ideally opt for a specialist in worktops, rather than buying from the store where you buy your units.

Tiling ranges have hugely expanded in recent years and the choice is enormous. Coloured glass tiles are currently particularly fashionable, especially teamed with glossy white units.

n Some experts believe that sub-standard DIY can knock £10,000 off the value of a home, and major plumbing, wiring or construction jobs should be left to the experts.

But decorating is not difficult and can give a home a great facelift.

Planning is key to success, so you should write a list of what you want to do, the tools and materials involved and how long you think it will take,'' says Tommy Walsh Decorating often goes horribly wrong because people rush into it, don't clear out the room properly, and under-estimate how much time it will take.'' IIf wallpapering, always buy an extra roll so you have spare paper in the event of mistakes or damage.

If you can't empty the room, move furniture into the middle and cover with dust sheets. Take up carpet and underlay.

If you are painting work from the top down ie: ceiling, walls and then woodwork. Use a flat finish emulsion, as silk will highlight every mark and uneven surface on your walls. Similarly, use eggshell on timber, particularly old timber, as it helps mask flaws and dents in the wood.

If painting new timber use knotting fluid to prevent knots falling out, then use primer, undercoat and a top coat. For the best finish Tommy advises two coats of top coat. After the first coat is completely dry use fine sandpaper to get a smooth finish, then wipe clean with a rag lightly dipped in white spirit before applying second coat.

n Once a dreary, cold place for a wash and brush up, bathrooms are now all-singing all-dancing sanctuaries where we relax and unwind. So much so, we now spend as much on bathroom furniture as we do on bathroom suites.

Choose white sanitary ware because it never dates and if you've got the space a free-standing bath is a luxurious look.

Never carpet a bathroom, it's impractical and looks wrong.

Stone tiles or lino is ideal - ceramic tiles can be slippery - and it's well worth investing in underfloor heating.

Cast iron or brushed steel baths keep water hotter, although as they're heavy you probably need a builder to fit.

Avoid tiling the entire bathroom, or using emulsion with a sheen as you may suffer from more condensation problems.

9:52am Friday 11th April 2008

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