DIY is still considered to be the country’s favourite pastime. So what home improvements should you make to boost the value of your home and reap the maximum financial rewards?

A recent NOP survey, commissioned by secured loan provider Firstplus, showed that 36 per cent believed a new kitchen added the most value.

A further 25 per cent were inclined to think that an extension would be the best investment while 22 per cent thought that adding a conservatory or replacement windows would be more fruitful. Firstplus recommends the following home improvements:

• Modernise your kitchen.

• Replace a coloured bathroom suite with a white one - they remain the most popular and are the most flexible option.

• Adding a garage can be a costly project but is worth considering if your house is in a built-up area where parking is a problem.

• Install central heating if your home does not have it or the current system is old.

• A neat and well-maintained garden is always an attractive feature and can make a good first impression -if a house is tidy on the outside, it is bound to be tidy inside.

Painting and decorating is one of the easiest and cheapest ways of improving the look of a home with instant effect. Stick to neutral colours and simple schemes.

Whatever dreams you have for transforming your home, you could have one major stumbling block - money.

A secured personal loan is one option as it allows you to consolidate all your existing credit onto one lower rate of interest with affordable monthly payments.

At the same time, it is possible to take out a cash sum to finance those dreams and still have less going out each month.

“Making improvements to your home can be an expensive business and that is why they need planning,” said Neil Patrick, of Firstplus. “Credit consolidation is a practical way of controlling your monthly outgoings and Firstplus’ interest rates start as low as 7.9 per cent APR.”

For further advice, call Firstplus on 0800 052 7931 or visit www.firstplus.co.uk.