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Which way is consumer spending going? Will the home improvement market expand or contract in the months to come?

One school of thought believes that DIY might get a shot in the arm from uncertainty about the housing market, saying that householders are choosing to improve when they can’t move.

If this sounds appealing, then what’s the best approach to take to maximising the value and enjoyment you get from your living space? Here are Times writer Kasia Maciejowska’s tips for 10 great ways to add value to your home:

Top ten: Home improvements

MOVE or improve? A familiar question if you’re faced with lack of space, a growing family or itchy feet. With 58 per cent of us improving our homes over the past year (12 per cent more than the year before), we prefer making do to moving out.

Faced with high house prices, the popular solution is to expand or improve with the aim of adding value – and now younger people are getting involved, with 68 per cent of people between 18 and 34 investing time and money in doing up their home.

So how to achieve that extra £100,000? A fifth of improvers think a kitchen extension will add the most value, although the most common project is redecoration, making up two thirds of all home improvements. Here we give ten of the best projects to make the most of your home.

Valuers at Halifax say an extension is the top option for adding value, as long as work is properly carried out. For structural projects employ a professional to ensure you comply with planning regulations. A good extension should create at least one extra room and be used to bring light into the house.

A loft conversion is the second most profitable option. While maximising existing space, it can increase the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, two key valuation factors. Read full article here…

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There are some decent special offers on tools and hardware around the B&Q site at the moment, if you’re prepared to spend a little bit of time hunting them down.

Guess what? We’ve done the work so you don’t have to! Here are our top ten picks for hidden bargains this week:

• 33 per cent off a B&Q Complete Loft Access Kit - was £149.98, now £99.98.
• 33 per cent off a MacAllister Redeye Drill Press COD500LDP 500w - was £79.98, now £49.98.
• 25 per cent off a AEG Professional Heavy Duty Jigsaw STEP 90X/4935381125 - was £124.98, now £94.98.
• 25 per cent off a Bosch Router POF 1100 AE 240v - was £69.94, now £52.32.
• 25 per cent off a Bosch Cordless Drill/Driver PSR14.4VE-2 14.4v - was £79.98, now £59.83.
• 25 per cent off a Bosch Impact Drill PSB 65O RE - 650w - was £39.94, now £29.88.
• 20 per cent off a Velux Standard Centre Pivot Roof Window - pine finish - was £318.29, now £253.04. This is just one of many similar Velux window reductions, so you’re sure to find one that suits your project.
• 20 per cent off a Triton Router Stand RSB300 - was £99.98, now £79.48.
• 20 per cent off a Performance Power Cordless Hammer Drill Kit 18V - was £49.98, now £39.98.
• 15 per cent off a Stabila Heavy Duty Ribbed Box Section Spirit Level - was £32.98, now £27.98.

Looking for a little help? We’ll do our best for you.

With Christmas on the way we’ve put together a guide to buying power tools. Now, this could serve as a briefing for present-buying for the DIY fanatic in your life, a handy hint sheet to print out and leave lying casually round the place, or even a shopping list to get you launched on that New Year project you swore you’d get started on. After all, what better time to take advantage of the sales?

Upshot is, this might not be quite the minefield you fear, as long as you put a bit of thought into it and make sure you don’t just grab at the first thing you come across.

Read AllTheToolsYouNeed.com’s top 10 tips for buying power tools here.