St Albans named among top places for adding value by extending

St Albans homeowners can add more value to their properties by extending than those in almost any other area of England, new research has revealed.

The Cathedral city came tenth in a list of areas outside London where the most value per square metre can be added - £7,142.

It was another area of Hertfordshire that topped the list, however - the Broxbourne average was more than double St Albans' at £16,341, while Hertsmere was in sixth place with £8,210.

This placed Broxbourne seventh on the list of top 100 locations for value per square metre in England and Wales, including London.

Hertsmere ranked 21st, followed by St Albans (28th) and Welwyn Hatfield (33rd with £6,826).

The research, conducted by range cooker retailer Leisure, calculated the cost per square metre of houses across the UK, to show the value that extending your home can add to your property.

Not surprisingly, an extension in the City of London will increase a property's value more than anywhere else in the UK, at £285,566 per square metre.

Peter Davey, director of James Anderson Estate Agents, said: "Open plan living, kitchen renovations and luxury bathrooms are the best improvements to make in order to increase the value of your home.

"These areas have the most value per square metre and are most in-demand for homeowners."