The very short answer is yes, wrought iron gates and railings can add significant value to your home. That’s largely because two of their key attributes are security value and aesthetic beauty, which are both qualities that are exceptionally important to prospective buyers looking for a new home. Now, obviously it’s a bit more complex than that, so let’s have a more detailed look at exactly how wrought iron gates and railings can help you get the very best asking price.
1. Boosting the ‘perceived value’
Anyone buying a house is naturally going to want to take a look at technical specs of the building, and get a good idea of the amount of square footage available. Beyond some of the finer technical detail though, the level of value that most of us place on any given house can still be surprisingly subjective – which is where we get the term ‘perceived value’. In other words, we’re more likely to try and pay what we feel it’s worth, rather than what we’re told it’s worth.
That’s why having high-quality fixtures and fittings can have such a strong influence on the price of a property; they can immediately elevate its overall appearance, making it seem more ‘high-value’ in the eyes of buyers, which can sometimes translate into a willingness to pay more for it.
Now, there’s no shortage of said fixtures and fittings that you can choose for your interior, but when it comes to your exterior, there’s very little that can rival the effect of wrought iron gates and railings. Both are closely associated with premium quality, and convey a strong sense of security and grandeur that any buyer will love for their future home.
There are a couple of tertiary benefits too; they can serve to reinforce the impression that the current owners care for the property, and imply that they’ve spent a considerable amount of time and effort into making it look pristine and impressive. All that goes some way to impressing the sellers, and boosting the property’s ‘perceived value’.
2. Making an outstanding first impression
That old adage remains as true as it ever was – first impressions count for a lot. And of course, wrought iron railings and gates are the very first elements of your house that buyers will see. That can be hugely helpful; they look impressive in their own right, and they set the tone for the level of class, security and comfort that buyers can expect to find inside.
Now, if buyers have already decided that they like the look of the exterior, then in all likelihood by the time they step inside then they may well be subject to a positive confirmation bias – in other words, they expect to like what they see, and so they’re more likely to like what they see. That’s why wrought iron railings and gates contribute to a strong kerb appeal – and the higher the kerb appeal of your home, the more you’ll probably be able to sell it for.
3. Saving time and effort with a low maintenance build
Let’s be honest – for most of us, having a perennial list of maintenance jobs is part and parcel of owning a house. Wooden fences and gates tend to make frequent appearances on these types of lists, especially since they often require sanding, painting, and clear coats. It’s not helped by the fact that our famously (or notoriously) mild climate means that wooden features have to withstand their fair share of rain, which can start to take its toll quite quickly.
So with all that in mind, it’s easy to see why any low-maintenance feature that can save us all that time and effort is going to be very attractive to buyers.
Metal gates and railings comprise the perfect example. The galvanising process used in their construction means that they can be relied on to maintain their appearance and performance for as long as 75 years. They can be repainted at the owner’s discretion, but in terms of essential maintenance they only really need a good wipe down occasionally.
All that means that prospective buyers can enjoy all the benefits of gates and railings, but without the associated trade-offs of time and energy that most home additions demand. That makes their advantages pretty clear-cut, which can result in the very best price for your home.
4. Protecting the property with added security
Security is a major priority for homeowners, and it’s no wonder. A sense of security is a fundamental, essential aspect of any home, from the smallest apartment to the largest mansion. Somewhere that doesn’t feel safe doesn’t really feel like home.
That sense of safety is one of the most crucial (but sometimes underappreciated) aspects of metal gates and railings. Now obviously, one of their most obvious benefits is the practical security value they provide, making it more difficult for any potential intruders to physically access a property. However, their psychological effect is just as important too, on owners and onlookers alike. Since most thieves are opportunists, even the sight of wrought iron gates and railings can be enough to keep them out, as it poses an extra obstacle to entry – and therefore, increases the risk of getting caught. By the same token, just the sight of them can help homeowners to feel safer – and that peace of mind is a really important influence in the buying process.
This is demonstrated quite neatly by a recent survey of UK homeowners published in the Daily Express, which yielded some interesting results.
- In 2022, 29% of respondents were more concerned about home safety than last year
- The crime that people most feared was their house being broken into (42% of respondents).
- 23% were concerned about their pets being stolen
They’re quite stark statistics, proving that anything which boosts a property’s security is something that buyers will feel very strongly about indeed. In fact, that same survey found that respondents would put a significant premium on having a sense of safety – it said that people are willing to pay (on average) around £36,000 more for a home they feel is in a safe neighbourhood. Some (28%) would even pay up to £50,000 more.
And if wrought iron gates and railings are something you’re considering getting for your own home, that’s exactly where we can help here at SL Wrought Iron. We have over 30 years of experience to our name, and all of our products are handcrafted by talented experts right here in our Lancashire factory. You can choose from an expansive range of styles right here on our website, and we can even make bespoke products according to individual customer specifications!
Feel free to have a look around – or alternatively, if you’ve got any questions or need any advice, don’t hesitate to give us a call on 01254 236994, and we’ll be happy to see how we can help.
