Patricia O'Neill of About Time cleaning says the average 93 square-metre (1000 square-foot) home takes around five to six hours to complete with two cleaning staff. This would include dusting, vacuuming and washing of floors and surfaces, cleaning bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchen and living areas.

Bed linen would be changed, books and personal items tidied away, mirrors, glass and windows cleaned, and skirting boards, light "ttings, window sills and doors dusted. Fridge, oven and hob are cleaned on the outside, while sinks, countertops and appliances are washed. Obviously if your home is larger or in very bad shape, it will cost extra.

Cost: 300 to 360 including VAT for average house of 93 square metres.

Result: A spotless, tidy house in perfect condition and smelling clean and fresh.

PAINTING

Project: To paint your home throughout, preferably in neutral colours that will make it bright and airy.

Cost: Professional painters generally charge per room, so you could expect to pay between 2,500 and 3,000 for an average three-bed house, including the paint. If you're doing the job yourself, paint for a three-bed house costs from 400 to 600.

Result: A professional paint job throughout the house will make all the difference and give you the perfect canvas to work with when styling your home for the selling market.

Rooms will appear brighter, fresher and more spacious.

HIRE A SKIP

Project: After you have decluttered your home following several trips to the charity shops with unwanted CDs, videos, books, toys, clothes and miscellaneous items, you could hire a skip to get rid of unnecessary beds, mattresses, broken toys and general odds and ends that may be littering your home, shed and garden area.

Remember that you cannot dispose of any hazardous or liquid waste in skips, such as gas cylinders, microwave ovens or paints.

Your local council will tell you where the nearest drop-off point for these items is, and it's usually free of charge.

If you don't have enough to "ll a skip, you can dispose of old mattresses, prams etc at your local recycling centre, which costs around 8 per car load.

Cost: Skips come in three different sizes, mini, midi and standard, and cost between 120 and 200. You can have the skip removed in one day or hang onto it for several days while you're clearing out.

Result: Your home will look bigger, cleaner and far less cluttered, and you'll have less stuff to move when you "nally sell up.

HOUSE DOCTOR

Project: To make your home presentable for sale in order to get the best price possible, you may need to call in the house doctors, who will advise and project manage your renovations/revamping jobs.

Cost: A consultation with Escale Design costs 195 and includes a full written report detailing what changes to make to maximise the value of your home, from simple reorganisation of furniture or painting to building work.

Result: A good idea of how to make the best of your space, room sizes, shapes, colour and layout, in the hope of getting between 10 and 15% over the asking price.

GARDEN TIDY

Project: An increasingly important space, gardens can make or break a home when it comes to selling up.

An attractive, wellmaintained garden goes a long way towards creating a good impression.

Professional landscaper Alison Leonard of DIG Landscaping and Maintenance, specialises in tidying and preparing gardens in homes due to go on the market. "Buyers are always impressed if they see a nice tidy garden. It gives a good overall impression of the house, " says Leonard.

Generally most gardens just need a tidy, which includes trimming hedges, pruning, cutting the lawn, and removing any waste and rubbish.

Cost: A thorough garden tidy in an average-sized garden costs between 500 and 600 and includes removal of all garden waste.

Result: A neat, wellmaintained garden which adds to the value of the property.

NEW FRONT DOOR

Project: Aluminium and PVC doors are undoubtedly ugly and distasteful and lower the value of most properties. If you live in an older home, it may well be worth either replacing the front door with an original door sourced from a salvage yard or getting one newly made by a door specialist.

Even if you have PVC windows, a solid timber front door will de"nitely give your home more appeal, and as it's the first thing potential buyers will see when looking at brochures or internet pictures, it's one of the most important things to spend money on.

Cost: Solid timber front doors cost from 1100 upwards, including "tting.

Result: An attractive timber door in the original style gives an instant lift to any home, giving an impression of good taste and style beyond the hall door.

THE TOTAL COST

Cleaning: 300 Painting: 2,500 Garden: 550.

Door: 1100 Skip: 200 House Doctor: 195.

Total: 4,845.

? About Time Cleaning (018511633) ? DIG Landscaping and Maintenance (087-9842196) ? Escale Design, 'House Doctor' service (0863868058)