If you are planning to sell up in the autumn, it's time to start work on your home right now writes interior designer Isabel Morton

Thinking of selling your home this year? Afraid that you have far too much to do in order to be ready to sell this spring?

Then get moving now and aim to put your home on the market in September. You have seven months in which to do it. But discount one month to allow for unforeseen problems and unexpected delays. And cancel your summer holidays!

Start by identifying your target market. What sort of person will buy your home? A young professional couple, a family with young children or a single person? Perhaps a couple wishing to downsize? What would appear on your potential purchaser's wish list? En suite bathrooms, an attic conversion, off-street car-parking?

Walk up and down your road and examine houses similar to your own. Note what they have done recently to improve their homes. Having a planning precedent is a help. If one person managed to obtain permission for off-street car-parking, then their neighbours are likely to get it as well.

Examine your home with the critical eye of a potential purchaser. Take note of the areas that need attention. Decide on a plan of action but be realistic about what work you are likely to get done within a tight six months time frame. Planning permission for anything will take a minimum of three months and longer if objectors bring the case before An Bord Pleanála.

Find out exactly what costs you will incur, including the agent's fees, advertising, photographs, signage, etc. At the height of the property boom agents' fees were 1 per cent or less of the sale price. Now they are back up to around 1.5 per cent. The more valuable the property the more chance you have of negotiating the fees.

Pay great attention to the exterior of the property as many potential buyers will do a quick "drive by" prior to viewing your home. If the exterior is not appealing then they are unlikely to view the interior. Remove weeds and rubbish, hide garbage bins, freshen up the paintwork, clean door brasses and cut back overgrown foliage. Remove old concrete or tarmac driveways and paths and replace with gravel. Use soft beige/gold (Ballylusk) gravel which is more attractive than the regular grey.

If you have the space and are likely to get planning permission, apply for double gates and redesign the front garden to accommodate off-street car-parking. Only install electric gates if they would not look out of keeping on your road. In fact, make sure that everything you do is in keeping with the surrounding properties. There is nothing more off-putting than a house that looks like Disneyland amongst a line of discreet family homes. On that subject, statuary, fountains, ponds and excessive external lighting look pretentious in the average suburban front garden and should be avoided.

Garage conversions, loft conversions and conservatories might be considered if appropriate to your style of home. Attic conversions are only worth doing if: you will not lose an existing bedroom to make space for the stair case; that you have sufficient head height and floor space; and if you can access the attic area with ease. Double check the regulations with your local planning authority prior to making any type of structural alterations to your home.

The key consideration is to attempt to assess how much the renovation project will add to the price your home would achieve when sold.

If you think your house would sell for €1 million in its present condition, you would hope that spending €200,000 on a makeover would raise its sale price to at least €1.3 million, then the profit on your makeover investment would be €100,000. Some may think this sum to be a considerable profit while others might feel that it was not worth the trouble and would expect a higher return.

The decision therefore is subjective and one that professional property investors have to make daily.

If that risk is too great to take, or the project too daunting to consider, then spend the minimum amount of money possible, clearing, cleaning and neutralising the décor so that the perspective buyers can imagine themselves living in your home. Consider an expenditure of at least €10,000 worthwhile for this purpose.

If you are going to proceed with alterations and renovations, obtain quotations from at least two builders. Employ a builder who has previously worked with your architect or someone who has been recommended by a friend. Check that they have builders' insurance and can complete the job within your time frame.

Remember that builders take holidays in the last week of July and first week of August. Stage payments will be due on completion of various sections of the work and you might discuss with your architect what incentives or penalties might be included in the contract to help avoid undue delays. Always have everything recorded in writing.

Line up any other trades, such as decorators and landscapers, well in advance of needing them and obtain written quotations.

Clear the area in which the builders will be working. Use this opportunity to clear the entire house of rubbish and clutter. Put into storage items which you wish to keep but are unsuitable for your current home. Plan the interior design and décor. Use graph paper and measure up each room and draw it to scale. Do the same with each piece of your furniture. You can then try out the furniture in different places without having actually to move anything until you have decided on the exact layout.

If buying new furniture, order it immediately, as the lead time is usually eight to 12 weeks. Double check measurements before you confirm your order. Buy what you can in advance, including new towels and bed linen (ideally white or cream) to be used for the viewing period only.

Research and price items such as tiles, carpets, bathroom fittings and kitchen units but do not buy them without having first checked with your builder. Have your decorator start painting rooms which are not affected by the builder. Pick a safe option and paint the entire house in one neutral colour. Colortrend "Restorative" (CW025W) is a perfect cream and is available from most good paint suppliers. Table lamps create atmospheric mood lighting. Buy ones you like as you will be taking them with you to your new home.

An interior design tip is to buy extra large lamps and accessories, much larger than you think you will need. (Hicken Lighting, Bridge Street, Dublin 2, Stillorgan Décor and Kenneth Hodgins, Sandyford Industrial Estate.) Have timber floors polished, carpets laid, curtains hung and furniture, lamps, mirrors and accessories put in place. Get professional photographs taken at least two weeks before the launch date. Check the brochure copy carefully as mistakes are easily made. Have your solicitor check that your deeds are in order and ensure that you have certificates of compliance for any building work you have ever done which required planning permission.

Hand over keys to the estate agent, bribe your neighbours, seduce your bank manager, send pets to the kennels, children to stay with friends, replace fresh flowers weekly, sleep on the sofa, eat in restaurants, shower in the local gym, send clothes to the cleaners, keep lamps on and fires lit day and night and clean compulsively.

Your home is at last on the market. Now start praying.