Many of you probably have a sudden urge to move because you’re spending more time at home. You have painted the walls of your bedroom, put up new pictures, and moved your furniture around more than once. As spring approaches and you run out of places to fix up inside, you’ve turned your attention to your outdoor space, which is bigger.
A few good ideas come to mind all at once: the patio and the area around the pool can be made better, and a fire pit would be nice. And while you’re at it, why not add an outdoor kitchen since that’s probably where you’ll spend most of your time? All of these extras sound great until you find out how much they cost. You might be wondering if it’s really worth the money to change your landscaping. In this article, we’ll talk about a few reasons why it’s worth it to change your yard. Let’s start!
Why should you change your outdoor area?
Besides wanting a change of scenery, there are many good reasons to spend money on landscaping renovations:
1. Quality of life
Making a beautiful outdoor space can have a big effect on your happiness and quality of life. In a 2018 study done by the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 85% of homeowners said they wanted to go home more after finishing their project, 78% said they were happier at home, and 79% said they felt like they had accomplished something. Other studies have also shown that spending time in nature can make you feel less stressed, lower your blood pressure, and help your memory and focus. In short, a well-planned landscaping makeover will make you happy, which is a priceless thing that we could all use more of.
2. Family space
Couldn’t resist bringing home one more puppy, or the kids grew up much faster than you thought? This is what can happen. Instead of looking for a bigger house to fit your growing family, why not fix up your yard to give you more space to live? If you choose this option, you must first decide what parts of your garden you want to have. Do you want to keep your vegetable garden? Want more room for your family and friends to hang out? Do you have a pool with a place to relax, or would you like to have one? From your patio, is it easy to keep an eye on your kids and pets? If you plan your retaining walls backyard renovation well, you can make the most of the space you have and make a place to live that everyone can enjoy for years to come.
3. Home resale value
One thing that is often forgotten about renovations is how they can raise the value of your home when you want to sell it. It’s great to make our living space better, but wouldn’t it be great if we could also get money back? As with most things in life, the front of your house makes a big difference in how people feel about it. 99% of NAR members say that your home’s charm will have a big effect on how many people want to buy it. What’s the meaning of that? Think of a well-kept lawn, colorful flower beds, lovely steps, and a cute driveway. Also, a well-landscaped home can sell for up to 12% more than a home with no landscaping.
What features should you invest in?
Why you want to change your landscaping will have a big impact on what features you choose to spend money on. Still, some things will add more to the value of your home than others. If that is important to you, we have put together a list based on the NALP-NAR survey we talked about earlier:
1. Outdoor kitchen
Even better than a grill is a custom-built outdoor kitchen with all the tools you need. If you like to have parties in your backyard, this is an important feature to think about. With shelves, mini-fridges, and even side burners, there’s no reason to keep going inside and outside. We have a lot of different types of retaining walls, so you can build a feature that’s just like you. If you decide to sell your house, your outdoor kitchen could be the clincher, and you can expect to get back about 71% of the money you spent on it.
2. Concrete patio
What’s a backyard if it doesn’t have a patio? A patio is a must if you want a place to sit and watch the kids play in the yard, a place to put your outdoor dining table, or a place for friends and family to hang out. The NALP says that paths and patios with modern geometric patterns are becoming more popular. And with our wide range of concrete pavers and patio slabs, it’s now easier to design your perfect patio. You can find products in any style you want, from traditional to modern and everything in between. You can also build a beautiful patio out of poured concrete, but it will take more maintenance to keep it in good shape over time, and, depending on where you live, changes in the weather will speed up cracking.
3. Outdoor fireplace
Nothing says summer like gathering around a warm fire after a relaxing day in the pool. But when we think of a fire pit, we often picture a large cast-iron bowl. The good news is that times are changing and there are more options, which makes it easy to make a feature that fits the style of your home. Do you have a modern design in mind? Why not also include our Raffinato fireplace? It will be the focal point of your yard because of how stylish it is. Like things that are a little more rustic? Don’t worry, you can make your ideal outdoor fireplace with our Borealis wall that looks like wood. No matter what style you choose, the real estate website Zillow found that homes with “fireplace” in the listing sold an average of 3.8 days faster and for 2.8% more, which is $8,400 more on a $300,000 home. It also came in first place in a poll of the most popular exterior design elements done by the American Society of Landscape Architects. Whether you decide to sell or not, you will have enough to make your space nice all year long.
4. The front yard and the drive
If you want to sell your house, now is the perfect time to make your driveway look nice. Most of the time, the front of a house tells buyers what they can expect inside, and a poorly kept front yard can make buyers wonder what’s wrong with your house. Keep your grass and flowers trimmed and add garden borders and planters to keep everything in place. This is a simple way to give your lawn a new look. If you really want to take it to the next level, now is the time to redo your driveway and follow design trends by laying pavers in interesting and unique patterns. You will definitely look better, and people will look in your direction.
5. Lights in the yard
When planning a landscape renovation, people often forget to think about lighting. If you spend so much time and money on the outside of your house, wouldn’t you want to be able to enjoy the view even when it’s dark? Lighting not only makes your property safer to walk around at night, but it can also set the mood for your outdoor space. We recommend spending your money on high-quality lighting that can be set on a timer and is guaranteed to last for years. If you are redoing your steps, driveway, or another landscaping project, you might want to add built-in lighting like step lights or recessed lighting to highlight important parts of your landscaping.
Final Thought
We think that landscaping that is well-planned and well-designed is always worth the money. Whether it’s a better quality of life and mental health, more space for family activities, or a higher resale value, renovating your outdoor space is sure to bring you long-lasting benefits. So, why don’t you just do it? Find out how much your project will cost and give yourself the garden you’ve always wanted.
