Take a look at your yard. Is it everything you want it to be? Perhaps you’ve got a very unexciting yard with grass and a lone tree. Why don’t you add a little pizazz? If you’re wary of hardscaping costs, don’t be! Hardscaping will bring a return value of 100% to 200% – even if you don’t sell your home. If you spend just 5% of what your home is worth on professional landscaping, when you decide to sell your house, it’ll add an extra 15% value. If you’re not planning on selling your home, there are still many added benefits! Renovation can be exciting and it’s very personal, but also included are a few hardscape ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
What is Hardscaping?
You’ve heard of landscaping, right? Basically renovating your lawn with living trees, grasses, flowers, and shrugs? Hardscaping is pretty much the same thing, but with the addition of man-made objects. Adding a stone pond, building a gazebo, and creating a rock garden are all hardscape ideas.
I’m Not Selling! Why Does It Benefit Me?
Even if you’re not planning on selling, there are still many benefits to hardscaping aside from the aesthetics. A single backyard tree can save you hundreds a year by slashing your AC unit’s and increasing efficiency usage by 10% to 50% if you shade the walls of your home right. It can also fight pollution, erosion, and storms, while also giving a home to wildlife. If you live in a noisy neighborhood or near a highway, trees can block 50% of unpleasant noises. You’ll be helping to clean the air clean, too! Keeping your lawn well taken care of can reduce nasty weeds like ragweed that produce allergens.
I’m Selling my Home. Will Potential Buyers See the Value?
Yes! In fact, 60% of potential buyers claim that a pretty yard can influence their decision. Many people will actually pay more for a home if it’s near a pleasant green space, as well. When you’re showing your home, be sure to keep watering your lawn with around an inch of water a week to avoid the thirsty lawn look: footprints that last for more than an hour and a sickly color.
I’d Love to Upgrade! How do I start?
You’re ready to renovate, great! First you’re going to have to come up with some good ideas. Then you should look around for a landscaping design company or experienced craftsmen. Here are some hardscape ideas to get you started!
- Stone Outdoor Walkways. Some pretty slate or other flat rock will sure to grab the attention of anyone nearby!
- Gorgeous Gazebo Hiring skilled carpenters is worth the money when you see what they create.
- Renovated Patio With a quick lawn and patio upgrade, you won’t recognize you own back yard.
- Goldfish Pond Having a decorative fish pond can be wonderful, just watch out for the birds.
- Rock Garden Maybe plants aren’t your thing. You might want to hire some contractors to even out your yard full of Zen pebbles!
Landscaping is a huge business in the United States, employing almost 900,000 people at just under 400,000 businesses. There are many companies to choose from, you’ve just got to the find the one that’s perfect for you.
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