Whether you’re planning to live in your home for 1 or 50 more years, it’s never a bad idea to increase the value of your home. You want to be calculated with your decisions, to make sure you don’t spend too much, but still make sure that your yard is seeing regular improvements. A quality landscape design can add 20% to the value of your home, which is far more than you’ll actually spend on the actual landscaping, as long as you are smart with your money and what improvements you choose to make.
Trees
Something you may not initially think of when you’re considering things to increase the value of your home, is trees. One of the most worthwhile things to do with your money when you’re landscaping your yard, is to invest in some good trees. You can expect to spend anywhere between $50 and $200 on a new tree, but as it grows, it will provide protection from sunlight, as well as other harsh elements.
Patios and ponds
One of the most common landscaping projects that adds a considerable amount of value, is patios and decks. A patio alone can make your home worth about 12% more. When you start your patio project, you can expect to spend around $1500 to $2500 on the entire project. A deck is another great project to think about. You want to pick an option that will work well with the natural landscaping you have available. Working with what you already have will also help you spend less money. When installing a deck, you can consider adding a small pond or water feature to add additional value.
Outdoor lighting
If you’ve ever tried to spend a summer evening in the backyard, and found yourself trying to enjoy the company on your guests in complete darkness, you’ll know the importance of having some sort of outdoor lighting. This is an inexpensive update that will more than pay itself off. You can light the path from your driveway to the front door, or add decorative lighting in the backyard that will not only be beautiful, but it will also be functional and helpful.
The great thing about all three of these projects, is that you can cater them to whatever your current budget is. No one says you have to do all of it at the same time. Talk to a landscape specialist, to evaluate your yard and figure out what projects are going to be the most useful for your specific yard.
