Landscaping has some serious benefits to a property. It turns nondescript homes to a stunning sight for your guests with just some minor tweaks. Let us take a look at how this process of making a yard or any piece of land more attractive is an investment worth considering.
How Does Landscaping Add Value to My Property?
Landscaping is an art in itself. It is not just about lawn cutting in Sandy, Utah or planting trees in Palm Beach, Florida. It requires careful studying and planning of what works and what won’t, the type of climate in the area, and the area’s natural grade, among other things. This is why getting the right landscaper is crucial. You wouldn’t put a Ferrari in the hands of an unqualified driver now, would you? That’s about the same logic. The right contractor could spell the difference between success and disaster.
With the right landscaping ideas, your property’s value will increase to a great extent. It makes for a great first impression to anyone looking to buy your property. Even backyard landscaping adds significant worth to your home. It is one of those home improvements that add value to your property immediately and increases as the years go by.
A well-landscaped property will fetch a significantly higher price in the market over a home with no landscaping work. This advantage could go anywhere between 5.5% and 12.7% depending on the home’s original value and the type of landscaping improvement done. If you have a $300,000 home, that’s immediately an extra $16,500 to $38,100 made on curb appeal and landscape care.
A landscape filled with large and mature plants is indicative of years of care and tending. Most buyers take it as a signal that the inside of the home is also well taken care of.
Can You Landscape on a Budget?
Home improvements aren’t cheap. Landscaping costs aren’t much different. In terms of dollar amount, the rule of thumb is to allocate 10% of your home’s value to landscaping work. For the sake of discussion, let’s say you’re starting from scratch. With the amount of work needed to be done, expect to shell out anywhere between $3,000 to $15,000 at $4 to $12 per square foot (depending on the size of the property).
Even if you don’t have that kind of money on you, you can still pull off a decent landscaping project with the right plan and know-how. Draw up a master plan for your ideal garden and work your way gradually to it. You may divvy it up in several phases, working on it one phase at a time. Consider adding color with annuals, perennials, or seasonal flowering shrubs, removing weeds, edging, mulching, and getting the grass as green and lush as possible.
What Are the Other Benefits of Landscaping?
Aside from monetary value, many who invested in landscaping have a sense of pride and enjoyment in their homes. Planned landscaping can reduce a property’s energy costs as trees, shrubs, and other plants act as shade to keep the home cool during hot weather and serve as windbreakers during winter. Plants also affect a person’s physical and psychological well-being as they help reduce mental fatigue and increase concentration and productivity. Plus, gardening is a good exercise for the body.
The right landscaping ideas can increase your home’s value. You can get maximum return on it as you enjoy its environmental and health benefits.
