Landscaping and hardscaping can make your property more attractive, comfortable, and valuable financially. These add-ons, such as patios, pergolas, water features, and fire pits, can increase the value of your home.
Table of Contents
Maintenance
It’s easy to see the difference between a landscaped property and one with just grass and trees. The lawn mowed regularly, the properly watered and fertilized plants, and the hardscapes that add structure to the landscape turn heads and increase the property’s value.
As the name suggests, hardscaping refers to non-living elements that are added to a property’s landscape, such as walkways and pathways, patios, grill surrounds, fire pits and water features, pergolas and arbors, garden walls, and even outdoor kitchens. Adding these hardscapes increases the utility of the space and makes it an enjoyable place for family and guests to spend time.
It’s essential to match the color and style of the hardscape materials with the existing landscaping to ensure they look cohesive. Excessive use of hardscape can make a space feel cold and unwelcoming, so it’s important to mix the design with softscape features to add warmth and balance to the landscape.
Curb Appeal
Curb appeal refers to the way that a property looks from street level. It makes a home stand out positively among the rest of the neighborhood and is one of the first things potential buyers notice.
A well-maintained lawn, colorful flower beds, and trimmed trees contribute to curb appeal. Even small details like a dingy driveway or an overgrown bush can reduce the value of a home, so it is worth the extra effort to keep up with maintenance.
Hardscaping is everything that is not living, while softscapes are things like shrubs and grass. Hardscapes include paths and pavers to retaining walls, patios, and water features. Some examples of landscape design projects with great curb appeal are bridges, ponds, and fire pits. These add-ons not only make your yard look attractive, but they also increase the livability of the outdoor space and can help you get top dollar for your property when you sell it.
Functionality
A well-designed and installed hardscape can increase the value of your property in terms of functionality. It can also enhance your enjoyment of the compound. For example, a pathway makes it easy to traverse the yard, and you can add lighting for safety purposes. A fire pit is another great addition to make your backyard more enjoyable.
You can also use the hardscape to shape, define, and unify the different elements of your landscape. A good example is a garden walkway made of gravel, brick, concrete, or stone that artistically connects the various areas of your home. As you help your customers select the right hardscapes for their properties, remind them that they are a win-win investment, whether they plan to sell their homes in the future. Buyers will appreciate the beauty and functionality of their landscaping, and they can recoup the initial costs when it comes time to sell.