When it comes to landscaping, hardscaping is a component that uses permanent, nonliving features in the yard to improve function, improve outdoor accessibility, expand living space, and reduce environmental impact over a traditional landscape, to give an appealing outlook. It might include a patio or deck, graveled or paved walks, terraced xeriscape, outdoor living rooms or kitchens, campfire areas, or water features, to name a few components. In creating a landscape design that is both usable and low maintenance, hardscaping components are often combined with sustainable plant beds or softscaping. In short, yes! Hardscaping significantly increases home value and is an investment.
This information is presented by our masonry Boston company. We’re the local experts in hardscaping and masonry.
How much value does hardscaping add?
Outdoor hardscape improvements increase the selling value while also providing your masonry with additional pleasure while they are still living in the home. It is confirmed in the research that investing in landscaping and hardscaping is a win-win situation, regardless of whether you want to live in your house or prepare it for the market.
Employing the services of a professional landscaper to embark on renovations, whether it’s improving their turf and growing a lush lawn, totally changing the face of their entire landscape, or adding new features like patios or exterior fireplaces, homeowners can be confident that they’re making a wise and worthwhile investment in their property.
How hardscaping enhances masonry value is detailed below.
Increase the curb appeal
According to real estate brokers, preparing a house for sale is all about making an excellent first impression. Enhancing your masonry exterior appeal and value may be achieved via simple upgrades such as retaining wall units or stone edging around your yard. Adding a gorgeous, practical front yard with a paved stone entry, patio, and a seat wall, on the other hand, is a more ambitious project that adds a lot of curb appeal.
The front outdoor living area benefits from various hardscape colors and textures. Retaining wall units and pavers may also be used to create a tree ring to lessen the need for pruning after mowing.
Security and privacy
Installing energy-efficient landscape lighting along with patios, paver paths, and beneath retaining wall caps may provide ambience and utility at night. Seat walls can also provide seclusion and shelter from the weather. Landscape specialists may advise how adding these and other hardscape components can raise the value of a property while also providing safety and privacy for residents.
Making unusable space usable
It assists in converting unusable regions, such as those that are not evenly leveled or shallow into a more productive area that may create more living space in the house.
Prevent erosion
Having hardscaping done correctly may assist in minimizing erosion and the resulting decline in the value of a property. Damage to your property might result in a decrease in the value of your house as well as a slew of hassles. It is critical to have a retaining wall system in place to avoid erosion, regulate grade changes in a yard, and prevent damage to the landscape and, in some instances, even damage to your house.
The fact remains that investing in your house’s landscaping with hardscapes is a long-term win-win situation, irrespective of the timeframe you intend to stay in your home or if you are preparing it for sale.
Furthermore, that investment is accompanied by the instant delight that comes from attractive landscaping and the long-term enjoyment that comes from outdoor living areas, all of which are invaluable.
How much does hardscaping cost?
The cost of hardscaping varies significantly since it depends on the size of the yard and what is currently there, and what you want to add to the yard. Including expert design, which is nearly always required for hardscaping, the typical cost of a patio, gazebo, paths, and the related plants, often known as xeriscaping, is roughly $15,000 to $30,000. But according to HomeAdvisor, Landscaping project costs range from $300 for tree stump removal to $16,300 for patio enclosures.
As an investor, your objective is to appeal to a broad range of people, regardless of your specialization, either in residential or commercial real estate, rehab, or rental properties. A visually pleasing outdoor space for tenants of an existing or projected apartment complex may help the complex compete in the marketplace while also lowering the ongoing maintenance expenses for landscaping and other grounds care. Another component of hardscaping that is now popular is the decrease in watering, mowing, and pesticide or herbicide usage, among other things. If you genuinely want to keep costs down, go for a considerable amount of low-maintenance softscaping suited for the location and a few walkways that meander around the garden.
Do paver patios add value to the home?
A paver patio increases the overall value of a property in various ways.
However, although concrete is a long-lasting material, it is essential to consider how it is constructed in a patio project. In part because of the fact that concrete is laid in slabs that cover a big area, it is prone to cracking over time. This may cause the look of the patio to be marred, safety issues to be introduced, and the need for costly repairs.
One of the most distinctive characteristics of pavers is that the individual pieces interlock to form the patio framework. This provides for more architectural freedom in the construction of an outdoor patio. Still, it also helps develop a more robust foundation that is more resistant to cracking due to natural pressures such as wind and rain.
The lengthy life period of a paver patio and the resulting savings in maintenance expenses may serve as an additional selling feature for prospective purchasers who are interested in outdoor living areas.
Invest in Hardscaping for Your Home Today!
Investing in your house’s landscaping with hardscapes is a long-term win-win situation, regardless of how long you intend to remain in your home or if you are preparing it for sale. The lengthy life period of a paver patio and the resulting savings in maintenance expenses is also a desirable function of hardscaping.
Reference:
AJ Marquardt – Industrial Marketing Management, 2013 – Elsevier
