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Hardscaping: Enchance The Beauty And Value Of Your Home

Jul 24, 2020

How Hardscaping Can Increase Your Home's Value

Hardscaping includes the parts of your landscape design made of non-organic elements intended to be permanent improvements to your property's surface structure and outdoor living spaces. Hardscaping features include pavement, retaining and sleeper walls, walkways, patios, fire pits, and pools. Properly designed and constructed hardscaping can provide a significant return on investment when it comes to putting your property on the market. Realtors emphasize the importance of outdoor curb appeal in attracting potential buyers. In this post, we discuss some of the most popular hardscaping projects that increase property values.

Patios And Decks

Patios and decks can provide a considerable extension of your home's living space and entertainment options. The curb appeal of an inviting deck or patio in your back yard encourages the majority of potential buyers interested in quality outdoor living to further look at your property. While decks and other wooden structures require regular maintenance and stone and concrete surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned seasonally, these structures become permanent fixtures and essential parts of your home.

If your property is subject to erosion or loose soil, professionally designed and constructed patios and decks can be secured against instability and used to help retain soil and divert unwanted water from your yard. Patios have long been a standard of residential hardscaping. The possibilities for patio spaces are limited only by your imagination, and permanent seating, flower beds, and water features are popular choices for patio spaces that enjoy exposure to open skies on sunny days and starlit evenings.

Outdoor Kitchens

Outdoor cooking and dining spaces have exploded in popularity and can provide a return on investment of double the expense of construction. This is another hardscaping project that can be tailored to fit any budget. An entire kitchen can be created in your outdoor space. From a permanent grill and simple dining area to full-featured kitchens, including stovetops, ovens, refrigerators, and sinks set around expansive dining and relaxing areas, no options are off the table.

The adage that a home's market appeal begins with the kitchen is just as true regarding your outdoor living space's visual appeal. These projects can have added expenses as regulations and permit requirements may apply to extend electricity, water, and plumbing hardware from your main structure to your outside kitchen. We will always be prepared to provide a complete and accurate estimate of costs for proposed projects so that you can make appropriate budgeting choices.

Fire Pits

Fire pits are extremely popular and provide a high value for return on investment and will likely become the most used part of your outdoor space for nighttime entertaining and relaxing. Potential buyers immediately identify with the sense of togetherness and hospitality a fire pit presents. Depending on your preferences, a fire pit can be designed to use either dry firewood, propane, or natural gas. Gas-powered fire pits are always ready for an instant start and do not require purchasing and storing bulky wood fuel. Wood burning pits can provide more significant heat and aesthetic appeal while keeping your party involved in feeding and stoking the fire.

Everyone enjoys a nice fire, and you will find that a fire pit gets extensive use and gives a fantastic value to your family's enjoyment and use of your outdoor area while adding significant resale value.

Retaining Walls

Especially for homes built on hilly terrain or areas with significant surface water runoff, retaining walls are excellent investments in your property's value and can significantly reduce future maintenance and landscaping needs. Erosion control also protects your home's foundation against long term shifting and weakening.

Unlike ordinary landscaping timbers or other wooden elements, professionally designed retaining walls using stone and other permanent materials can last a lifetime. Along significant slopes, retaining walls can incorporate stone steps and terraced leveled areas, significantly increasing your usable outdoor living space and usefulness. Walls can also incorporate virtually any type of landscaping, including many types of plants and decorative elements. Features that protect property against erosion while increasing utility and usable space will add to its overall marketability and value.

Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting provides an outstanding bang for your hardscaping design buck, and can enhance nighttime curb appeal in surprising ways while providing simple and effective security against intruders and burglars. Yards and walkways are made much safer for nighttime use with appropriate lighting.

Outdoor lighting projects can provide an average return on investment of around 50 percent. Interested buyers are sure to check out your neighborhood at night and will be immediately impressed with a well-designed outdoor lighting system.

Emerald Meadows Landscaping is your first choice for professional hardscaping advice and construction throughout the metropolitan Indianapolis area. Our attention to detail, artistic skill and expertise, and unmatched customer service assure you that your property's hardscaping is the best it can be. Contact us today for a comprehensive estimate for all of your hardscaping and other landscaping needs.

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