Does Hardscaping Add Value to Your Home?

It’s easy to drive through a neighborhood and spot which residents spend time and energy on their landscaping. Their beautiful flowers, well-trimmed trees, and perfectly manicured grass turn heads instantly, so we know it adds overall value to their home.

But what about hardscaping, like adding non-living features like walkways, patios, and ponds? Can hardscaping add value to your home? Let’s find out.

Can Hardscaping Add Value to a Home?

Whether the landscaping you add to your home is softscaping — using plants, flowers, and other greenery — or hardscaping, it can add up to a 20 percent return on investment to your home value. This figure becomes even more relevant to high-end homes, where buyers expect an impressive home’s exterior to match the luxury inside.

Regardless of your home’s size or market value, the general rule of thumb is to spend about 10 percent of your home’s value on its landscaping. While that may sound like a lot, creating an outdoor paradise that includes both softscape and hardscape features can add up quickly.

Luckily, with that 20 percent return on investment possibility, you know it will be worth it in the end. You will also get to enjoy your outdoor space by essentially extending your home’s square footage to the outside.

Which Hardscape Installations Add the Most Value?

When considering which hardscapes to install, it’s essential to think about resale value. In other words, what sort of hardscapes are appealing to just about everyone? For you, a fantastically-designed chicken coop might be priceless, but it may turn off potential buyers.

Here are some typical hardscapes that will always add value to your home:

• Decks/Patios: A simple set-up where you and guests can comfortably sit outdoors and enjoy the fresh air is appealing to everyone.
• Awnings: Providing protection from the sun or rain enhances an outdoor sitting area even more.
• Outdoor Kitchens: Having the conveniences of a kitchen like running water and counter space makes this option even more exciting.
• Dining Areas: While cooking outside is great, it’s even better when you can enjoy your meal outdoors, too.
• Pergolas: These architectural structures are an eye-catching way to provide shade and incorporate softscaping elements.
• Permeable Walkways: With an added-bonus of sustainability, permeable walkways are practical and eco-friendly.

Regardless of what you decide to add, incorporating your hardscapes with your softscapes is crucial. Not only will it look more visually appealing and inviting, but it will also help to potentially increase your return on investment even more.

How Does Hardscaping Add Value to My Home?

These added elements will make a home even more attractive to potential buyers. They will be able to imagine themselves relaxing on the patio while the grill heats a delicious dinner for their family and friends.

Essentially, any well-constructed add-ons to your outdoor property will help increase its overall value. When the hardscapes that you incorporate into your space blend nicely with your beautiful softscapes, you’ll create an outdoor “room” for your home that no one could turn down.

North Atlantic Landscape has built a reputation for quality work and transparent values in the site work, snow management and trucking sectors. Our approach to landscaping is exactly the same. Invest in the best equipment, hire the best personnel, develop the best management plan and do what we said we would do. NAL provides commercial and residential landscaping services throughout the Seacoast Region of New Hampshire, York County in Maine, and Essex County in Massachusetts. Request your free landscape assessment today!