Backyard Remodeling and Your Home's Value: What Improvements Offer the Best ROI

When you are looking for a way to increase your home's value, you miss a lot when you only look at indoor improvements. The landscaping around your home can make a large difference in the property's appeal and therefore resale.

But what types of outdoor improvements offer the most return on investment? The answer will depend on many factors. If your lot is sloped, decks and terraces can make a huge difference, turning a purely nominal area of land into truly valuable real estate. If your home is small, creating an outdoor living space can greatly expand the useable area and livable space of your home, especially in areas where outdoor areas can be used year round. And if your land is uncomfortably exposed to the elements and nearby sounds of traffic, some shelter and a water feature can turn it into a beautiful haven.

When it comes time to do a backyard renovation it pays to take a good look at the landscaping that already exists, troubleshoot the reasons why you don't like spending time there, and find creative solutions to make it the outdoor space of your dreams. Hiring a professional designer for your backyard remodeling projects can pay for itself many times over both in terms of your own enjoyment and in terms of home equity.

Your Backyard Renovation Begins with Hardscaping

When beginning your backyard renovation it is important to first assess the space that you will be remodeling. Size, surrounding landscape, exposure, slope, soil--all will play a part in your choices on how best to utilize your real estate. Leverage its strengths and mitigate its weaknesses by taking an objective look at what the land needs.

Small Yard? Maximize Space By Stacking Functions

If you don't have much room to work with you can still make a beautiful outdoor space. Start by improving privacy from occupants of neighboring lots by using fences, hedges or a combination.

Disguise the lot's size by using landscaping tricks that mask the edges of the area, like screens, raised beds and vertical features that take emphasis off of the cramped area.

A small patio, perhaps with a shading pergola, can serve as an al fresco dining area. Use a table that is easy to move, and it can become a bar alongside a seating area and small fire pit. Even a few hundred square feet can create a gracious outdoor area, so use your imagination and build in flexibility.

Sheltering Your Backyard Oasis from Surrounding Spaces

If you have beautiful views and are surrounded on all sides by beautiful natural scenery without a neighbor in sight, any boundaries you create can be purely aesthetic in nature. But if your yard is overlooked by someone's balcony and there is a busy street along the whole length of your lot you will probably want to put in some structure in order to create a feeling of seclusion.

Privacy fencing is often a good place to start, but sometimes you may want to go further. a well placed pavilion can shield a substantial amount of area from overlooking neighbors, and shrubs and vines absorb more sound than a simple fence.

Creating privacy will make your backyard feel safe and secluded, adding to your comfort and enjoyment of the space. The same improvements can also mitigate harsh natural forces like the sun and wind, creating a gentle haven.

Sloping Lots Can Be as Useful and Inviting as You are Willing to Make Them

A steep backyard creates some challenges that owners of flat space do not face, but it also provides opportunities for truly unique landscaping. Terracing and decks can make landing areas that feel sheltered and secluded due to the way they nestle against the hillside. A deck or patio that hugs a retaining wall, with a built in fire pit, creates a feeling of adventure and calls to mind exciting European mountain towns or ancient cities of the southwest.

Talk to a backyard remodeling company to find out how they would handle the unique problems your property presents.

Create a Restful Outdoor Living Space

Whatever the size of your home, a functional and peaceful outdoor living area will make it more enjoyable to live in. Nothing can beat the joy of cutting up food on concrete countertops, grilling in an outdoor kitchen, enjoying the food in the great outdoors, and gathering around a fire pit for drinks and conversation. Surrounded by flower beds and the wildlife that they attract, you can make your yard into a true refuge from the stresses of life.

If you have the budget and space, a pool is a great addition, but even a small water feature adds the beautiful sound of trickling or splashing, helping to mask the noises of the outside world, and provides a place for insects and birds to drink.

A lawn can be a beautiful thing, but so can native plants, pathways, and a patio if you are conscientious about water usage.

Setting achievable goals lets you have an informed approach as you talk with your backyard renovation expert. Ask about financing or personal loans in order to get started right away; the investment will quickly prove to be beneficial in many ways.

Start Your Backyard Makeover to Create a Private Outdoor Space

Whether entertaining family or enjoying daily relaxation alone, a beautifully designed outdoor living space cannot be evaluated solely in terms of cost. Maximizing the value of your home includes getting the most out of your property, and that can mean so much more than throwing some grass seed around. A backyard renovation project is one example of a time when the money spent pales in comparison to the improvement many homeowners experience after making the investment in their vision of their future oasis.

Your backyard renovation will add greatly to your quality of life in your home, and to your home equity as well. Start a backyard makeover project with the help of a professional designer and make the most of your property.