A Well-Planned Landscape Design Influences Homeowner Pride, Property Value
When they are preparing to make a major acquisition, such as a new home, the majority of people are not likely in a financial position to pay the entire purchase amount outright and will thus need to obtain a mortgage. Under such circumstances, the maximum price range/market for that home buyer will often be calculated on the basis of affordability; a standard rule for many lenders is that the monthly housing payments (principal, interest, taxes, insurance) should not exceed 28-30% of total family income before taxes.
A similar type of approach can be useful when that homeowner wants to determine their property landscaping budget after taking possession of their home. And although a new landscape design is typically a singular investment rather than the more extended nature of a loan or mortgage, having a clear budget for any/all landscaping is just as important. To that end, real estate experts often advocate that the maximum spend on landscaping should be in the range of 10-15% of the total value of the home; their recommendation further suggests that two-thirds of such an investment be allocated to the backyard and the balance to the front of the property.
To begin this landscape design process, homeowners might want to develop a wish list of ideas; in other words, if money was no object, what are all of the landscaping elements that they would like to have incorporated within their property? Then, by consulting with a professional landscape designer, such as the specialists from Landcare, the homeowner can first gain an appreciation for the practicality of adding each element to the property, followed by an estimate of the design and installation costs for the viable alternatives, to create a plan that best suits their home, tastes, and budget allocations as defined above.
Now, back to that wish list of landscape design elements; here are some ideas that could spark a homeowner’s interest and/or generate a few more notions of their own:
- Native plants
- Water features
- Outdoor lighting
- Ponds/rain gardens
- Private relaxation area
- Games/entertainment area
- Outdoor kitchen or living room
- Fire pit or wood-fired outdoor oven
- Natural stone walls, walkways, patios
- Urn/container plantings (an edible garden?)
- Wood construction (painted in vibrant colours)
While this is indeed an extensive list, albeit incomplete, it undoubtedly includes concepts that will likely be more feasible for certain types of properties and homeowner budgets and less practical for others. However, making the proper choices in terms of landscape design features, within budget, can not only positively impact pride of ownership but also property value; the extent of these latter two results can be dependent on the choice of landscape designer – one such option is the skilled and experienced team from Landcare.
Experienced Landscape Designers to Help Maximize Your Landscaping Budget
Working with a professional landscape design company like Landcare can offer a number of benefits to homeowners. As part of assisting a homeowner in selecting the elements best suited to their landscaping style and budget, the Landcare designers will incorporate their knowledge and experience with respect to:
Aesthetics- Functionality
- Choice of materials
- Amount of natural light
- Orientation of the property
- Positioning of outdoor lighting
- Soil conditions; moisture levels
- Natural contours of the property
- Harmony with existing landscaping
- Ongoing maintenance requirements
Furthermore, Landcare’s comprehensive services include the expertise of skilled masonry specialists and carpenters; this allows the homeowner to use one landscaping contractor for the design and construction of multiple types of features, and perhaps stretch/extend their budget versus hiring multiple contractors for the same project.
Capitalize on Landcare’s experienced landscape design services and transform your ideas for your home and property into an aesthetically-pleasing and value-added reality. Call the professionals from Landcare today at 647-557-7307 to schedule a no-obligation consultation on how we can help maximize your landscaping budget.