Is It Worth It? How to Value an Outdoor Living Space
Before making any major decision, people typically evaluate many underlying characteristics about the choice. With the election nearing, say you’re choosing to run for President. How much is the campaign going to cost? Will your reputation be tarnished by being under this degree of public scrutiny? Can you handle it emotionally and physically? Do you have the experience necessary to be a legitimate candidate? All of these questions have an impact on whether or not you would pursue further. This basic mindset can be applied (though not as extreme as running for President!) to considering whether or not to hire a contractor and start construction on an outdoor living space. Due to the many variables, this choice will need to be looked at from different angles. In this post, I’ll attempt to ease some of those concerns and display ones where research may be needed.
There are a few contractors available in my area. How do I gauge these, without having knowledge of the basics of hardscaping, and have confidence in my choice?
Any backyard renovation can be largely beneficial. However, were you to hire the wrong guy for the job, it can quickly turn into a disaster. At Hinkle Hardscapes, we encourage all clients to check out our Contractor Checklist found in our free eBook. This will give a quick guide to go off of, but there are still concepts you’ll have to personally assess.
The key is to be patient. Don’t rush into something. If this means waiting an extra week or two to book the services of the most qualified contractor, do it! Often times, if a contractor can start construction next week, it’s likely a major red flag and it won’t take long for your investment to become a headache. To paint a clearer picture, the less busy one is likely means the less work they have and probably a lack of overall experience. Proceed with caution! These are the type of things every prospective homeowner should be looking out for. Simply put, without the right contractor in place, I’d have trouble endorsing any outdoor living space as being worth the pricetag!
Can a new outdoor living space actually increase the value of your home?
The straightforward answer to this is YES! Depending on the survey looked at, this return on investment can vary. From personal research, I’ve seen this number reach upwards of 10%. With this said, keep in mind that not every outdoor living space will result in that sizeable of an increase. As referenced in the previous section, this is directly impacted by the design and construction stages. Here’s some quick tips:
- Blending Hardscapes with Landscapes – If you do resell your house, the value may be diminished if the entire backyard is covered by the patio. In contrast, having too small of a patio will fail to improve the ROI as well. Any quality contracting company will send out a designer to ensure this isn’t even a minor concern.
- Quality Materials – Before construction commences, the homeowner should be knowledgeable about the durability (and even the existence of maintenance services) of their new space. Whether it be the patio surface, the kitchen products, or any other element, you should understand that you’ll get what you paid for.
I want to improve the backyard space, but am unsure how much I’ll use it once it’s done.
Obviously, this isn’t a question we can personally answer, as it depends on the homeowner. Despite this, the most telling sign of any small business is reviews. With real testimonials out there, you can see how their customers react to the individual projects. At Hinkle Hardscapes, we take pride in utilizing the creative abilities of our designers to truly understand a client’s wishes. A home renovation project is something that often sounds great, but is tough to put on paper. That is what our designers are there for and they’ll ensure the space won’t go to waste. Maybe this means utilizing the space to roast marshmallows with the kids or throwing a Chiefs gameday party. In the end, we can assure you’ll find use for this new hangout.
If you are interested in learning more about adding hardscaping to your outdoor space, click here or call (816) 608-8870 to schedule an initial design consultation with Hinkle Hardscapes.
Written By: Brandon Ogle
