How Much Should I Spend?
Many Experts have stated that adding landscaping and outdoor spaces to a home can add as much as 20% to its value. In an era where home values have barely recovered from the woes of the housing market crash, strategies that add equity, while affording a unique benefit are worth a look. According to the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) homeowners should invest around 10% of their home’s value on outdoor living projects, including hardscapes, landscaping, and outdoor enclosed spaces. Turning that 10% investment into a 20% increase in equity depends on putting your money in the right places.
Start with the Basics
A recent survey of home builders found that a deck or patio was in the top three features sought after by home buyers. So if you have a home you ever intend to sell, consider starting there. The Hearth, Patio and Barbeque Association states that, “Americans have always “lived” outdoors, but the concept of Outdoor Living is a relatively new and rapidly growing phenomenon”. And the reason is simple, Outdoor Living style improvements add an element of space so necessary for the full enjoyment of a home, yet so lacking in most existing home floor plans.
Utilize Existing Spaces and Foundations
Sometimes starting from scratch is the only option. But if you have an existing patio, deck, or slab, consider utilizing it as a foundation for a possible Outdoor Living area. Many Specialty Contractors deal exclusively with products which are designed to provide coverage of such areas with minimal, if any, disruption to the foundation. Because they are lightweight yet strong, building materials like aluminum and specialty composites are capable of creating impressive and functional living spaces at a low price point.
If you don’t have a foundation, or have one which is smaller than your intentions, adding to a deck or patio is usually an economical proposition. Consider an applied coating to existing concrete. Or, you can etch and paint your slab for virtually any effect. An overlay of tile can be done on wood decks or concrete. And pavers can be set so as to create an entirely new surface on top of your existing foundation. Whatever the foundation, being able to build from it, without costly demolition, is a key to keeping costs to a minimum.
Glass and Flexible Pane Window Systems
Keeping out the cold can be a challenge as the Summer wanes, and unless you want to spend your Outdoor Living time in front of a fire you should consider patio window systems. Regardless of your scenario, there is a solution to be had. From fully insulated glass enclosures, to new flexible vinyl pane patio windows, which are removable for the Summer if desired, enclosing an existing space has come a long way.
Consider that when enclosing with glass, municipalities typically consider the space inside the glass to be part of the envelope of the home. So this additional square footage gets added into the existing square footage.
Flexible vinyl pane windows provide the same insulation as a single pane glass window, but are extremely lightweight. Yet in spite of their featherweight status, they take a beating, withstanding abuse which would shatter a glass window.
And the best part about it is these windows are custom built to fit your existing openings, saving time consuming and costly retrofitting, and affording the largest possible amount of “glass” and the least amount of frame. This keeps costs down while improving the visibility through the window set. Some windows can be as large as 9’ by 9’.
A Living Space and a Cooking Space
According to the National Outdoor Kitchen and Fireplace Association (NOKFA), the outdoor kitchen, “has become one of the most popular home improvements for consumers across America”. Perfect for outdoor enthusiast who love to entertain, such spaces bring people together around a activity everyone enjoys, eating. And with a little planning, you can have a space that gets around many of the common pitfalls of an outdoor kitchen.
First, its outdoors. So when its hot, or raining, or buggy, it is just not the same. Second, adding on to a home in the traditional way is costly and time consuming. By creating a synergistic space which incorporates the cooking area with a level of comfortable living space, an economy of use is created. Because the area serves multiple purposes, the investment for each goes down dramatically. And by using green building products like aluminum insulated roof systems and screened enclosed wall systems, which are built to the same wind load as the house itself, a strong, dependable, and functional space is created at a minimum cost.
So consider your options carefully, and turn that 10% investment into a 20% improvement in your home’s value, and spend more time outdoors enjoying the seasons on your terms.
Andray Herron • All Custom Aluminum