Tag: Patio

11 DIY Patio Upgrade Ideas

On January 30, 2023

Upgrading your patio includes installing furniture and other features

Need ideas and help deciding how to upgrade your patio? Knowing which DIY projects can help increase your patio’s appeal and comfort will make your patio an irresistible destination.

domestic-construction.com gathered the following information and tips on several easy and inexpensive DIY patio upgrade ideas.

1. Install a Garden

Upgrading your patio includes installing a container garden

Well-placed, blooming mixed planters and pots add ambiance and style to your patio. Flowers, herbs, and plants will help make the space feel homier, smell delightful, and attract hummingbirds and butterflies.

Take your gardening skills to the patio with custom containers, boxes, and raised beds. Hanging plants like fern, verbena, and begonia are particularly beautiful when in bloom and overflowing from their containers.

Note: Container gardening can be a solution for those who can’t have a traditional garden planted in the ground. It provides:

A flexible planting site.
Freedom from poor soil.
The ability to move plants around with the seasons.

Tip: Some plants, like citronella grass, marigolds, basil, and rosemary, are known to efficiently repel mosquitoes.

2. Upgrade Patio Shade

Upgrading your patio includes covering it for shade

Build a pergola, hang your plants from it, and place your patio furniture underneath it to get relief from the sun. A fabric pergola cover can provide extra protection for those overly sensitive to sunlight. A less expensive solution is to seek shade under a patio umbrella, patio awning, or an easily installed shade sail.

Tip: A long-term solution is to plant a tree near the patio to provide natural shade as it matures.

3. Install Patio Lighting

Upgrading your patio includes installing string lights

Add atmosphere to your patio with custom LED, strip, string, or hanging lighting. Add landscape lighting to trees, sidewalks, steps, or your pool to enhance your patio experience.

Tip: Hire an electrician to professionally run electrical wiring where needed for your lighting installations.

4. Install Storage Space

Upgrading your patio includes installing a storage shed

Storage is crucial for entertaining supplies, accessories, equipment, and tools for yard maintenance. People tend to purchase accessories and equipment that take up more storage space than is typically available, making a supplemental storage unit highly useful.

5. Plant a Privacy Screen

Upgrading your patio includes planting a privacy screen

You should plant privacy trees far enough apart so that they can reach maturity without overgrowing each other. Spacing your trees is determined by the trees’ mature crown width, and this spacing also prevents crowding your trees’ root systems. You can achieve this by measuring your trees’ centers 24 inches to 36 inches apart when planting (depending on the species). Popular tree species for privacy screens include:

Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
Giant Arborvitae (Thuja plicata)
Leyland cypress (Cupressus)
American Holly (Ilex opaca)
Hollywood Juniper (Juniperus chinensis)
Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica)

Tip: Mulching around your trees is a must. Use the same mulch type and color throughout your landscape to create a unified aesthetic.

6. Upgrade Patio Furniture

Upgrading your patio includes updating its furniture

Make your patio a space where you want to relax on comfortable and stylish patio furniture. Make sure there’s enough seating for everyone, and add outdoor pillows for enhanced comfort.

7. Install Wireless Speakers

Upgrading your patio includes installing wireless or bluetooth speakers

Whether you want to listen to some smooth jazz, the game, catch up on a podcast, or get the day’s breaking news, wireless speakers can bring your favorite soundscape to your patio without tripping over any wires. Many wireless speakers work with Bluetooth and can be synched with most mobile devices for the ultimate patio convenience.

8. Install a Fire Pit

Upgrading your patio includes installing a fire pit

A fire pit is a classic patio upgrade. It extends the useful life of the patio during cooler weather. It is perfect for gathering loved ones around a cozy evening setting. Building a fire pit yourself is a highly satisfying and fun project.

9. Install a Wood-Fired Pizza Oven

Upgrading your patio includes installing a pizza oven

An outdoor pizza oven brings freshly cooked cuisine to the patio without leaving grease and smoke stains on your kitchen walls. A wood-fired pizza oven looks great on or near a patio and pairs well with a grill to handle your most delicious and smokiest meal preparations.

10. Install a Gas Grill

Upgrading your patio includes installing a gas grill

Stop worrying about running out of charcoal or propane. Run a natural gas line to your outdoor grill and solve your grilling needs. An outdoor gas line allows you to grill “on demand” and eliminates any low-fuel worries.

Tip: Hire a licensed professional gas fitter, pipe fitter, or natural gas plumber to run the gas line.

11. Install and Stock an Outdoor Bar

Upgrading your patio includes installing a wet bar

Extend your living space without overspending your budget. Consider installing an outdoor television to take your game-watching outdoors, and add a built-in mini refrigerator or cooler for the perfect outdoor bar.

Bonus: Install a Water Feature

Upgrading your patio includes installing a water feature like a koi pond

Whether you want a fountain, waterfall, birdbath, or koi pond, installing a water feature requires a water source, an electric (or battery-operated) pump, some waterproofing, and a water collection/reclaiming and filtering system. You can hire a professional but installation is often easier than expected.

Tip: A plumber and/or electrician may be required for more elaborate water feature installations.

Will Upgrading My Patio Increase My Home’s Value?

Yes. Adding a covered patio or upgrading an existing one adds value to your home. However, like any upgrade, it’s crucial to remember that high-end, extravagant upgrades won’t increase the home’s value any more than economical, more useful upgrades.

Note: A well-executed patio upgrade can increase a home’s value by 8 to 10%.

Patio Upgrades

In this article, you discovered easy and affordable ways to upgrade your patio, increasing its appeal, practicality, and comfort.

Upgrading your patio will help you, your loved ones, and guests spend more time in touch with the outdoors without the challenges of extreme temperatures or a lack of activities.

Failing to enhance your patio can not only make your time outdoors uncomfortable, but hurt your resale value and aesthetic potential.

Sources:
extension.psu.edu/using-trees-and-shrubs-for-privacy-and-wind-screening
fcs-hes.ca.uky.edu/sites/fcs-hes.ca.uky.edu/files/hf-lra-007.pdf
mgsantaclara.ucanr.edu/garden-help/container-gardening/
extension.psu.edu/using-trees-and-shrubs-for-privacy-and-wind-screening

11 Ideas that Increase Your Home’s Curb Appeal

By Trish

On August 26, 2022

In node

There are many ways to increase a propertys curb appeal like planting trees and painting

Don’t leave money on the table and settle for lower offers when selling because your curb appeal is lacking. Knowing how your home’s curb appeal can negatively influence its value will help motivate you to make it cleaner, sleeker, cozier, and more inviting to prospective buyers.

domestic-construction.com gathered the following information and tips on how to raise your home’s value by increasing its curb appeal.

What is Curb Appeal

Curb appeal is your residential or commercial property’s exterior attractiveness, as viewed from the street. The term was introduced and exhaustively used in the United States during the housing boom and persists as an indicator of the initial allure or appeal of a property to prospective buyers.

An elevated curb appeal helps sell a home more quickly, and for significantly more money because of the initial positive impact it has on buyers. Consider the following home upgrades and modifications that can substantially elevate your home’s curb appeal:

1. Plant Ornamental Trees

Trees add dimensional levels and splashes of color to your yard’s design with little maintenance required. Small trees are straightforward to trim and you could choose a boxwood shrub or Juniper tree to sculpt into a head-turning topiary.

2. Flourishing Greenery

There are many ways to increase a propertys curb appeal like planting grass bushes and trees

Beautiful front yards don’t necessarily need meticulously designed flower gardens. Shrubs, grasses, trees, and ornamentals can create a welcoming space like walking into a forest. Occasional watering and seasonal pruning are what these landscapes need to thrive.

Tip: Seasonally refresh any mulch or gravel you use around your trees and garden

3. Flower Appeal

Flower beds add splashes of color and flowing texture to your landscaping. Plant companion flower beds around trees and other features for a simple and striking finish. Extensive flower beds with flowing edges and shapes create depth.

Tip: Start a container garden on your porch for a beautiful and mobile garden feature.

4. Install Landscape Lighting

There are many ways to increase a propertys curb appeal like landscape lighting

Landscape lighting can illuminate the best features of your yard while adding shape, depth, and dimension. Line your walkways for decor and safety, and hang string lights on your patio for late-night entertaining and dining.

Installing walkway, perimeter, and garden lighting highlights your front yard’s features and makes your home more welcoming or inviting. Light up a specimen tree, your front porch, or a nicely pruned row of shrubs. Angle a spotlight toward the canopy of a sprawling tree to add depth to your lighting design.

Tip: Choose solar lights to eliminate any electrical wiring and significantly save on your utility bills.

5. Replace Gutters and Downspouts

Dented or peeling gutters and downspouts make a horrible impression on would-be buyers. Perk up the appearance of your home while guaranteeing the diversion of rainwater from your roofing system with updated gutters and downspouts.

6. Repair or Replace Your Roofing System

The home’s roof is typically one of the deciding factors when closing its sale. Buyers tend to shy away from homes in need of significant or expensive roof repairs. A leaking roofing system is often responsible for causing costly structural damages requiring extensive repairs. A new or repaired roof looks good and increases the home’s curb appeal, and adds a firm sense of security to your home.

Note: Your roofing system’s integrity carries considerable weight when your home is evaluated for its true market value.

Tip: The value of an existing or new roofing system is considered “hard equity” and can be added to the home’s overall value.

7. Repaint Your Home

One of the fastest and easiest ways to clean up a home’s appearance is to give it a fresh, vibrant coat of paint. Painting affords you the opportunity to:

Change the home’s color scheme
Highlight interesting exterior features
Clean up its exterior
Find and fix exterior damages or irregularities
Modernize the home’s appearance

Note: Small structural defects are often only found when preparing to repaint.

Tip: Repainting your home can have one of the most significant impacts on its curb appeal.

8. Install a Fence

There are many ways to increase a propertys curb appeal like installing a picket fence

The classic picket fence always makes a house feel like a home. Install partial or complete fencing to outline your yard and add some “old-school” charm to your home. A smaller fence is excellent for defining flower beds or the lawn’s edges.

9. Porch and Patio Cleanliness

Power-wash your porch and patio, and don’t forget to remove debris from between wood boards. Add a protective weather sealant if your deck is due for a new coating and retouch as necessary or repaint the whole patio for a refreshed appearance.

10. Refresh or Replace Your Outdoor Furniture

There are many ways to increase a propertys curb appeal like replacing outdoor furniture

Any outdoor furniture that’s old, faded, and in need of repair should be thrown out or updated. A coat of spray paint on porch benches or outdoor seating can quickly give it new life.

11. Replace Your Mailbox

If you have a mailbox bordering the street, replace it when it starts looking old. A new mailbox and a post price are insignificant when leveraged against the potential gains. When you install a new mailbox, make sure you follow regulations set forth by the United States Post Office.

Curb Appeal

In this article, you discovered information and tips on increasing your home’s curb appeal sub sequentially raising its overall market value.

Knowing how a cleaner, sharper, and brighter curb appeal can influence your home’s value should motivate you to constantly seek landscape and home improvements.

Ignoring your home’s visual appearance will lead to a shabby, unattractive look with low curb appeal and a significant decrease in its market value.

Sources:
gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/outdoor-living/curb-appeal.html
newswire.caes.uga.edu/story/5761/curb-appeal.html
sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/media/sfylifasufledu/pinellas/lawn-and-garden/Curb-Appeal.pdf