{"id":15416,"date":"2020-03-31T13:35:46","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T20:35:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=15416"},"modified":"2024-03-18T07:55:16","modified_gmt":"2024-03-18T14:55:16","slug":"does-hardscaping-add-value","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/does-hardscaping-add-value\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Hardscaping Add Value to Your Home or Is Lots of Greenery Better?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hardscaping goes far beyond the decomposed granite, gravel, and river rock you apply around plants to discourage weeds. The term \u201chardscaping\u201d in fact encompasses everything that\u2019s not a living part of your landscape, according to Jack Zunino, a landscape architect since 1980 and owner of JW Zunino Landscape Architecture<\/a> in Las Vegas, Nevada.<\/p>\n

Think pathways and pavers<\/a>, patios<\/a> and pergolas, fire pits<\/a> and water features, play spaces and outdoor kitchens. Even a \u201cZen den<\/a>,\u201d a designated space designed for relaxing among nature, complete with a secluded divider and comfortable seating, falls into the hardscaping camp.<\/p>\n

Although buyers can find hardscaping in virtually any price range, it\u2019s particularly popular among high-end properties above $500,000, says Micah Pearson<\/a>, a top-selling agent in the Salt Lake City, Utah, area. Before you rip up your grass to lay flagstone, let\u2019s look at the best ways for hardscaping to add value to your home.<\/p>\n

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Source: (Ozgur Coskun \/ Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Trends in hardscaping: Sustainable design and functional space on the rise<\/h2>\n

Homeowners love outdoor space. According to the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP), 79% of Americans rank a lawn as the most important feature<\/a> when renting or buying a home. Outdoor space is most popular among millennials (82%), compared to 81% of people in Generation X and 77% of baby boomers, the NALP says.<\/p>\n

As for how people use it, consumers want sustainable design elements such as permeable paving<\/a> (74%), as well as landscapes that are low-maintenance<\/a> (80%), according to the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).<\/p>\n

While interior designers often mention \u201cbringing the outdoors in,\u201d surveys show that homeowners love the reverse: taking indoor features outside. Outdoor kitchens continue to top the list of popular kitchen features at 48%, according to the American Institute of Architects Home Design Trends Survey<\/a> for the first quarter of 2020.<\/p>\n

Allison Messner, cofounder of Yardzen<\/a>, an online landscape design service that created more than 3% of all landscape designs nationwide in 2019, says in the company\u2019s 2020 Outdoor Design Trends Forecast <\/i>that many clients want to extend their home\u2019s functional space<\/a> by improving their yards and creating outdoor \u201crooms\u201d that add square footage to a house economically. An open-air dining space<\/a> was the most popular design feature that Yardzen clients requested.<\/p>\n

Hardscaping vs. xeriscaping: What\u2019s the difference?<\/h2>\n

Hardscaping reduces the maintenance of your landscape, much like xeriscaping, but the two terms aren\u2019t interchangeable. While xeriscaping can incorporate hardscaping features such as gravel and pavers, it focuses on native plant materials and uses less water, such as through drip irrigation. Some estimates say that xeriscaping can reduce a home\u2019s water use by up to 60%<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Although xeriscaping isn\u2019t lush \u2014 the prefix \u201cxeri\u201d originates from a Greek word meaning \u201cdry\u201d<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s not all about hard surfaces, either. Sometimes called \u201cdesert landscaping<\/a>,\u201d xeriscaping is prevalent in dry climates such as the Southwestern United States. The Southern Nevada Water Authority, for instance, offers a \u201cWater Smart Landscapes<\/a>\u201d rebate program, paying $3 per square foot of grass replaced with desert landscaping up to the first 10,000 square feet.<\/p>\n

In Utah, xeriscaping is more common at commercial properties, but it\u2019s gaining traction among homeowners who don\u2019t want to or can\u2019t take care of the yard as much anymore, Pearson says.<\/p>\n

Hardscaping vs. landscaping: Which has more value?<\/h2>\n

Industry experts say that hardscaping and landscaping provide the most value when they complement each other. According to one survey between the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the NALP, projects that gave consumers the greatest desire to be at home<\/a> include:<\/p>\n