Add value? Traditional cottage garden or tropical palms & decking?

Martin_Knott-Lewis

Mmmm.... I've just been pondering which would add value to our property if we ever decide to sell. Which would more buyers prefer? And which would buyers be prepared to pay extra for? And which would YOU prefer and why?

One option would be a traditional cottage garden with a stone patio, a lawn, curved path, flower beds and some fruit trees.

The other option would be a wooden decking patio, a gravel area, geometric paths and sub-tropical date palms, etc.

You get the picture....;)

Oh, we are in the temperate S.E. of England which makes either option possible. Ordinary suburb really.

Any thoughts?

tom_thumb_2

what sort of house do you live in ?

PasturesNew

I'd want a combination.

No decking: rats can live under it, the wood might get slippy in the wet/winter ... and it'll rot one day and be a pain.

I plan to have a beach-style garden though, low maintenance, but no decking in sight.

BitterAndTwisted

I doubt a garden of any particular kind would actually add any value to a house but you might get lucky and find a buyer who wants exactly what you have.

I wouldn't go for decking personally, it's in fashion at the moment so you can absolutely guarantee that it'll be out of fashion in about five minutes' time.

Geenie

Decking is the equivalent to owning an Amstrad Computer at the end of the 1990's apparently!!!


The cottage idea sounds lovely....but I am a rural lass who loves scent, herbs, veg and fruit trees.

Gingernutmeg

I think it depends on the area and like tom thumb says, the house. Also it depends if you're a keen gardener or not, and what you actually like to live with - I wouldn't plan a garden just for a possible future sale! A cottage garden can look quite pretty if it gets a bit overgrown, whereas there's nothing that looks worse than tired, weedy and badly maintained decking imo. Personally I'd go for a cottagy garden just because I like flowers and fruit trees would be lovely, but if your likely market is trendier then something more low maintenance would be better.

However, I'm not sure if either would make anyone pay any more for a house though, although either, if kept nicely, would probably help with 'sellability' in the wider sense if it's in character with the house. People are probably more concerned with the overall space than whats in it.

Oldernotwiser

It might also depend on your target market for buyers.

Fire_Fox

How old is the house? What style is it? Is it a family or a smart couples area?

Doozergirl

I think either will add value if it's really well done. I want grass somewhere though.

Suprised people don't think it does. I'm such a sucker for a pretty garden I've bought houses on the basis of the garden and I'm rubbish at gardening. So much so that I've started paying for a gardener and I'm so happy. For the price, I think he's added more value to the house than what I'd have to pay another tradesperson for a day. Shame it looks rubbish again after a couple of weeks of being on holiday and buckets of rain.

Doozergirl

Wanna vote on my thread anyone? Similar sort of thing.

Not allowed to post in two places otherwise I would have done.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1742841

Dinah93

If you go with decking you will more than likely need planning permission under the new regs that came in in October as it constitutes a 'raised platform, veranda or balcony', so this would cost you a further £150.