Should you always take into account the value when doing home improvements?

JimmyTheWig

Yes, I would always consider the value.
Not be ruled by it, but consider it.

But you also need to consider how long something's going to last.
Does decking last 20 years? if not, the value doesn't come in to it if you're going to be there for 20 years as the garden will need re-doing by then anyway.

sunshinetours

We had decking laid and its very slippy in winter. One deck is in hardwood which is much lower maintenance as you can actually leave it and just clean it and let it naturally silver. it is however extremely expensive!.
Treated softwood will need more regular treatment. Just avoid stains or decking "paint" as you will be forever redoing it to try and keep it looking good. Decking oil treats the wood and it soaks in without a top coating to peel off. We will more than likely replace the softwood deck at some point probably for paving of some sort

Decent paving is a very nice option but likely to be more expensive than softwood decking. Cheap paving (grey concrete slabs for instance) not so attractive. Don't forget the lifetime cost of decking treatments as well, especially if you have a large area - decent oils aren't cheap at all

BitterAndTwisted

Paving all the way. If you've got a family and several young kids the very last thing you'd want to be doing is maintaining wooden decking when you could be out there sipping a glass of wine. Or two.

There are loads of very attractive options and if well-laid could last several life-times with only a pressure-washer or similar once in a blue moon.

louisa_84

the garden isnt flat though, so would require leveling in 2 sections, with 2 dif levels of paving to do the area i want doing, adding railings to decking wasnt an issue, to limit accidents of children tripping, but i cant find anything, that looks as nice, to do that to paving

BitterAndTwisted

Paving, paving, paving. I know you're not likely to rush into anything but make some time to visit garden centres, manufacturers or exhibitions to get an idea of what is possible. Two levels isn't terribly difficult to achieve. You might be able to do it in a couple or several stages to get what you want. If would be a heartbreaker if you went to the expense of landscapng and decking only to find that paving was the best and most durable solution in the long-run anyway.

Sugared-frog

For me I would do what I wanted within reason. When I came to sell the house I would have to take the value at the time, but I'm buying it as a home to live in and enjoy rather than a commodity. Doesn't matter what you do to a house there will always be someone who thinks it was the wrong thing to do - it is only if every other person thought it was the wrong thing that I would start to get worried.

poppysarah

louisa_84 wrote: »

the garden isnt flat though, so would require leveling in 2 sections, with 2 dif levels of paving to do the area i want doing, adding railings to decking wasnt an issue, to limit accidents of children tripping, but i cant find anything, that looks as nice, to do that to paving

Go see if your local garden centre does a free design service.

devotee

Do what you like and get the best you can afford. You have to like and enjoy it and in 20 odd years time if and when you decide to sell the fashion might change anyway so any potential buyer might look at whatever you've had done as dated. We just never know.

The only way you can be sure you're adding value is to add space, I wouldn't see a decked or paved garden as improvement I'd like to pay extra for. To me a nice garden is a selling point, but not something a buyer would pay more for. Some people might disagree.

Contessa

As others have said it's up to you and your husband to decide what's best for you and your family. Enjoy living in, and outside your home.
However, personally I really don't like decking and have seen some houses for sale which, IMHO, have been spoiled by it.

BitterAndTwisted

Adding comfortable and durable paving could actually be counted as adding space. Granted, outside space you might only be enjoying to the full a couple of weeks a year but a lovely garden would be a huge selling-point if I were buying a house. More important to me than fancy wet-rooms and what have you.

If I was having this sort of discussion with my OH I'd be insisting that if the OH loved this decking idea so much he would have to be the one doing all the maintenance on it. I'd be the one loafing around reading the paper while he was varnishing or oiling or whatever. And I'd stick to it, too.