10 DIY Backyard Ideas to Boost Your Home Value
Updating the exterior of your home is a sure way to increase its potential resale value. Investing in landscaping, gardening, painting, and other additions can not only ensure a faster sale, but also make home life more enjoyable while you’re there.
If you’re looking for some fun backyard DIY ideas to enhance your home’s curb appeal, here are 10 outdoor DIY projects that will make your home more beautiful.
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10 DIY ideas for the garden
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Yard
Whether it’s a vegetable garden, flower garden, or both, you can liven up your space right away by starting a DIY garden. It’s important to plan not only what kind of garden you want, but also how much time and money you’re willing to invest.
The most important step is success designing what you want. To get an idea of what to plant, watch some YouTube videos and do some research to see what grows best in your area.
Most small urban gardens use raised beds for plots, so plan to build your own raised beds with extra topsoil for maximum growth.
What you will need:
flower boxes
This is a good DIY project if you don’t have a lot of free time but still want to do some gardening. Flower boxes are an easy way to add a vibrant touch to the overall aesthetic of your home.
To get the most out of your investment and keep it thriving, go to your local garden store or talk to a garden professional to see what would grow best in the box and how to maintain it.
What you will need:
build a bonfire
Fire pits are the perfect DIY backyard idea for those who love to host. There are many videos on YouTube that will walk you through the process of building your own fire pit.
It can cost a small fortune to hire professional equipment, but if you’re willing to make a rudimentary one, feel free to do it yourself. But just like a garden, you’ll need to design your project before you dive in. While doing so, some DIY Backyard Seating could complement your new fire pit.
What you will need:
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pressure washing
Splashes from rain, wind, and fluctuating weather can leave the exterior of your home stained and messy, and maybe even a little green. Over time, it will make your house look older than it is. You can clean up this mess relatively easily with a pressure washer.
For about $150, you can buy your own pressure washer and use it for years to come. It’s a solid investment that immediately dresses up the look of your home from the outside.
When pressure washing, don’t forget to spray down your patio, deck, and sidewalks for an extra clean look.
What you will need:
Paint
After pressure washing, you may notice that your paint job needs a touch up. Repainting blinds, window trim, and chipped spots can do wonders for both appearance and resale value. Paint when the weather is forecast to be dry and mild for at least a few days.
Hiring a crew can be very expensive, especially if you are painting the entire house. You can save some money by DIYing. But, this is a huge task that could take a lot more time for you than for a professional. Do your research and expect to spend at least $1,000 in paint and supplies for you.
Last but not least, choose a neutral tone for your house if you plan to sell it. Neutrals like white, gray and gray appeal to a broader range of buyers. If you love bold colors, try painting just your front door a bright red, yellow, or orange.
What you will need:
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- quality house paint
- paint buckets
- painter’s tape
- Roller
- sand roller
- additional roller brushes
- extension ladder
- paint scraper
- Electric sander)
- paint tray
- paint brush
- Cleaning cloths/rags
**While most of this can be found on Amazon, we suggest going to your local hardware or home improvement store for in-person professional guidance on the right products.**
upgrade accessories
A porch light that turns on and off, old gutters, and an “out of order” doorbell are important accessories that you shouldn’t miss out on updating. Here are some common items that are surprisingly impactful:
What you will need for this step:
Refresh your landscaping
Landscaping is one of the smartest investments you can make in your exterior. Some of the best DIY backyard ideas for resale involve landscaping, and they are the simplest. Privacy bushes, for example, will increase the curb appeal of your home and provide added privacy. If you’re redoing flower beds out front, stick with low-maintenance landscaping plants to save time and money. Make sure what you are using grows well in your area and that you water it regularly so it looks its best during the sale.
What you will need:
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Add a deck
Decks are especially good backyard DIY ideas in temperate climates where you can sit outside year-round.
Just like painting a house, building a deck from scratch is a big project. Do some research on YouTube to fully understand what kind of task you’re taking on. Also, for much of the half of the suggestions on this list, you should have a complete design in mind before you begin the actual build process.
What you will need for this step:
build a patio
Like a deck, a patio can be a valuable, yet more understated way to expand your backyard design. Choose intricate stones and have fun with the overall design to expand your backyard seating space.
What you will need:
build a fence
Last but not least, if your yard doesn’t already have one, build your own fence for a sense of privacy and added sales advantage (dog owners tend to look for homes that already have a fence). This DIY backyard idea is a project for those who want something that isn’t too difficult but is still challenging, depending on the materials you choose.
Find free guides and video tutorials on how to plan to build your own backyard fence. But be sure to tell any neighbors you share a property line with. They may even be willing to split the cost.
What you will need:
The bottom line
There are many easy DIY projects that you can tackle to polish up your house. These top 10 outdoor projects give you the highest return in terms of resale value. Your home will get a nice facelift and you’ll have an excuse to spend more time outdoors.
