From Drab to Fab: Exciting External Home Improvement Projects for Every Budget
As homeowners, we often concentrate on the internal work when improving our homes. But there are plenty of outdoor projects that we can get to grips with to boost our property’s external appeal.
Building a garden wall
Fences are all well and good but if you prefer to have a more substantial boundary to your property, building a garden wall is a great idea. Not only is it a solid structure but it will also add to the aesthetic of your garden.
There are a variety of materials that you can use, including:
- Brick
- Natural stone
- Concrete
- Decorative blocks
- Facing bricks
- Slate
Your choice of material for the wall should match the style of the rest of your garden. For example, a smooth, neutral wall may best suit a contemporary property while a country garden is the perfect setting for natural stone or slate.
Installing a deck
Building a deck in your garden is a fantastic way to extend your seating and dining area for the summer months. It allows you to enjoy your outside space in comfort and can add to the appeal of your home should you ever decide to sell.
There are lots of materials you can use for decking from treated wood to robust composite depending on the look you want and what works best in your garden. You can choose decking boards if you’re a confident DIYer or decking tiles for a slightly easier project.
Finish the area off with some steps and a balustrade for a raised deck and some stylish lights for safety.
Adding a porch
Adding a porch to your property may not sound terribly exciting but you’ll be amazed at how much this small addition improves your daily life. For homes with a front door opening directly into the living room, the porch is a great buffer zone between the inside and outside.
It also adds a layer of extra security to your home and improves your energy efficiency with an extra layer of insulation against cold coming in through your front door.
When coming home, particularly in winter, a porch is the perfect spot for depositing wet shoes, umbrellas, coats, dog leads and sports gear. It also helps to keep other parts of your home cleaner, as wet or muddy items are not trailed through the house but left in the porch.
Landscaping
Landscaping your garden can be just as exciting as renovating the interior of your home. You can completely reimagine your external space and create a whole new look for your garden.
Redesigning your garden is something you can either do yourself or hire a professional landscaping company to do for you. If you decide to do it yourself, make sure to work everything out on paper first, preferably to scale. This helps you to visualise how the new layout of your garden will look and lets you move things around on paper first.
Knowing the type of soil you have, what plants it suits, where the sun is at certain times of year will also allow you to make the most of your garden and create a space you love to spend time in.
Do you have any exciting external home improvement projects coming up?
