Opinions please: Does Landscaped garden add value to a house?

[booboo57]

We've a lovely home in the suburbs. Well located and worth £500-660k.
Been here 20 yrs and I've always hated the garden. Small, sloping, sun only in 1/2 of it, patio has wonky red (!), slabs 5 inspection covers and the small retaining brick wall is falling down.

I am recently retired and would like to spend time in the garden but hate it.
After a lot of research found a designer and have come up with some modest plans that involve levelling out a bit, redoing the patio and walls, putting a new patio in the sunny area and some lovely planting ideas.
I was planning on spending some of my pension lump sum on upgrading the garden so it would be more of a retirement hobby.
The hard landscape quote alone is coming in at £10-12k. I wasn't expecting to pay more that £10k all in including plants and some nice patio furniture.
I've discussed it in depth with the designer and the builder and the main issue is that there is no access for a digger so it will have to dug out by by hand. Also paving and other materials prices are sky high at the moment.
So the question is: am I just spending the money on a hobby for my retirement or will I be increasing the value of the home as well?
I'm trying to justify the expenditure.
Thoughts please, thank you

Totally increasing the value, the question is op why are you doing it. To get enjoyment from it or to sell it in a year or so?

In my area, a landscaped garden definitely increases both the value and saleability of the property. If you can afford it, it's well worth doing, both for your own enjoyment and for the future sale of your property.

Thanks for the thoughts.
I guess it is for myself but I'm trying to justify spending >£12k on myself!
We are planning to downsize in the future but not for 5-10 yrs.

Hard landscaping without a digger is a nightmare and very time and energy consuming, so I expect the quote is fairly standard. I would say it will definitely add value though and I always think if money can be used to make something more enjoyable then what better use is there? Enjoy it 🥰

I would also add the fact there is no side access might put off a future buyer if the garden is not done. You are effectively solving a problem for them.

I definitely think you should do it and enjoy it- congratulations on your retirement!

5-10 years of garden enjoyment versus sat indoors wishing you had a nicer garden ? You decide.

We just spent a similar sum on our garden. Not only does it make me incredibly happy every single day (I didn’t hate it in the first place but it is SO much nicer now), but a friend who is a local estate agent thinks it has added at least what we paid to the value of the house, probably more.

Can you get an estate agent round to do a market appraisal and ask them the question?

You may be able to fit a mini digger through the doors of your house whilst protecting the floors. Seen it done. Have a chat about it with your garden designer. Also, can they bring a digger in through your side or rear boundary?

To me, it does. I am just buying a house and budgeting quite a lot for the garden.

If it had been done I would have absolutely been willing to pay the equivalent amount more for the house.

10 years I would do it. 5 years possibly not.
A landscaped garden wouldn't add value for me - I'd prefer something I can work on. Neat and tidy would be good enough for most.
But agree with a PP - get an estate agent to value it with and without. You may already be at the maximum value for your street for example.

We spent £6k on having our garden landscaped last summer (nothing fancy - levelled out a bit, new lawn, new patio, new shed, fences painted and sleeper borders put in) and I cannot tell you how much difference it has made. I enjoy spending time out there so much more now. If you enjoy being out there, then i would say go for it.

Thanks everyone for the comments and encouraging messages. The thought of spending the next 10 years thinking what could have been is going to be the clincher for me.

I just need to convince DH. It is MY retirement Lump sum but so ultimately I suppose I can spend my money how I like but I would at least like his acceptance.
We do have side access but apparently not big enough for a digger and neighbours shed is hard against the fence so couldn't temporarily widen.

I would do it. It will make you so much happier and you can enjoy your retirement.

I'm in the same position. I think I'm going to do it.

It'll add value and saleability, but most importantly, you'll have years of enjoyment!

It'd be money well spent.

I've had my house valued this week and both estate agents have called the garden out as a big selling point. Advised to sell between spring and summer to showcase it. So definitely worth the investment (new patio, flower beds and new plants, pergola, furniture).
But, no plans to sell right now and, as others have said, I get the most enjoyment out of it daily. I'm in the garden at every opportunity and it feels like a treat. I think you should do it.

People are spending £13k per year on nursery fees.

Would deffo do my garden up if I'm using it for 10 years

If you are doing it to make YOU happy and increase YOUR enjoyment of the property then I would do it without hesitation, regardless of if it adds value (or not).
In other words, if you are staying for even just a few years, do it!

If you think that by spending £xxxx on the garden and then get that money back if you were to sell in the next couple of years and that was your only motivation, I wouldn't do it.

The trouble with doing work JUST to add value (you read it on here every week, "should I fit a new kitchen / bathroom before I market my property?") is that it probably doesn't get you your outlay and the new owner may have different tastes and rip it straight out. Looks nice, makes the house look more desirable but does it make you more money?????

You could re-train for your new hobby

www.minidiggertraining.co.uk/

And hire a digger yourself 🤷🏼‍♀️

www.cjhire.co.uk/product/industrial/mini-excavators/doorway-mini-digger-1-ton/

We would have done it but the quote was £32k! For a garden that’s about 14 foot by 30foot and that didn’t include one side of fencing! Was outraged. We will ultimately need to do something, but it wasn’t worth that much to me. £12k - in a flash.

Yes it’s worth it. You only live once. Get the pleasure from the garden.
You can have fun sourcing cheaper plants, getting cutting from friends etc - but get the framework in first. Very exciting.

I'm a keen gardener. I'd far rather landscape a newly purchased garden to my tastes and needs (and always have done) .

The same argument as "should I redecorate/ stage the house to sell ? "

Please don't bother on my account as I'm not remotely interested in your taste, colour scheme and furniture. I have my own.

A great garden is like an extra room… it’s your money so spend it and enjoy it!

landsca our garden made a huge difference, it meant we had a level space to sit out and eat, we use it far more than before. And I’m a keen gardener.