Backyards are gathering places of many American homes. Backyards are that open space in many Americans’ homes where people congregate. If you are in need of an area to entertain the family and friends or need a serene environment for a home makeover, the backyard is the answer. Furthermore, these outdoor arrangements are also pretty liberal and a remodeling may even boost your house’s worth, depending on the work.
Well, if you want to change how your backyard looks – you have probably tired of the current view or saw some cool backyard transformations and want one too. In that case, this backyard renovation guide will help. Dive in!
Backyard Renovation Process
Although backyard renovations can be stressful, they are much easier with a step-by-step guide. We have listed the steps needed to start your backyard transformation. They include
1. Work with a Clean Slate
The first process in remodeling your backyard is to start on a clean slate. Therefore, if you are planning fully to redesign your backyard it is essential to dismantle your existing fence as well current deck and the compound should be cleared.
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Of course, you can skip this step if you are simply touching up your deck or fence and retaining walls or stone in your small yard.
Also, keep your surroundings clean after dismantling your previous deck and fence through pulling out weeds around the compound and levels all clumps on your lawn.
2. Design Your Backyard’s Layout
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Once you have a clean slate of the working space, you should draw out the layout you desire. Photograph that area of your space in your yard and determine where the patio should be and how big, how long the deck should be, and where in relation to the house the fence should be.
Sometimes it is very hard to execute what one has to do in a particular project hence making this step very crucial. The layout can be developed to leave room for the landscaping once you are done choosing what design you want.
3. Choose Your Products
After you have decided which theme will comprise the background layout of your house there is the need to select the right products for the renovation process. For instance, some products top perform in specific projects within an outside area or an environment.
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Among the many factors to consider when choosing a product, it will be important to determine the right colors scheme of your outdoor room. After that, you can select products according to the scale and texture of the colors, and place your orders.
After your construction materials have been delivered, count through them to ensure corrective that the quantities of building material supplied are correct.
4. Use Your Materials to Build and Install
As soon as you are ready for work in terms of design, it may be time to start thinking of dismantling or construction as the case may be. Here, one can also coordinate with the contractor in order to sequence each sub-projects correctly.
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Make sure the contractor that you are working with has the design layout of the building. In some cases it is beneficial to demolish after a new installation for example in case of some projects. However, this process requires much coordination, and with a contractor managing the process of construction, it will be better to work with such a contractor.
5. Shop for Backyard Furniture and Accessories
Sometimes it can be a good thing to shop for furniture for your small garden or backyard because it is actually a breather from the logistics part and could build up more excitement for a project.
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The good thing when it comes to shopping for furniture is, the planning for your backyard is already on the table. This makes it so easy to know what exactly to shop for; whether it’s the best fire pits or dining table or pool loungers or sofa lounges and much more.
6. Decorate Your Backyard
Once the installation and building are complete, it is now the time to beautify the backyard area to improve visibility. No matter it will be weeks or even months, having a new area outside will be worth it.
You should start with the seating because no matter how big or tiny a patio is or how big a backyard is, the main use is entertaining. The seating can be a couch, a lounge chair or part of a constructed bench.
Select a seating that will be most appropriate to your situation, then once you have your seating, you can add seating cushions, table settings, patio umbrellas, or even a pergola.
Of course, you may add decorations, such as metal wall decor, seats or planter boxes, or perhaps some outdoor lighting. Ensure your space is updated and created to your taste and style because your backyard is where memories will be made with family and friends.
7. Work on the Fence
You can now work on your fence after your deck has been constructed and decorated. Nowadays, fencing decoration is not very common. After your fence is installed, you typically don’t do anything extra to it.
You might paint patterns and designs on your fence if you desire to stand out and be unique, or you could use something as straightforward as lights or some plants to add some design.
8. Landscape Your Backyard Space
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Backyard landscaping is the next step in finalizing renovations on large or small backyards. If you need backyard landscaping projects done, discuss a layout with your landscape architect and select what elements, such as shrubs, trees, greenery, flowers, mulch, or rocks, you want to add to your yard.
Once your landscaper understands what you want, you can sit back and let them handle it. This way you don’t need to worry about ordering the correct materials, as well as the right amount, and the landscaper will understand, for example, whether you need just a couple of cubic feet of landscaping rocks for a small project or if you need more of a bulk landscaping stone option for the entire yard.
9. Enjoy Your Renovated Backyard
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Your backyard renovation is complete, is done, so now you can relax with your drinks or snacks with family and friends. Furthermore, did the seasons ever bring changes where you have your outdoor space that you want to look brand new and modern? Practice frequency cleaning and maintenance.
Backyard Renovation Planning Checklist
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When working on any renovation project, it is important to ensure that there is a planning checklist to follow to ensure that one stays on track and does not spend way too much money. In this section we have provided a list of things to look at before you embark on your backyard makeover.
1. Budget
You should set up a budget for changes before you begin the changes on your house. Subsequently, you can follow the renovation schedule to suit your determined budget and set as high or low budget as you desire. For example, in the first year, it is possible to install the new patio and in the second and third years – the pool.
On the other hand, it is possible to work on the yard and use new furniture further down the line. In any case, do not forget that to have a speedy start, begin with a clear budget in mind. And then do you have a number, before starting the renovation?
2. Space
Flexibility must always be an important consideration in any backyard especially if finances and space are a concern then the flexibility have to be incorporated. Your backyard renovation should attempt to optimize the use of available space, though small or large your backyard is.
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In this, take account of the total of the outdoor space, any side yard or restricted areas in that house. Maybe the convenience with which a professional landscaper offers to work out the design is a plus for you in terms of space availability for your needs.
Make sure your renovation project is taking the most advantage out of the area you have in your backyard.
3. Design
The backyard design should maximize sustainability, so you should also evaluate whether your renovation will increase your home value, both in terms of appeal and sustainability.
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Many backyard design options also improve your home’s sustainability, including:
- Native plants to minimize water use
- Planting fruit trees and herb gardens for food production
- Water feature systems to water your garden
- Large trees and shrubs for creating shade and create natural privacy screens in your outdoor area
- Creating a compost bin
It becomes worthy of your design depending on how you put into practice of having a passive design in your renovation. Make sure you have included it in your project timeline and think about maintenance and weather conditions of your construction.
4. Color Scheme
As your outdoor will be complementing your indoor space with a similar color scheme of the exteriors since your entertaining will easily transition from your outdoor space to the indoor space it is advisable to factor in the color scheme of your home.
Any new addition may also be altered to blend in as the patio complements the design of the old house and even replicate the color of the original house.
5. Garden
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Before planting new garden or flower beds, try to determine which locality of the plants is best for your climate and kinds of vegetation. For instance, you may wish to consider plants which do well in areas with much wind, in areas there is a high possibility that one lives nearby the beach.
However, if you live in an area with black sand it will be suitable for native Australian vegetation. They are also ideal if you do not often fertilizer and water your garden or your plants frequently.
6. Flooring
Flooring as many of you may know is what makes up the outlook of your compound and also ranges in price, toughness, and regularity. Some of the mainly used outdoor flooring options include:
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- Concrete flooring- Appropriate choice because of its wear and tear and low maintenance.
- Paving- As for the style and colors of the brick paving they are very diverse.
- Tile flooring – When it comes to style, things can get really interesting for it is available in a number of styles such as natural stones, porcelain, and ceramic among others.
- Decking- Wood or composite decking looks very beautiful, but you need to factor in the costs of maintaining it while under budgeting.
8. Rules and Regulations
In some cases, you will require a permit to renovate, depending on your region doing general or hobbyist renovations. For instance, residential fence erection, roof alteration, placing of a dumpster along the street, plumbing repair and backyard planting probably will require permits.
In your project, make sure you do not violate any of the local state or federal laws that may give you a hard time.
Backyard Renovation Cost
Whenever homeowners are considering improving the living space they have, one of the first thoughts that cross their mind is how much does a backyard remodel cost. Well, virtually any kind of renovations are going to require cash investment from the start, but hey, at least you are investing in your living space in the long run.
According to research, backyard renovation costs, including the cost of labor, range from $500 to $2,000 for basic DIY enhancements like constructing pea gravel, repairing lawn, or installing shrubs. However, any owner who plans to redo the house from top to bottom should prepare for $7,500-$10,000 and more.
Factors That Affect the Backyard Renovation Costs
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Some factors can influence your backyard costs no matter the project type, and some of them include:
1. Current Backyard Condition
Is the backyard you have now in bad condition? If so, you may need more efforts to bring it back into a good state of repair. This is the time to plan and consult with technical experts in issues to do with drainage of the soil, slopes or any trees that must be removed from the project area.
2. Size of Your Backyard
Prices for backyard projects can sometimes be charged per square feet. Depending on the amount of the area you want to be landscaped and filled with furniture and amenities, your final cost might be higher than that of the person with the small space.
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3. Quality of Materials
The costs of materials will depend on the quality of the materials. Using better quality in the construction of the open structures will be more expensive in the initial stage, if you are interested in quality material for your outdoor living area. But you’ll get a backyard that will provide decades of enjoyment for your friends and family, which cannot be said for a few year’s worth of backyard fun.
4. DIY vs. Contractors
In case you are forced to hire a contractor to complete the project, you will incur more costs than when you are undertaking a project on your own. This cost must be given a priority when it comes to renovation work in particular. While the cost may turn out to be higher, the value that your home may also add on may also be higher.
Conclusion
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It is very easy to grasp backyard renovations for those who already have the right plan. Unfortunately, these renovations are often confused with backyard remodel projects, yet they are not the same as renovation; the structural features don’t change.
If you want to do a backyard renovation project effectively, you need to set a budget after being specific with what you want to have in your backyard. Check your patio size and see whether it suits the type of backyard you want; if it does not, consider having it enlarged.
To give your yard color, provide a number of pots with the different types of plants grown in them, if maintaining a grass is too much for you, opt for the artificial looking tufts of grass. We trust this guide has been informative to you and are prepared to dive into your backyard creative process.
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