Five garden features that could CUT your home value by up to £21k – it’s bad news if you’ve got big trees
THOSE lucky enough to have a garden should avoid five features which could knock thousands off their home’s value.
We all love a bit of time spent outside during the warmer months, and some more than others.
But certain backyard characteristics could be scaring off prospective buyers looking to snap up your home.
Gardening expert Kendall Platt runs the Adventures with Flowers website, which is tailored to help women garden for their wellbeing.
She knows everything about what you can do to your garden to boost its value, or certain features, that will knock value off your property.
From overgrown bushes to excessive concrete on your patio, these are the five biggest homebuyer turnoffs to avoid.
Oversized trees – £1,000
The benefits of trees are endless, removing carbon from the atmosphere and offering shade on hot summer days.
But be wary of certain types which can be a nuisance to maintain and grow quickly, acting as a light block.
One example is leylandii trees, Kendall said.
She added: “Many homeowners plant them on the boundary of their garden to provide cover from neighbouring properties.
“But these trees are very fast growing and if not properly cared for can reach huge heights, casting the whole garden into shade and blocking out any light.
“They also take all the nutrients from the soil around their roots so grass and other plants will struggle to grow.”
Kendall said it can cost around £1,000 to remove these types of trees, which potential buyers might knock off their offer price.
Concrete and badly-cared for patios – £3,000
Laying concrete across your garden can make it easier to maintain.
You might want to add gravel to your green patch to save time on upkeep too.
However, prospective buyers may want grass for pets or children to play on, especially if the gravel hasn’t been well-maintained and weeds have been allowed to grow, Kendall said.
She added: “The cost of a skip to get rid of the concrete, paving slabs or gravel is at least £100 and topsoil and turf to lay the lawn about £300 and that’s without contractor fees to actually do the work on top.”
Kendall estimated the cost of calling in contractors to dig up the concrete would cost you around £3,000.
Use of weedkiller – £3,000
You may want to reconsider using weedkiller next time you’ve got shoots sprouting out from the ground.
Whether it’s shop-bought or homemade, Kendall said they’re both “terrible” for the soil and will kill plants as well as weeds.
Green-fingered buyers may take this into consideration when it comes to putting in an offer on your property.
Kendall said: “Anyone buying the house who wanted to grow any sort of plant in the garden would need to completely change the soil.
“Topsoil suitable for beds and borders starts from £120 for a large bag and for the average British garden you would need 20 bags.
“Including the labour to do the work you could be looking at a reaction in value of £3,000.”
Stop decking about – £4,000
Decking is a great feature if you want to have family or friends over for a barbecue or party.
But it can bring with it its own problems, Kendall said.
“It needs yearly maintenance to stay looking good which when people have busy lives they may not be able to find the time to do.
“In addition rats very often build their nests under decking or use the space underneath as a rat runs between their food source and their nest.”
Kendall estimated the cost of replacing any decking with a patio would set you back about £4,000.
Overgrown bushes and plants – £10,000
Majorly overgrown bushes and plants can act as a major turn off for home buyers looking around your home.
Other features that can slash the value of your home by £1,000s
KENDALL previously revealed other common garden features which could knock thousands of pounds off the value of your home. Here's three...
- Fake grass – Kendall warned the cost to a new owner of pulling up an artificial lawn and laying new turf can devalue your home.
- Dirty barbecues – Kendall said a “dirty, uncared-for BBQ” might signal to buyers there are other parts of your home that have not been looked after, and see them put in lower offer
- Mess – Kendall said one the biggest home buyer turn offs is a scruffy and unkempt garden.
- Garden furniture – think carefully about what garden furniture you buy, Kendall said. Wooden furniture might look better initially, but it can go rotten when left outside during the colder months and be a potential turn off for prospective buyers. Plastic-coated furniture can be a better choice.
Some may factor getting them trimmed by a professional into their offer price, which might knock up to £10,000 of your property’s value.
Kendall said: “Many potential buyers when faced with a garden that resembles jumanji will feel very overwhelmed at the prospect of tackling it.
“This will undoubtedly impact the amount of money that they’d be prepared to pay for it.
“With the price of a garden landscaper starting at between £8,000-£10,000 for a small garden (before plants) you can bet that they’ll be mentally taking that amount off their offer.”
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