Although we spend a good majority of our lives indoors, having an additional living space outdoors is a really great benefit for many homeowners. The one positive that came from the COVID era was that people got outside more often and enjoyed some fresh air. If you want to build equity in your home and be able to enjoy your landscaping a bit more, then hardscape structures might be your best bet. These are just five reasons to add hardscapes to your landscape plan.

1. Build Equity in Your Home

Your home is always a safe investment when it comes to equity building. Statistics tell us that adding hardscape to your outdoor areas has a rate of return of about 20-30% of the money you spend. So you aren’t just building a structure to enjoy, you are investing in your future, which makes it a win-win scenario.

2. Enjoy the Great Outdoors More

Adding things like a patio or an outdoor kitchen are the best ways to maximize your time outside. There is nothing worse than having guests over and spending your time in the kitchen while they are outside enjoying time together. A backyard built-in grill or refrigerator will unchain you from your time inside. Or consider adding a fireplace to extend the seasons that you can comfortably entertain in outdoor areas. There are a vast number of ways that hardscapes help to enhance your enjoyment at home.

3. Functionality

Hardscapes, like retaining walls, can serve a dual purpose when planned correctly. Not only can a retaining wall help to keep your grading level and reduce soil erosion and flooding; it can double as a great place to display built-in planters with annuals or even a bench seat to add more entertainment space to your outdoor areas.

4. Reduce Maintenance

If you are tired of wasting all of your weekends and days off maintaining your lawn, consider adding a patio, which is maintenance-free. A patio can be shaped in many sizes to accommodate your guests when having people over. And they are also multi-functional because you don’t have to worry about cutting grass or weeding. The green space you lose is well worth it in man-hours of landscaping time you gain. 

5. Privacy

Sometimes “good fences make good neighbors”. A stone wall or a fence can do wonders to enhance your privacy when you are outside. Or, consider something like a pergola to shade from the hot sun during the summer or a gazebo where you can sit and enjoy a warm spring night.

Hardscapes are an excellent way to enjoy your landscaping a whole lot more. Whether you are looking for privacy, a place to entertain, or a functional way to fix water and grade problems, hardscapes are a great way to build equity, while also having a way to enjoy the great outdoors. At Rollins Landscaping, we are experts at all things outdoors. Contact us today to discuss your hardscaping vision so that we can make it a reality.