Would you spend 10% of ppor value on the front garden?

[RumpledElf]

You would have liked my place's street appeal then

Waist-high nettles, almost all the shrubs savagely cut down with a chainsaw (including a foot-thick grape vine which has since started to regrow), bits of miniorb flappitying off the house and shadecloth bodgied up all over the place. Its a positive oasis a year later.

 

[Tizzy]

Rumpled Elf I also enjoy uncovering an attractive facade too. It is rewarding to see something lovely emerge from an over grown neglected mess.

I'm just saying there needs to be something about the place that is redeemable. Even if it is buried under overgrowth or rubbish.

 

[RightValue]

To near identical metricon or similar project homes on the same size block side by side. One has standard landscaping, grass and a few shrubs.

One has listened to the landscaped gardner and spent 20% of the property value (for arguments sake $80k).

Both are up for sale. The one with the basic landscaping is on the market for $400k, how much more do you think people will pay for the nice landscaping?

rule number one of valuation school .. cost does not equal value.

cheers

RightValue

 

[bespoke]

In my opinion the answer is a completly different one for a PPOR than a IP. In my experience, most tenants dont bother with fancy gardens.

But a PPOR, well that depends on how long you intend on staying there and how much you care about the front apperance.

In my current PPOR, I have been there 2 years and will probably stay for another 3 so I am spending a small amount on landscaping as I love doing it, I like to look at it, I live in one of those streets where everyone looks after their houses front apperance and I couldn't stand it looking like a barren waste land for 5 years. But I am keeping in mind that we are not staying (not sure if we will sell or convert to an IP), and so every $ spent on it has to be weighed up.

HOWEVER
My next PPOR - we intend to be our "dream home" and our last. It will be designed exactly how I want it and the phrase "resale value" will be banned from any conversation regarding the design and build. As long as I can afford it I don't give a rats if Mr and Mrs Joe Average want 4 beds 2 baths and a media room, I'll do what suits me and my family and how we live. If I want a pole dancing room and a home brew room for hubbie, I'll have it. My child will have the problem of selling it when I die. So same for the garden. We have a 3/4 acre block and I intend to spend an obscene amount of money on landscaping because, god willing, I will be living there for the next 40 years and I love gardening and when I retire it will probably take up the best part of my day pottering around- thats what will make me happy. I'd rather spend $100 on plants than clothes.

I invest in IP's for a comfortable life in the future but you only live once and I'd rather sacrifice an IP or 2 to live in my dream home than have 1000 IP's and live in a dump.

Anyway, only you can decide how much a landscaped front garden is worth to you.

 

[Tizzy]

To clarify, it does include front back sides / drive way/ fences / decks/ maybe a pool or fountain/ gazebo / paths/ plants etc. It is the external landscape and can include the terracing if needed. It is just a guideline. In fact, in many suburbs, people spend substantially large amounts of money but the 10% guideline still seems to apply.

I would try and go for minimal cost with an IP but where I live is my home and I get pleasure from nice surroundings.

 

[drfunk]

10% is crazy. I recently landscaped my front yard (extensively), had to pull out 3 trees, including various previously thought extinct flora (and some fauna)

All in all cost ~$3k (plants, trees and 2 skips, [my] labour 'free'

Most important thing if you do it yourself is to get the levelling right. The grass I laid feels a little úneven' to walk on, even though its unnoticeable to see. Still really bugs me

 

[quoll]

I was thinking 1% but on reflection, so around $3000. But it depends, what are you including in that?

Driveway?
Stormwater?
Letter Box?
Lawn?
Sprinkler system?
Lighting?
Path to Front Door?
Garden Edging?
Plants? How Mature?
Fence?

When you think about it, if you want the instant mature garden, new driveway, new fence, etc, I could spend 10% of YOUR money and make a nice profit for myself while giving you a REALLY nice front garden, Very Flash indeed.

The place we are doing now is small house (2 bed / 2 car garage ), reno. So we already have concrete path, and concrete driveway. Spent $80 on new blade and chain for father in laws chain saw after cutting down the very old tree. Got council to remove the very old tree on nature strip. Bit of poison to kill remnants of lawn, lots of sweat to rake and level dirt throw lawn away into council bin. $60 bark mulch for very front, $120 of creek pebbles for near front, $10 paint, used old coro iron and old perma pine framing timber for new side fence, cost $0, recycled the gate with help from circular saw, $6 new hinges, moved plants around. Used existing garden edging, paint old letter box, $6 new numbers 1b.

The one before that got a new drive concrete driveway which cost $2000, spend $200 on gravel, and time to mow and feed the lawn making it look good.

Cheers
Graeme

 

[jeraldo]

I'm not really into this spending % of property value on X. Every property and every property owner will have a different situation.

It all comes down to what existing assets the property has, what you want the finished product to be, and how much personal time you're willing to put into the beautification process.

You could easily spend 10% of your properties value if your after instant gratification. You could half that % if your smart and willing!

 

[gecho1]

Tizzy, i agree

It depends on what you are doing.
I have recently completed a front landscape project for a client, for under $5k hard and soft landscape. (Relocated existing vegetation)
However, recently complete a $30+k project, including creek, bridge etc.

You are on the right track with employing the services of a landscape designer, or alternatively if you feel compeled, design it your self. You will get far more accurate quotes,if you present your builder with a plan. Goes for any type of value add project.

10% of ppor will usually get you a whole lot, but would i spend that much

No. I know i can make the front look great for a whole lot less, just needs a bit of planning!

good luck though, would love to see photos if you go ahead with it

 

[Tizzy]

Thank you everyone for your input into this issue.

Well tomorrow morning is my $250 on site consultation. From there we will see if there is a meeting of the minds.