The ROI on Landscaping

How do you justify spending thousands of dollars on landscaping? Is it really worth it? Will it bring me joy? Will it really increase “curb appeal” and by how much? Theses are all questions homeowners ask themselves when making big ticket purchase decisions.

Multiple studies across the US have found that the increase in perceived home value from no landscaping to excellent landscaping is 10-12%. Perceived value may not make much of a difference in an appraisal, but it definitely affects the sale price, which we’ve definitely seen in the real estate market the last few years.

The 2023 Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features by the National Association of Realtors along with the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) looks into the increased happiness once a landscape upgrade is completed and the estimated cost recovery.

This report covers the typical average costs of certain projects from a survey of NALP members. It also estimated recovery of costs when selling the home, as estimated by realtors. They also include a ‘Joy Score’ reported by consumers.

• • fire feature
• • in-ground pool addition
• • irrigation system installation
• • landscape lighting
• • landscape maintenance
• • new patio
• • new wood deck
• • outdoor kitchen
• • overall landscape upgrade
• • tree care
• • standard lawn care service

Landscape Projects in the Report are ranked on a scale of 1-10. The report found that all outdoor projects are rated highly, with Joy Scores at 9 or more.

Highest Joy Scores (according to consumers)

• in-ground pool addition (10)

• landscape lighting (10)

• new patio (9.9)

• outdoor kitchen (9)

• tree care (9.3)

• standard lawn care service (9.4)

• irrigation system installation (9.4)

Highest Cost Recovery (according to realtors)

• standard lawn care service (217%)

• landscape maintenance (104%)

• overall landscape upgrade (100%)

• outdoor kitchen (100%) Lowest Cost Recovery (56 -59%)

• in-ground pool

• fire features

• landscape lighting

According to the report, many homeowners reported having increased enjoyment in their home, and feeling satisfied when they see their completed project.

The Top 3 Most Important Result of the Project

1. Beauty and aesthetics

2. Better functionality and livability

3. Durable and long-lasting results (quality materials)

Curb Appeal

Improving curb appeal before listing a home for sale is highly recommended by the vast majority of Realtors. The top 3 recommended are landscape maintenance, standard lawn care service, and tree care. This is no surprise, since healthy green spaces not only increase home values, make communities more desirable, and improve people’s health, but they also help the environment.

So, some of those relatively large landscaping expenses do significantly increase your home's perceived value and can result in a higher selling price. This is especially important in subdivisions where houses are similar in appearance. In a competitive market, curb appeal can make the difference. In studies, factors that affected perceived value most are design sophistication and plant size.

Highest Valued Designs

• foundation plantings with adjoining beds

• large island plantings

• large deciduous and evergreen trees and flowering plants

• curved lines

• colored hardscapes

One multi-state study found that very minimal landscaping (a simple design with small plants) actually detracted from the landscape value! As a bonus, the value of your landscape (if well maintained) increases over time as plants grow and mature. How many other expensive home improvements can say the same?

The Effect of Landscape Plants on Perceived Home Value Department of Horticulture, Virginia Tech

Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features