If you are in the process of designing your home and inclusions, then I’m sure you’ve heard people tell you “don’t forget to budget in landscaping”. Planning for the outdoor part of your build is a key step and landscaping is equally as important as the interiors in a home.Here are some quick tips to help you create the perfect outdoor space.

How Do You Want To Use Your Outdoor Space?

This is the first thing you need to consider when mapping out your entertaining area. Have a priority list and then factor these features into your design. If size is an issue then work out your non-negotiable items. For example:

• A large enough deck to comfortably fit a table and lounge set

• A undercover alfresco so it can be used all year round

• Enough grass to be practical for families and pets

• A designated fire pit area

• A pool to increase the resale value

How Can We Compromise?

First things first, prioritize your list of wants to work out which elements are more important to you. For example:

• Having enough grass in the yard may be the most important thing for your family. Therefore you could compromise on the size of the pool, which became more like a plunge pool in order to fit both of these things in.

• An outdoor kitchen may fall to the bottom of the list, and may not be in your budget. This is something you can always add in at a later date

Are Your Services In Place?

While an outdoor kitchen may not be in your budget, you may choose to run the provisions now for gas, water and electricity should you or a future buyer wish to add the kitchen in. Write down all the inclusions you may be wanting in your space, for example outdoor fans and lighting and then communicate this to your trades in the early planning piece. Another example is conduits for an irrigation system.

Pool vs. No Pool

Having a pool in your yard is a completely subjective decision. Do you have the space on your block in relation to the planned footprint of your home? Do you have room in your budget to install one? Do you want a pool? Will it add to the resale value of your home?

Gather Inspiration

Inspiration is a fantastic way to create your garden oasis. There are endless portals of inspiration, from Pinterest to The Block. Engaging a professional landscaper or designer early on in the piece will allow you to plan and budget for this part of the job and not have it become a stressful afterthought.

It’s important to make all your ideas known to your builder at the start of the design stage, that way nothing will get missed our become to complicated later on. Also look into the standard inclusions of a builder to your aren’t caught out by extras. At Hurst Homes we pride ourselves on providing no hidden extras, and full turn-key homes for our clients. We always include irrigation conduits under our footpath and driveways along with electrical, even if our clients don’t have landscaping and irrigation included. A good builder should think of everything to make things easier for their clients down the track. Just another reason why we are considered Wagga’s Best Builder. If you’re interested in building in the Wagga area contact us today on 0438 692 962 for a preliminary estimate on your dream home

For more tips & tricks for building your perfect home visit realestate.com.au/lifestyle