Spring is here, and you can’t wait to get your backyard ready so you can soak up the sun, but your budget is limited. No problem! Here are some outdoor design tips to maximize every dollar spent on the yard.
1. Get Your Hands Dirty
Hiring labour can increase the total cost of your landscaping project. The list of fees can be long: architects, electricians, fencers, pavers, etc. While some professionals are a must (such as electricians!), others are less so, especially if you are handy. The laying of turf, ceramic tiles or decorative rocks, or even soil preparation and planting are examples of jobs you can carry out yourself.
2. Chose Less Luxurious Materials
There is sometimes little that distinguishes (visually) a design created with high-end and expensive materials from one completed with more accessible options. The difference may not be all that obvious! For example, the cost of wood varies greatly from one product to another, while its appearance and use are similar. It is also possible to choose a wood made for interior use, and which is therefore cheaper, but that you can make more resistant by applying a weatherproofing product. Decorative rocks, cobblestones, sheds, fences and outdoor furniture are all available in several price ranges. Don’t turn to the most expensive if there isn’t a noticeable difference.
3. Pick a Single Area to Start With your outdoor design
Is everything still to be done in your yard? Don’t move too fast so as not to blow your budget. Start with a small section — the one you need most — like the eating area. Then, over the years, you can continue to beautify your backyard. Patience often saves you money!
4. Keep and Eye Out for Sales… All Year Long!
Because a fully landscaped yard usually costs thousands of dollars, you don’t have to complete the project in a single summer. In fact, working slowly gives you time to look for bargains. Garden furniture is often cheaper in the fall as retailers want to get rid of the current year’s models. Also, there are many deals to be had on online classified sites! Look around throughout the year for tables, chairs, carpets, light fixtures, fire pits, etc.
5. Follow Tutorials to DIY Your Garden Decor
The web is full of detailed and practical videos for making garden accessories yourself. A vertical vegetable garden, a coffee table built out of apple crates, a couch constructed with wood pallets, a poured concrete flowerpot, a privacy screen that lets light through, etc. Get inspired … and get your tools out!
More Ideas
- Is your deck’s wood damaged? Instead of replacing it, reface it with synthetic grass or carpet.
- Transform unused interior pots and planters by covering them with a weatherproofing product.
- Ask your friends for help instead of hiring labour.
- Rent the tools instead of buying.
- Check with your municipality: once a year, many of them offer small trees free of charge to residents.
- Instead of using decorative rocks between your paving slabs, use black mulch.
- Opt for a natural wood fence and stain it yourself instead of spending on a pre-stained model.
- Playsets and trampolines: it isn’t uncommon for individuals to get rid of these objects as their children age. Check online ads.
- Recycle wooden pallets and stack them to create a privacy wall.