Some 64% of people claimed they wouldn’t buy a property if it didn’t have an outdoor area, with summerhouses, outdoor entertaining areas, external lighting, children’s treehouses, and pizza ovens now among the most value-adding garden improvements, adding almost £20,000 to the value of your home. Other garden add-ons that have gained in popularity over the last year, like a garden home office and a garden gym, could add another £10,000 on top.
The findings are taken from this year’s Home Improvement Trends Report from find-a-tradesperson platform Rated People, where potential homebuyers revealed how much extra they’d pay for different garden improvements.
To mark National Gardening Week (April 26-May 2), here are the top 20 most value-adding garden improvements experts say you can make in 2021, and how much value they’d add.
17. Water feature - £3,468
A water feature can add the relaxing sound of falling water, and depending on the style they can be a real architectural statement too, which will make your home stand out from the competition. Photo: Rated People
18. External lighting - £3,419
This could take the form of festoon lights draped around the fences and perimeter, or could be mains-powered lights around the garden – anything that elongates the time you can use your outside space is popular with homebuyers. Photo: Rated People
19. Built-in pizza oven - £3,339
A built-in outdoor pizza oven not only looks brilliant in a garden, but means you can have your family and friends round for a delicious socially distanced feast, and it will also add on more than £3,000 to your home’s value. Photo: Rated People
20. Built-in outdoor barbecue - £3,320
Demand for built-in barbecues increased by 111% last year, and similarly to pizza ovens, anything that means you can socialise outside, means they’re now one of the most value-adding garden improvements for 2021. Photo: Rated People