Your front yard contributes to your home’s curb appeal. Whether you want to increase value or simply give your property a much needed facelift, ask yourself and your builder these questions as you’re planning your yard redesign.
How do I want to use the space?
Be clear what the space will be used for. Do you need parking space, storage for bins, screening for privacy or providing a nice view from indoors? The choice between the amount of paving and the amount of lawn you have is often dictated by practical considerations.
What sort of landscaping would work?
As front yards tend to be smaller than backyards, shrubs and planting need to be proportionate. Trees in particular can be structurally problematic if they’re too large or planted too close to the house or boundaries.
What type of surface should I use for the path?
Try to avoid uneven materials that are difficult to walk on or ones that will soon need replacing. Gravel can potentially be a great choice for paths and driveways, as it’s cost-saving and feels nice underfoot. Make sure too that the materials are easy to keep clean and won’t show up dirt that will inevitably get trodden across them.
How much privacy do I want?
An obvious way of achieving privacy is by having a hedge or fence at the boundary to prevent passersby seeing in. However, this can also mean light is excluded from the garden or even from the house. A well-positioned tree or large shrub could provide enough privacy to people in the house without these downsides.
Do I need space for trash and recycling?
If you have the space, try hiding them behind an evergreen hedge or tall planting. Alternatively, you could create a screen from trellis panels, on which you could grow a climber. The solution is to create something nice to look at, so the eye is drawn away from the bins to some colourful planting.
Want to book in a site visit, ask a question about our building process or talk through your project? Call SE Building Solutions today on 0415 772 983