A new house or a newly constructed building can present challenges and opportunities for making your hard landscaping work pay off. It is important to have a simple landscape with good visual appeal in order to reduce maintenance and repair costs. In a time where every dollar counts and economies are shrinking like they always do, simple landscaping ideas will go a long way to add curb appeal and make the most of your hard work. It doesn’t take much to create a nice yard or an inviting patio; a little creativity and investment of your time and money can reap fantastic rewards.
When it comes to hiring a contractor, structural landscaping should be the last thing on your mind. The majority of general landscaping companies will have a large enough crew to perform any structural landscaping work for you. You can do a lot of the general landscaping yourself and save a significant amount of money.
If you live in an area where there is often inclement weather such as heavy rain and wind, the installation of retaining walls is an important step. Retaining walls can help to level the soil and keep it moist and weed-free. Without proper retaining walls, your garden would be uneven, and your landscaping would suffer.
Another structural landscaping idea is to add an extra floor to your home. The cost of installing a second floor is not cheap. However, by using concrete slabs for the base of stairs, you can greatly reduce your expenses. A concrete slab will add a substantial amount of curb appeal and character to your home. The addition of an extra floor can also help to increase the resale value of your home.
In addition to these two major ideas – building a retaining wall and installing a second floor – structural landscaping can include a variety of other ideas. These ideas can include planting trees, using native plants and flowers to enhance your yard and pathways. A qualified supervisor certificate holder will be able to guide you in the correct selection of plants. They will also be able to offer advice on how to plant them, how much space you need, and whether certain species are suited to your climate.
If you choose to build retaining walls to cover unsightly guttering or flowerbeds, then you will require the support of structural landscaping experts. In most cases, you will have a choice of materials. The cheapest option is to use concrete slabs but you must ensure that they are strong enough to withstand the weight of the building materials (brick or timber). For larger projects, you may require steel posts, which can be purchased at a construction supplies shop or on the Internet. In either case, you should ensure that you contact a licensed and qualified supervisor so that he or she can plan the project correctly.
Structural landscaping can bring wonderful new dimensions to your yard. The right plans and professionals can let you achieve the yard of your dreams, no matter where you live.