Landscaping: a good investment

A good landscaping can fully enjoy your yard during the summer. It is also a good investment when it comes to resale. A well-maintained grounds and pleasing to the eye will sell. The landscaping is after all one of the most visible elements of your home!

The landscaping must be seen as an investment, not an expense. (Photo APCHQ - Marc Tasse)
Not only must it be aesthetic, it must also be functional. A good plan should reflect your needs, their evolution, soil composition and maintenance required. Needless eg designing flowerbeds worthy of a show garden for someone who does not like gardening.

According to Marc Tasse, a specialist landscaping member Réno-Master of the Provincial Association of Home Builders Quebec, landscaping represents

20 to 30% of the value of a house. "It is not an expense, he says, it is an investment."

"Wild West" of landscaping

Our expert regrets that the consumer is somewhat left to himself in the field of landscaping. "Unlike the commercial sector, there is no license from the board of examiners. Anyone can buy a truck, a wheelbarrow and a shovel and improvise landscape. "So it's best to learn, get references and require certification or a recommendation from a recognized before signing a contract agency.

The contractor that you will be a good price can not be there in a few years when his work will be again, perhaps not even he will eventually work, lack of money! Lack of competence, lack of experience and supervision on construction sites, Marc Tasse is often referred to resume (and sometimes complete) the work of others.

When you invest a few thousand dollars in developing his land and must take all, the bill turns salty, we must undo eg walls, driveways or around a pool. Unfortunately, these are the customers who pay for the mistakes of their supplier.

Workmanlike

As in any field, there are standards, codes and guidelines of the manufacturer to comply with the rules of the art in short. Our expert gives as an example the aisles in nested blocks that fall apart a few years after installation. Often borders holding recommended by the manufacturer were not installed on the sides: nothing holds the stones and the book collapses.

Another problem that we see too often remains the existence of a negative slope toward the building, which means that the water goes to the house and can cause significant damage. Water can seep in, especially with the heavy rains we have known for a few years. Such a situation is however much more easily corrected before patio, shed, pool find their place on the field.

Very few people know that some municipalities require a drainage plan prior to construction and a report, once construction is completed to ensure proper water management. This step is skipped and sometimes you end up with very expensive problems after a few years.