AUSTIN – Texas-based tech startup Lawnstarter – sort of an Uber for lawn care – released a list of 10 “do’s and don’ts” for homeowners to consider as they plan landscaping projects during the pandemic. The company said all home “improvements” are not created equal and some may actually lower the value of your house. Relatively inexpensive things like lawn maintenance and mulch provide a big return on investment. But, surprisingly, other lawn and landscape features that many homeowners think of as assets — such as pools and fruit trees — can actually lower value.
After compiling data from recent studies and websites showing the relative benefits of different lawn and landscape improvements, Lawnstarter suggests these 10 do’s and don’ts:
Do’s
- A well-maintained lawn
- Shrubs and trees
- Tidy garden
- Landscaped pathway
- Lighting
- Fresh mulch
- All-season deck/outdoor kitchen
- Pop of color through container plants, garden bed
- Automated irrigation system
- Professional landscape design
Don’ts
- Artificial grass
- Outdoor water features
- Unkempt garden
- Broken fence panels, cracked walls
- Swimming pools, hot tubs
- Sports court
- Big concrete patio
- Fruit trees
- Old-outdated garden decor, furniture
- Highly personalized niche landscape design
