The property’s landscaping can be enough to make or break the sale. Savvy home buyers know just how expensive it is to revive a lawn and how much work it would take to make it look great again. So, if you don’t pay enough attention to landscaping during your house flip, you can risk holding onto the property for too long—or otherwise docking a few thousand dollars off your profits.
With that in mind, how can you prioritize landscaping without going over your budget? Here are several tips on how you can cut landscaping costs for your house flip:
-
Hire the right landscaping company
If you need professional lawn care services, such as reticulation installation or paving, you must hire the right contractor for the job. First, learn the standard rates in the area to gauge the cost of the landscaping tasks you need to be done. Afterward, shop around for the most suitable landscaping company or contractor that best fits your needs and, more importantly, your budget.
Avoid going for the cheapest option or the ‘too good to be true’ quotations. If you spend too little on professional landscaping, you might get what you pay for, which is substandard quality.
-
DIY as many of the tasks as you can
With a few basic tools and some elbow grease, you can probably accomplish a lot of simple lawn care tasks without the help of a professional. For example, you can mow the lawn, remove weeds, relocate plants, and aerate the soil on your own. Although these tasks may not be part of the landscaping process, accomplishing them yourself can reduce your total landscaping expenses when you eventually hire a professional.
And if you have the skills and knowledge on landscaping to be confident enough to DIY some of the tasks, go ahead and do so. However, avoid taking on tasks that are too complicated for your skill set—hire a pro instead.
-
Choose a simple design
Some home buyers prefer simple landscaping for their yards, while some look for a more complex design. The bottom line is that you can’t please everyone, so the safest option is to go for a simple landscaping design that would satisfy most home buyers. After all, buyers who want a more complex design can always use the home’s simple landscaping as a blank slate. As opposed to starting with an already complicated design, potential buyers might see little legroom to work with.
That said, ask your landscaping contractor for a simple design that most people would like. Keep it as low maintenance as possible. For instance, choose low-maintenance plants, simplify the paving (if there is any), and install an automated watering system. Aside from minimizing your landscaping costs, these tips can also help make the house more attractive to buyers who want to save money in landscaping costs in the long run.
-
Shop around
From shrubs to landscaping tools to mulch, be sure to shop around for the best deals possible. Check as many local home improvement stores and nurseries as you can, ensuring that you consider at least three choices before making a final decision. Whenever possible, buy multiple items from one source only to increase your chances of securing a good discount, as well as saving money on transportation costs.
Similarly, consider the distance between the supplier and the house you’re flipping. If the supplier offers low prices but is too far from the property, then the transportation costs may offset the amount you save from the materials.
If you have the means to transport the materials yourself, doing so can also be a great way to reduce your transportation costs, especially if you maximize each trip to save on gas.
-
Consider installing artificial grass
Installing artificial grass can be a significant upfront expense. Still, the long-term savings make artificial turf very attractive to home buyers (which means you can negotiate a higher price for the artificial grass). Furthermore, it can save a lot of money on your part as the one flipping the house since you won’t have to do much landscaping or lawn care anymore.
Landscaping accounts for as much as 5% to 10% of the total flip’s cost. If you want to bring that cost down as much as possible, these are the best strategies to help you out. And aside from reducing your landscaping costs, most of these tips also make the property’s lawn more attractive to potential buyers, especially for families who want long-term savings on lawn care.
