Warminster Homeowners - Get Green Fingers!

Improving the value of a home doesn't have to stop with the interior. Many homeowners are investing in their gardens by landscaping, adding patio areas and decking.

First impressions are always important and if you have a front garden then this is the first thing that your visitor will see when walking up the path. Estate Agents call it "kerb appeal". A front garden should reflect the style of the building. A cottage should have a cottage garden and a Georgian house, perhaps something a little more formal. A well designed and landscaped garden will not necessarily 'add value' to a house but it will certainly make it more sellable.

With the gloomy financial situation at the moment people are opting more and more to take a 'staycation' rather than go abroad. Coupled with the warmer summers (no, really) that we are experiencing people are spending more time outdoor and enjoying their gardens.

According to Mike Wilkinson of The Garden Path in Warminster (Tel: 01985 851076, www.thegardenpath.co.uk) "More people are opting to 'improve not move', so are building extensions and conservatories to enhance their homes this has a knock-on effect to the garden which is usually pretty trashed by the time the builders leave. Often the clients will decide to use this opportunity to redesign the garden sometimes in conjunction with the build itself."

When deciding to create a seating/ BBQ area , Mike advises homeowners to spend a few days watching where the sun falls throughout the day, as this will usually decide where you want to sit. "Ensure that a potential seating area is large enough to accommodate your table and chairs. I always say that the minimum size should be 2m in diameter; 1 metre for your average garden table, 50cm for your average garden chair and 50cm to be able to push the chair back when standing up without falling off the edge of the terrace. I always advise clients to mark out areas in the garden with a hosepipe and then look out of an upstairs window to see how it looks."

We live in recessional times. With money tight it appears the trend this year has been for Warminster homeowners to develop areas of their garden to enhance it rather than opt for a full garden "Design & Build" process.

A garden can also be used laterally to increase value. Sally Marden, Sales Manager at Northwooduk.com in Warminster (Tel: 01985 220290, www.northwooduk.com) is keen to remind vendors that kerb appeal is critical. "Having off-street parking, and letting the buyer realise this immediately as they pull up to the property for the first time, is very important" says Sally. She explains that a number of her vendors in Warminster have, where possible, removed some of the garden to increase the size of the driveway or to create off-street parking - which in turn increases the saleability and value of a property...and also means less mowing!