Forgot to mention, I’m looking to add value to our house in the long run! So any ideas for that are greatly welcomed
b4ttous4i
Id get rid of the grass and make it multch and plants. You can easily do this under 10k this osnt a lot of space.
Just dig up the sod and find some nice fowering shrubs and put some multch down. If you do it yourself should cost roughly 1k
LitteralyNoBody1
I’d invest 10k else where if you’re looking to add value to your property.
buddersausage
agreed the cleanup here you can do free to low cost. fence looks fine mostly. right side id just replace the pickets if the posts are fine / not rotted. maybe just pressure wash lightly and stain. harbor freight has cheap sprayers for that. id remove the gravel and leave the slate stone walkway and let grass grow in, it looks way better more natural. the white rock is pulling all the attention. i would rake up everything, till the dirt and plant grass. would be easy to keep watered. put a simple bench with trellis and a potted vine plant that will grow over the trellis. add a solar powered light or lantern to the fence post. the path leads to nowhere currently also it would be good to wrap around or go to fence door.
Lord1Nerevar
10k will be a lot to work with if you do the work yourself. Personally, I would get rid of the shrubs, set up a nice tiered flower bed, redo the walkway with flat creek stone and gravel, then possibly add a small patio.
OpenStruggle8804
I’d get rid of that horrid quartz gravel to start.
Mission_Accident_519
Id remove the gravel, put in some plats, trim the bush and pocket the remaining €9900
mooreactsonly
What a cute pup! How are you planning to use your yard? Gatherings, veggie gardening, personal gazing/relaxation, etc? I’d love to share thought if I had a better idea of how you want to utilize the space. It has so much potential! 🙂
Otherwise-Tomato-788
I’d buy tools, ryobi are just fine for mower, trimmers and edgers. If you get the “stick it” ecosystem, the edger can turn into a pole saw which has become a main tool for me. Then circular saw and drill/driver. That should run up a grand. Then shovels, wheel barrel, rakes, hoes etc. you’ll need a small shed for all these so run up another grand. With the $8k left, pavers, concrete, cedar wood, soil and mulch. Lots of soil n mulch.
I say build a shed w a garden and seating to lounge around.
Spicyhotapples
I don’t know, I would focus on making it a sauna, or cold dunk area. I would drop some concrete and have a flower pot area for the plants and flowers.
That’s just me.
MissDiagnosedMama
Replace gravel with stone or paver walkway that leads somewhere (to a gate or sitting area near the back, or meanders through a garden). Add native shrubs and perennial plants that bloom at different points throughout the seasons for year-round visual interest.
svitakwilliam
Usually I start with a shovel and a pick axe. Then go from there. I really don’t know when or where it’ll end, but as of last week, we’re now moving onto the driveway, down to the street and around the side of the house. Whatever the wife thinks of next. I suggest just leaving the tools out until winter, when you’ll finally get a break.
L0CAHA
Add a sitting area.
Diligent_Captain_274
A simple yet quality deck, lots of landscape lighting, especially to light up the beautiful bark on the tree. Mulch the perimeter, plant shrubs, a variety to show case a balance of space, opposite of what’s there now. Lights on the outer perimeter lighting the well stained fence, a rich brown stain. Deck is low, no rails needed. Perimeter lighting on spots of fence plus key shrubs. No concrete pad, cover with the deck. You’ll love it. Lighting at night is what will change it, the day will be beautiful, and night breathtaking, if you landscape and light it correctly.
less irrigation . Plant only the perimeter to save money on irrigation cost. Use pea gravel around the entire area get a cheap fire table in that back right corner. Hedges around the entire perimeter to lose all the neighboring properties. Maybe a bbq are to the right near that unruly plant . Take that out it takes tok
much space . a couple vegetable boxes in the middle area . A few potted plants and your good .
Manic211
My first thought was theming it around an outdoor intimate cafe. Definitely remove the gravel. Have some mature, tall native shrubs/trees planted professionally. Blocks the neighbors’ view, attracts pollinators/birds and visual interest throughout the year. The right plants will add plenty value to the home. Then invest in some in some nice seating and some landscape lighting to brighten the area at night.
I’m personally adding an outdoor kitchen and grill but not sure how the patio looks against the house
JFC-Superstar
Think only expensive thing would be removing that tree in middle blocking all the sun. Once gone all the greenery would look better with little cost.
crymea_river
Id square the edge of the patio up with the fencing, create a keyhole or shaped walking path around the tree, trellis over the gate, use the perimeter as a walking edible garden with raised beds on the left, lower raised beds on the right with trellis running the length of the fence for fruiting vines. Maybe even a small waterfall pond leading towards the patio from the base of the tree. Create a border edge with something you can shape at the end of the patio and light it all softly for the evenings. Brew some tea, smoke a jay, and cruise the loop constantly.
SubmersibleEntropy
You have to say if this is DIY or paying professionals. 10k goes a lot farther in the former.
Ride4fun
Is the gate used? The path likely should incorporate access to it. I do agree the white quartz is startling & should go.
SubstantialString866
With that amount, I’d do the labor myself clearing everything out ($200 dump fee), manure and chipdrop the ground (free), put in drip irrigation ($300), and then get a bunch of hellebores, hostas, daffodils, dahlias, Japanese anemones, and just go full cottage shade garden. Probably get some pavers or bricks to create the path. Maybe redo the patio and put a porch swing right there and a grill. A sanctuary that you can turn on some twinkle lights and have a party in the evening.
Prestigious_Wrap_932
Hot tub.
riverreading
Large, functional patio that runs past the gate or at least a wide path to the gate. Add colorful potted plants to brighten the space up. Skip grass in such a tight area and instead add a small garden on the right side with a statement planting or sculpture in the back right corner to pull your eye the length of the space. I would also consider a shed for storage or a sauna if that’s your cup of tea for the left corner and a small path to it. This is all quite doable if you are doing the work though I would contract out the hardscaping so the patio and paths are set right.
jivan006
Some ideas:
1. Covered patio (this is an actual value add)
2. Kid’s playground (not much of a value add, but personal value add if you have kids)
3. Flowers. Plant some perennials to add color
4. BBQ area. A small value add but lots of men like this when looking at a house
Ditch grass, make a nice outdoor sitting area, add perennials for your zone and conditions. Spruce up the fence.
This should be less than $10k
elmilagro
Installing a paver patio and cleaning up the weedy beds with mulch and structured plantings is the only thing that’s going to give you value added to your home. A concrete patio or deck is not going to give you any added value IMO as the next owner would probably want to rip it out to replace with pavers.
JadedPangloss
You could do a lot here with $10k.
Personally, I’d remove all of the ground cover and start fresh. Rip out the path and replace it with some nice flagstone, no gravel. On the right side of the path, seed grass. Left side, nice high quality mulch/bark. Not the bagged stuff.
Save your other $5k
Ffsletmesignin
You could do a ton here for practically nothing but sweat equity since it’s a small space, so it totally depends on your goals here.
Remove weeds, put down mulch, get some partial-shade plants, maybe a loveseat swing and use the step stones to lead to that, done for a few hundred bucks tops.
Competitive_Loan_395
Just get a shovel and a pickaxe/sledge. And you can get throught that concrete easily. And some buckets.
Bring up the pavers and pebbles and start from scratch. Area is too small for a yard. In lay bricks or something and just do away with all the grass and use pots for plants everywhere.
Herfinds16
grass it up
hppy11
-Remove the white gravel.
-Trim / remove whatever you don’t like
The rest depends on what you would like to have and see in your backyard.
Veggie garden? Vines? Lawn?
It depends on so many factors, it’s impossible to give one answer.
So my suggestion is to look up for ideas. Pinterest is a good place for ideas.
Once you get a clear vision, you can budget
NRESNTRS
Is the path leading to anything? If not c do you need a path?
NRESNTRS
Get rid of the white gravel. Make that path narrower (too wide for the lawn), and use dark pea gravel if you need gravel* at all. *You appear to have lots of shade, so you could do moss in between the stones.
36 Comments
Forgot to mention, I’m looking to add value to our house in the long run! So any ideas for that are greatly welcomed
Id get rid of the grass and make it multch and plants. You can easily do this under 10k this osnt a lot of space.
Just dig up the sod and find some nice fowering shrubs and put some multch down. If you do it yourself should cost roughly 1k
I’d invest 10k else where if you’re looking to add value to your property.
agreed the cleanup here you can do free to low cost. fence looks fine mostly. right side id just replace the pickets if the posts are fine / not rotted. maybe just pressure wash lightly and stain. harbor freight has cheap sprayers for that. id remove the gravel and leave the slate stone walkway and let grass grow in, it looks way better more natural. the white rock is pulling all the attention. i would rake up everything, till the dirt and plant grass. would be easy to keep watered. put a simple bench with trellis and a potted vine plant that will grow over the trellis. add a solar powered light or lantern to the fence post. the path leads to nowhere currently also it would be good to wrap around or go to fence door.
10k will be a lot to work with if you do the work yourself. Personally, I would get rid of the shrubs, set up a nice tiered flower bed, redo the walkway with flat creek stone and gravel, then possibly add a small patio.
I’d get rid of that horrid quartz gravel to start.
Id remove the gravel, put in some plats, trim the bush and pocket the remaining €9900
What a cute pup! How are you planning to use your yard? Gatherings, veggie gardening, personal gazing/relaxation, etc? I’d love to share thought if I had a better idea of how you want to utilize the space. It has so much potential! 🙂
I’d buy tools, ryobi are just fine for mower, trimmers and edgers. If you get the “stick it” ecosystem, the edger can turn into a pole saw which has become a main tool for me. Then circular saw and drill/driver. That should run up a grand. Then shovels, wheel barrel, rakes, hoes etc. you’ll need a small shed for all these so run up another grand. With the $8k left, pavers, concrete, cedar wood, soil and mulch. Lots of soil n mulch.
I say build a shed w a garden and seating to lounge around.
I don’t know, I would focus on making it a sauna, or cold dunk area. I would drop some concrete and have a flower pot area for the plants and flowers.
That’s just me.
Replace gravel with stone or paver walkway that leads somewhere (to a gate or sitting area near the back, or meanders through a garden). Add native shrubs and perennial plants that bloom at different points throughout the seasons for year-round visual interest.
Usually I start with a shovel and a pick axe. Then go from there. I really don’t know when or where it’ll end, but as of last week, we’re now moving onto the driveway, down to the street and around the side of the house. Whatever the wife thinks of next. I suggest just leaving the tools out until winter, when you’ll finally get a break.
Add a sitting area.
A simple yet quality deck, lots of landscape lighting, especially to light up the beautiful bark on the tree. Mulch the perimeter, plant shrubs, a variety to show case a balance of space, opposite of what’s there now. Lights on the outer perimeter lighting the well stained fence, a rich brown stain. Deck is low, no rails needed. Perimeter lighting on spots of fence plus key shrubs. No concrete pad, cover with the deck. You’ll love it. Lighting at night is what will change it, the day will be beautiful, and night breathtaking, if you landscape and light it correctly.
https://preview.redd.it/exdew69wzp0h1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6c60c2da3e583c792405ac42793dacc4df224fb
less irrigation . Plant only the perimeter to save money on irrigation cost. Use pea gravel around the entire area get a cheap fire table in that back right corner. Hedges around the entire perimeter to lose all the neighboring properties. Maybe a bbq are to the right near that unruly plant . Take that out it takes tok
much space . a couple vegetable boxes in the middle area . A few potted plants and your good .
My first thought was theming it around an outdoor intimate cafe. Definitely remove the gravel. Have some mature, tall native shrubs/trees planted professionally. Blocks the neighbors’ view, attracts pollinators/birds and visual interest throughout the year. The right plants will add plenty value to the home. Then invest in some in some nice seating and some landscape lighting to brighten the area at night.
I’m personally adding an outdoor kitchen and grill but not sure how the patio looks against the house
Think only expensive thing would be removing that tree in middle blocking all the sun. Once gone all the greenery would look better with little cost.
Id square the edge of the patio up with the fencing, create a keyhole or shaped walking path around the tree, trellis over the gate, use the perimeter as a walking edible garden with raised beds on the left, lower raised beds on the right with trellis running the length of the fence for fruiting vines. Maybe even a small waterfall pond leading towards the patio from the base of the tree. Create a border edge with something you can shape at the end of the patio and light it all softly for the evenings. Brew some tea, smoke a jay, and cruise the loop constantly.
You have to say if this is DIY or paying professionals. 10k goes a lot farther in the former.
Is the gate used? The path likely should incorporate access to it. I do agree the white quartz is startling & should go.
With that amount, I’d do the labor myself clearing everything out ($200 dump fee), manure and chipdrop the ground (free), put in drip irrigation ($300), and then get a bunch of hellebores, hostas, daffodils, dahlias, Japanese anemones, and just go full cottage shade garden. Probably get some pavers or bricks to create the path. Maybe redo the patio and put a porch swing right there and a grill. A sanctuary that you can turn on some twinkle lights and have a party in the evening.
Hot tub.
Large, functional patio that runs past the gate or at least a wide path to the gate. Add colorful potted plants to brighten the space up. Skip grass in such a tight area and instead add a small garden on the right side with a statement planting or sculpture in the back right corner to pull your eye the length of the space. I would also consider a shed for storage or a sauna if that’s your cup of tea for the left corner and a small path to it. This is all quite doable if you are doing the work though I would contract out the hardscaping so the patio and paths are set right.
Some ideas:
1. Covered patio (this is an actual value add)
2. Kid’s playground (not much of a value add, but personal value add if you have kids)
3. Flowers. Plant some perennials to add color
4. BBQ area. A small value add but lots of men like this when looking at a house
Take out the gravel and do proper flagstone
https://preview.redd.it/a6cwpjjeaq0h1.png?width=2424&format=png&auto=webp&s=bf450b95082c4dc5bd1eac77625bec6d35363155
Ditch grass, make a nice outdoor sitting area, add perennials for your zone and conditions. Spruce up the fence.
This should be less than $10k
Installing a paver patio and cleaning up the weedy beds with mulch and structured plantings is the only thing that’s going to give you value added to your home. A concrete patio or deck is not going to give you any added value IMO as the next owner would probably want to rip it out to replace with pavers.
You could do a lot here with $10k.
Personally, I’d remove all of the ground cover and start fresh. Rip out the path and replace it with some nice flagstone, no gravel. On the right side of the path, seed grass. Left side, nice high quality mulch/bark. Not the bagged stuff.
Save your other $5k
You could do a ton here for practically nothing but sweat equity since it’s a small space, so it totally depends on your goals here.
Remove weeds, put down mulch, get some partial-shade plants, maybe a loveseat swing and use the step stones to lead to that, done for a few hundred bucks tops.
Just get a shovel and a pickaxe/sledge. And you can get throught that concrete easily. And some buckets.
Start with a clean slate:
https://preview.redd.it/9oi8wqyigq0h1.png?width=1511&format=png&auto=webp&s=bf1ff6eca7f5b5969b957d9d328b0d44b5fe67f7
Bring up the pavers and pebbles and start from scratch. Area is too small for a yard. In lay bricks or something and just do away with all the grass and use pots for plants everywhere.
grass it up
-Remove the white gravel.
-Trim / remove whatever you don’t like
The rest depends on what you would like to have and see in your backyard.
Veggie garden? Vines? Lawn?
It depends on so many factors, it’s impossible to give one answer.
So my suggestion is to look up for ideas. Pinterest is a good place for ideas.
Once you get a clear vision, you can budget
Is the path leading to anything? If not c do you need a path?
Get rid of the white gravel. Make that path narrower (too wide for the lawn), and use dark pea gravel if you need gravel* at all. *You appear to have lots of shade, so you could do moss in between the stones.