Another season has gone by where you toiled in the backyard. You mowed, trimmed, planted, and pulled weeds. When everything was done, you looked at your backyard and thought it was just okay.
Something is missing in this space. It should be utilized beyond being a swath of green grass. It needs to be a place where you feel calm and rested. A place where your friends and family join you for entertaining.
In other words, you need a backyard oasis. However, you can’t wait until next spring to plan a change to the space. It must be done now to put everything in motion. To help, here are some tips on how to plan your backyard oasis for 2022.
Plan Your Oasis
The first thing to do is detail how the backyard oasis should look. Generally, you probably don’t want to tear out all the grass to make a giant concrete pool deck. Instead, you want to create different spaces for quiet & meditation, entertainment, and recreation. On top of this, you need both sunny and shady areas.
There are several free online landscape design tools available. Normally, they have drag-and-drop templates to utilize. You also have the option of hand-drawing a plan on a sheet of paper. However, this normally isn’t as accurate.
Determine Your Greenspace
You don’t want your backyard oasis to be completely without grass. In fact, strategic patches help keep the ground cool during the warmest days. So, make sure this greenspace is defined in your design.
Then, decide on the best way to make it happen. For instance, stick with sod for a soft and cushioning feel. If you’re no longer interested in maintaining a real lawn, then consider artificial grass. This isn’t Astroturf. Rather, it’s made to feel as real as the natural product. The upside is artificial grass doesn’t need to be mowed or watered.
Pin Down DIY Items
As you plan your backyard oasis for the spring of 2022 consider the items you’re able to do on your own. These are smaller do-it-yourself projects that are both inexpensive and don’t take a long time to complete. For instance, the construction of a cabana or the purchase of patio furniture.
Also, consider what recreation your backyard oasis should have. If it’s badminton or volleyball, then the net setup is minimal. On the other hand, a tennis court or golf green requires professional installation.
Set Your Budget
You have the capability of designing any type of backyard oasis you want for the spring of 2022. What you don’t have is an unlimited budget. The design you have in mind has to be balanced out by available funds.
To calculate the estimated costs of the items you want, look for an online budget planner worksheet. Similar to a landscape design tool, there are templates available in a budget planner for various activities. If this doesn’t work for you, then consider utilizing a spreadsheet program like Excel or Google Sheets to enter values to see the overall amount for your backyard oasis.
Here are some estimated costs:
- Inground pool – Between $35,000 and $65,000, not including daily maintenance and higher utility bills.
- Koi pond — $500 for a basic setup. Close to $11,000 for a 6×8 foot (1.83 x 2.44 m) pond.
- Hot Tub — $2,000 for a basic model. Up to $35,000 with high-end features.
- Outdoor Kitchen – Between $5,400 for a standard setup to $22,000 with custom designs.
On top of these items, factor in the estimated costs for ripping up existing sod & flower beds and potential electrical and plumbing work.
Select Your Contractor
Selecting the right contractor is more important than choosing the stone border around the pool. Like most things, cheap isn’t the best. In the most likely scenario, an inexpensive contractor and their team won’t have the experience or time management skills required. Thus, your backyard oasis either isn’t done properly or ends up incomplete.
You must be certain of the person you want to work with. Don’t be afraid to ask them the tough questions concerning your backyard oasis. Especially ones about the timeline and additional costs above your agreed-upon estimates.
Bring on a team that’s transparent. If problems occur, then they need to be addressed immediately instead of hiding them while they figure something out. Finally, never bring on a contractor that doesn’t want you to talk to their previous customers or see their reviews. That’s a red flag to indicate something is wrong.
Find the Means of Financing
Once you have the above items set, you need to find a way to finance your backyard oasis. At the low end, your costs could average a few thousand dollars. If you decide to go for an inground pool, outside kitchen, koi pond, and other big projects, your backyard oasis could cost you over $100,000.
One way to finance this is through our team at Cashin Mortgages. We help you establish a home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC). In some situations, we determine if a mortgage refinance is a better solution.
When you decide on the form of your financing, go for more instead of less. Backyard oasis construction isn’t perfect. There tend to be problems that add to the final cost. Thus, consider adding 10% to 20% more to the final amount to cover your bases.
Needless to say, there are many things to look at to create a backyard oasis for 2022. It’s not possible to wait until the last minute to make them happen. If so, you probably won’t get to enjoy the space until 2023.
Therefore, start your planning now. Decide what you definitely want and what waits for later. Reach out to contractors and supply outlets for estimated renovation costs.
When you finalize your oasis plan and timeline, reach out to our specialists at Cashin Mortgage. We’ll work to find the right form of financing that fits your existing budget.
With the money in hand, you’ll be prepared to transform your backyard into an oasis that surpasses those of the best luxury hotels. Furthermore, your family and friends will be grateful.