Save on Backyard Upgrades: Reduce Home Renovation Costs

It’s peak landscaping season, and planning a backyard upgrade can feel overwhelming. From small garden refreshes to major renovations such as adding a pool, options vary widely in cost and complexity. While many upgrades can improve how you use your outdoor space, experts caution homeowners against taking on high-interest debt to finance these projects.

“These aren’t investments in the traditional sense,” said Zena Amundsen, owner of Astra Financial Services. “Most yard upgrades are lifestyle choices. Make sure you’re not putting yourself at financial risk to create them.”

Stretching your budget with small, impactful projects

You don’t need a huge budget to drastically improve the look and feel of your yard. Smaller, focused projects can make a big visual difference and are easier to manage financially.

Eduard Negodenko, owner of Avanti Landscaping, recommends starting with garden beds and simple plantings. “If you already have beds, sometimes a fresh edge, new mulch and a few well-chosen plants or lights will transform the front or back yard,” he said. Even modest additions—edging, mulch, two or three standout plants and a couple of landscape lights—can lift curb appeal and create a finished look.

Practical, low- and mid-cost backyard improvements

Other affordable improvements include upgrading seating areas, refurbishing a deck or patio, and repairing or replacing a fence to boost privacy. Negodenko suggests allocating about 70% of an outdoor renovation budget to the backyard, since most homeowners spend the majority of their outdoor time there.

Smaller projects generally finish faster. A minimal front-yard refresh—clean-up, a couple of garden beds and plantings—can take a day or two. A more involved backyard makeover that includes a new fence or patio might take a week or two. Cost depends on scope: a basic front-yard revamp with new walkways, beds and sod might run $8,000–$15,000, while a more extensive renovation could reach $40,000–$50,000 depending on lot size.

Pools represent a different scale of expense and planning. “Once you install a pool, you change the whole narrative of the space,” Negodenko said. Pools are often accompanied by entertaining areas, change rooms, showers or gazebos, increasing overall costs. Depending on property size and amenities, such projects can range roughly from $120,000 to $500,000.

Managing and financing a home reno or backyard project

Amundsen recommends treating outdoor renovations like a project-management exercise: map out stages, prioritize, and avoid borrowing the entire budget up front. “Cash is queen and guilt-free,” she said. Pay for what you can with savings, then phase the rest over time so future-you benefits from a staged plan.

When financing is necessary, Amundsen ranks options by cost and risk. A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is often the most affordable choice because it uses the home as collateral and typically offers lower interest than unsecured borrowing. However, HELOCs are often variable-rate products, so you should consider how rising rates could affect monthly payments.

A personal loan is a viable second option when a HELOC isn’t available; it provides fixed interest rates but generally at a higher cost. Amundsen advises avoiding credit cards for renovation financing due to their high interest rates. She also recommends building a contingency buffer of about 15%–20% into your budget for surprise costs.

Which projects boost home value?

Improving your outdoor space should primarily be about enhancing your quality of life, but certain upgrades can also increase resale value. Mike Heddle, broker and team leader at Royal LePage State Realty, says exterior upgrades—landscaping or outdoor entertaining areas—can sometimes add significant appeal and, in select markets, increase a property’s value by up to around 10% according to his firm’s survey data.

Presenting a home in spring or summer with well-maintained patios and landscaping can distinguish your property from competitors and help attract buyers. However, not all upgrades pay off equally.

Pools, for example, often improve livability for current owners but are less uniformly rewarded in resale value. Heddle notes buyer preferences vary: roughly one-third of buyers are indifferent, one-third are attracted to a pool, and one-third will avoid homes with pools. Based on the same survey, a pool may increase a home’s value by an average of only about 6%, meaning pools are rarely the most cost-effective way to add resale value.

Further reading on home renovations

• Planning a home renovation: financing options to consider
• How to renovate your home on a fixed income
• Tax considerations when buying a second home
• How to save money on renovations even if you’re not handy