Does an Outdoor Fireplace Add Value to Your Home?
While there are many things you can do around your home to boost its value, there are only a handful that will also increase your enjoyment of your home. One of the things you can do to increase both your home’s value and your personal pleasure is to upgrade your outdoor living space. From patios to decks and of course, landscaping, improving your outdoor living area allows you to increase your living space while taking your indoor activities outside.
A simple way to enjoy the outdoors, for even longer, is to add an outdoor fireplace. Outdoor fireplaces are an easy way to add value to your home and are a delight to spend time around during summer evenings. Available in a variety of types and styles, they become a focal point, visually transforming your space and creating a relaxing and inviting atmosphere.
Outdoor Fireplace Options for Your Backyard Oasis
Depending on where you live and your area’s zoning, you’ll have plenty of options when it comes to bringing the warmth of a fire to your outdoor oasis. For some, a fire pit might be the ideal choice. However, to add the most value to your home, and your enjoyment, consider having an outdoor fireplace installed closer to your home, on your deck or patio. In general, those having an outdoor fireplace installed can recoup about 80% of the associated costs, while in particular, an outdoor gas fireplace will offer you the most bang for your buck, adding even more value to your home.
Before choosing an outdoor fireplace, be sure to find out what your city allows. Many cities are more lenient towards natural gas and propane outdoor fireplaces, as they can be easier to control than a firepit in the rear of the yard, making them safer overall. Don’t forget to check with your insurance company too!
Space is also a consideration when choosing an outdoor fireplace. You’ll not only want to ensure that it is safely far enough away from your home, but you’ll also want to leave enough room to sit near it comfortably and to move around. For those who are short on outdoor living space, an indoor/outdoor model is the perfect solution. These are gas fireplaces that are installed in an exterior wall, allowing you to enjoy the views both inside and out. Now you can enjoy unobstructed views of your hearth from your patio or deck (without taking up backyard real estate), as well as from inside your home.
How Will an Outdoor Fireplace Impact the Value of Your Home?
Now back to adding to your home’s value. An outdoor fireplace will add value to your home, with the added benefit of enjoying it too. Topping the American Society of Landscape Architects’ list of the most popular outdoor design elements, these are highly desirable features, sure to please even the most finicky of home buyers. Investing in this outdoor feature may help to push your home to the top of their list, enabling you to recoup most or all of its cost when you decide to sell.
Research has proven that people are willing to pay more for a home that offers functional and attractive outdoor living space, and an outdoor fireplace certainly fits that bill.
A well-designed and maintained outdoor living space can increase your home’s value by as much as 20%, and an outdoor fireplace can play a big role in that, making it one of the best outdoor improvements to add value. According to the National Association of Home Builders, outdoor fireplaces are must-have features among luxury home buyers, however, they are desirable features in all price brackets.
Outdoor fireplaces serve as an exterior upgrade to enhance your property’s look and appeal, but they also offer recreational benefits too! Increasing livability and comfort, your deck or yard will quickly become a great place to spend time with family and friends, later in the evening, and even later in the season. After all, many memories are made and shared around a fireplace, and having one just steps from your home is truly a pleasure.
Much like curb appeal, improvements to your outdoor living space can help sell your home even before a potential buyer steps through the door. Buyers will instantly imagine how they will spend time in the outdoor space, instantly planting pleasant seeds in their minds as they envision themselves entertaining, unwinding, and simply enjoying the unparalleled ambiance of a crackling fire.