The Cost of Doing It Right

I’ve learned that the fastest way to get someone to lower the value of their own home is to give them an estimate for an outdoor living space. It happens all the time.

The same homeowners who would never blink at a $75,000 kitchen remodel or a $100,000 basement finish suddenly start saying, “My neighborhood isn’t suited for that,” or “My house won’t carry that kind of value.” And I hear it at every level, from mid-range homes to high-end communities.

Some even say the Midwest isn’t built for outdoor living, that the weather doesn’t make it worth the money. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. We actually have more usable outdoor days per year than many southern states once you factor in their heat, humidity, and long muggy seasons.

The difference isn’t the climate, it’s the mindset. When people see outdoor spaces as seasonal, they limit their design and construction choices to match. They hire installers who focus on just concrete, pavers, and decks instead of architecture and longevity. And within a few years, those walls lean, the pavers settle, and the space loses its soul.

Doing it right means hiring a company that understands design and builds with intention one that respects the architecture of the home and treats the outdoor environment as an extension of it. A proper outdoor living space should last as long as the home itself, both in quality and in value.

When that happens, you stop seeing it as an expense and start seeing it for what it truly is, an investment in how you live.

#vizxdesignstudios #TheArtOfOutdoorLiving #DesignMatters #OutdoorLivingDesign