Most articles about backyard renovation and home value are written to sell something, which is why they all say the same thing and none of them use numbers. We build backyards for a living, so we have an obvious interest here too. The difference is that we are going to show you the actual figures, including the one that does not flatter us.
The National Association of REALTORS publishes a periodic study asking REALTORS to estimate how much of a project’s cost a homeowner recovers at resale. The most recent edition covering outdoor projects is the 2023 Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features, produced with the National Association of Landscape Professionals. Here is what it found.
What Outdoor Projects Actually Recover at Resale
| Project | Estimated cost recovered | Estimated cost | Estimated value recovered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard lawn care service | 217% | $415 | $900 |
| Landscape maintenance | 104% | $4,800 | $5,000 |
| Outdoor kitchen | 100% | $15,000 | $15,000 |
| Overall landscape upgrade | 100% | $9,000 | $9,000 |
| New patio | 95% | $10,500 | $10,000 |
| New wood deck | 89% | $16,900 | $15,000 |
| Tree care | 87% | $2,875 | $2,500 |
| Irrigation system installation | 83% | $6,000 | $5,000 |
| Landscape lighting | 59% | $6,800 | $4,000 |
| Fire feature | 56% | $9,000 | $5,000 |
| In-ground pool addition | 56% | $90,000 | $50,000 |
Source: National Association of REALTORS and National Association of Landscape Professionals, 2023 Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features. NAR notes that actual cost and recovery are influenced by project design, quality of materials, location, and the age and condition of the home. Treat these as national estimates, not a valuation of your specific property.
The Honest Answer About Pools
An in-ground pool recovers about 56% of its cost at resale according to that study, which is the lowest figure in the table alongside fire features. We build pools. We are telling you this anyway, because you will find it out eventually and it is better that you hear it from us with the context attached.
The context is this: a pool is a lifestyle purchase, not an investment vehicle. Nobody buys one to make money, and the study measures resale recovery rather than value received. Families who use a pool three or four days a week for fifteen years have extracted enormous value from it that no cost-recovery percentage captures. The mistake is not building a pool. The mistake is building one while believing it will pay for itself when you sell.
Two things do improve the resale picture measurably. First, condition: a well-maintained pool with current equipment and sound surfaces reads as an asset, while a tired one reads as a liability and a bill. This is why pool resurfacing, pool deck resurfacing, and pool remodeling before listing frequently return more than the same money spent on almost anything else. Second, integration: a pool that sits in a finished, designed backyard shows far better than a pool dropped into a lawn.
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Where the Recovery Actually Is: Hardscape and Outdoor Kitchens
The strong performers in that table are the ones people talk about least. An outdoor kitchen recovers an estimated 100% of cost. An overall landscape upgrade, 100%. A new patio, 95%. A new wood deck, 89%.
That matches what we see locally. In the Georgia and Gwinnett County market, a finished, usable outdoor room reads to buyers as additional living space rather than as a feature, and in a climate that supports outdoor use most of the year that comparison is fair. A well-built paver patios installation with proper base preparation, an outdoor kitchens island built on a sound substructure, and coherent hardscaping tying it together do more for a listing than an equivalent spend on individual features. If you are weighing surfaces, our guide to comparing patio and decking surfaces covers the trade-offs, and on elevated lots custom decks are often the better structural answer.
Curb Appeal Is Cheaper Than You Think
The highest recovery figures in the study are not renovations at all. Standard lawn care service came in at 217%, landscape maintenance at 104%, tree care at 87%. Those are not typos, and they point at something useful: the least expensive work often returns the most, because presentation costs little and shapes first impressions disproportionately.
Front-of-house work follows the same logic. A resurfaced driveways installation, defined walkways and pathways, and tidy retaining walls change the first ten seconds of every viewing. If your budget is limited and resale is near, this is where we would spend it.
Build Quality Is What Protects the Value
Cost recovery figures assume competent work. A patio that has settled, a deck with soft framing, or a kitchen island with racking doors does not recover 95%; it becomes a deduction on an inspection report. The recovery numbers in that table describe well-built projects, and the gap between a good installation and a poor one is far wider than the gap between material choices.
That is the case for permits, licensed trades, and proper foundations even when nobody will see them. Our guide to what makes an outdoor kitchen last covers what that looks like below the surface, and which features are worth building first helps sequence a budget. We back our work with a 15 year structural warranty for the same reason.
If You Are Building for Yourself, Not for Resale
Most of our clients are not selling. They are staying, and they want the backyard to be worth living in. If that is you, the recovery table is useful mainly as a reality check rather than a plan: it tells you which parts of the project are likely to come back to you and which are the price of enjoying your home. Building a new pool construction project or complete outdoor living builds with clear eyes about that is a better decision than building on the assumption that everything pays for itself.
You can see projects across the area, hear from homeowners who have been through it, check the communities we serve, and review financing options if you would rather build the full design at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a pool add value to a home?
Some, but less than most people expect. NAR’s 2023 outdoor features study estimates in-ground pool addition recovers about 56% of its cost at resale. A pool is best understood as a lifestyle purchase rather than an investment. Condition matters significantly: a well-maintained pool with current equipment presents as an asset, while a neglected one presents as a cost to the buyer.
Which outdoor projects add the most home value?
By NAR’s estimates, outdoor kitchens and overall landscape upgrades recover about 100% of cost, new patios about 95%, and new wood decks about 89%. Routine presentation work scores even higher, with standard lawn care estimated at 217% and landscape maintenance at 104%.
Does landscaping increase home value?
Yes, and it is among the most efficient spending available. NAR estimates an overall landscape upgrade recovers about 100% of cost, landscape maintenance about 104%, and tree care about 87%. Curb appeal work is inexpensive relative to its effect on first impressions.
Should I renovate my backyard before selling?
If the existing space is tired, targeted work usually beats a full renovation. Resurfacing a worn pool deck, repairing settled paving, and bringing landscaping up to standard address the deductions a buyer would make. A large new project shortly before listing rarely recovers its full cost. We are happy to tell you which category your situation falls into.
Get a Straight Answer About Your Project
You dream it, we build it. Aqualis Pools is a family owned, licensed and insured builder with more than 20 years of experience and a 15 year structural warranty, serving Georgia and the surrounding Georgia communities. If you want to know which parts of your project are likely to hold value and which are purely for your own enjoyment, we will tell you plainly. Call +1 (770) 373-8405 or get an honest assessment. The design and quote are free.
