Most of us enjoy DIY projects as part of our leisure time. They provide us with interesting things to do that can be very fulfilling. A few of us enjoy creating DIY projects to enhance the comfort or decor in our homes. But did you know that your DIY skills could be put to use to actively increase the value of your home? One area that could become a hugely desirable part of your home is the backyard. So what can you do to your home exterior that would see your property snapped up if you put it up for sale?

Family homes often have gardens or yards that can be utilised for many different things. You might cook and eat there. Perhaps you enjoy sitting in the garden to relax or read a book. You may have pets that make use of the outside areas, or kids that love to play. It could be a good idea to put your DIY skills to use. You could make a play area, a doggy yard, or even a private reading nook.

[Photo courtesy of Barry Peters/flickr.com]

Your local garden centre could be a good place to start when you’re looking for inspiration. There is likely to be plenty of planting options that could help you make the important landscaping decisions. It’s always best to sketch out your ideas to help you visualise the areas you wish to create. Good DIY stores will provide the materials you need to build decking, patios, play surfaces or gazebos.

A pool is a great addition to the home. It can add a lot of value, particularly in hotter climates. There are many advantages of concrete pools over fibreglass pools that could offer you opportunities to make the space your own. Once it is dug out, you can create any shape or size you like. Concrete is used to ensure the longevity of your pool. Then tiling, like a mosaic, can be used to decorate the whole area. It’s certainly a big project, but one that could be worth doing.

[Photo courtesy of anthony kelly/flickr.com]

Building a pergola, gazebo or arbour will require a heavy duty saw. A motorised one is best if you’re concerned about the physical stress. Alternatively, carefully measure what you need from your design, and get the DIY store to cut each piece. A power drill and screwdriver can connect the pieces. You will also need to stain the wood to protect it once the project is complete. Ideally, the floor posts will be concreted in. However, it’s possible to bolt the structure to the walls of your house or garden.

If you like the idea of a rugged-style backyard, why not build your own brick barbeque or fire pit? These can look amazing, and they’re very practical too. If you prefer, you could use the style to disguise a gas grill. Create an outdoor cooking and dining area with some inspired paving ideas. You’ll need to fence or wall in the area. You can also secure a light roof. These can be big projects to take on, but they can add to the function, comfort and value of your home.

With spring finally upon us, we can start to think about really getting back into the garden with some regularity to. I absolutely love the sunshine, not just because it is so much warmer than the dark winter months, but also because the garden is full of color and you can start to grow your own fruit and vegetables.

There are a huge number of different vegetables that you might want to consider when filling out your patch, but before you do that it is important that you have the right equipment required to do the job. Gardening is a specialist activity and if you don’t have the correct items, it will be much more difficult to get the necessary results.

What tools are necessary requirements?

Now I like to make sure that I have every base covered, you may not necessarily feel the same, but I think it would be prudent to cover for all eventualities especially living in a country like England where you’re not sure whether you’re going to get consistent rain or sunshine throughout the summer months. If you walk into a garden center or flick through a horticultural magazine you will be able to see there are a huge number of different items available.

[Image source: en.wikipedia.org]

In my opinion the main items that you’ll need include a garden hose, a shovel and trowel. The shovel and trowel will allow you to make any digs you need to, be it large or small and a hose will ensure that your fruit and veg can get the water it so dearly needs even when the sun keeps on shining.

How can you benefit from a greenhouse?

For any keen gardener a greenhouse is an absolute must. They enable you to be able to experiment a little bit more with the types of fruit and veg you can grow. The main benefit is that you can control the growing process as you are in charge of the amount of water that the plants will see.

Once the sunshine comes you can’t keep me out of my greenhouse, I just absolutely love tending to my vegetable patches. Throughout the summer you can fill out your greenhouse with a wide selection of different products.

Fruit and veg can also have health benefits

We all know that an apple a day keeps the doctor away – or so we’ve been told for many years – but growing your own fruit and veg really is very rewarding. I’m not sure whether this is scientific, but I find the taste of my own produce much better than anything I can buy at the supermarket – which might have something to do with the lack of additives! With a small initial outlay you can get yourself started in being partially self-sufficient.

Not only will this have great health benefits because you will be eating more fruit and veg, it could also quite easily save you money in the long run as the capital you would have spent on fruit and veg previously can go on something else.

Perhaps you’ll get the chance to grow something a little more left field such as borlotti beans, pumpkins or even black Russian kale. This could also help you to broaden your horizons somewhat with your cooking, as well.