Homeownership is all about balance. As the biggest investment you will most likely ever make, you need to ensure you have enough time to focus on your home’s routine maintenance, cleaning, and general care. That being said, many people feel a need (or are compelled financially) to take on extra projects: remodels, renovations, and additions require more effort and attention than the basics, but can offer a return on investment (ROI) that makes the potentially stressful adventure worthwhile. Whether you’re looking to sell your home and want to boost its property value or simply want to upgrade your living situation, building a backyard studio is a great place to start.
A Modern Upgrade
A recent study given by researchers at the University of California found that, of the 65,000 people all across the world that were surveyed, more than half felt that they had too little private space. The addition of a detached backyard studio, office, or metal sheds offers homeowners to reclaim that privacy, especially if their household is full and often bustling with activity.
Home offices rarely provide such a service. Even when you’re in your own space, you’re still physically a part of the house; you can hear your kids running through the halls, and the movement of your spouse as they return home from work or prepare dinner. If you live in a relatively rural area, however, you’ve got free real estate in the form of your own backyard: the distractions, noises, and interruptions dissipate as you move out and away from the home, but with the added bonus that you’re still within reach should someone need to contact you.
Best of all, many detached offices and studios are prefabricated. You get all the amenities of a real home — such as windows, a door, and siding — but it takes no time at all to put together. Since the materials are the same as those used for full-sized homes (such as fiberglass windows which last for up to 50 years), you won’t need to worry about it falling apart.
Investing In Your Future
If you’re planning on placing your home on the market — or are considering it at some point in the future — backyard studios can raise the value of your property in a number of ways.
- Attention: A well-made backyard studio immediately catches the attention of potential buyers when they visit for an open house. Because real estate agents count curb appeal as one of the top five most important factors in selling a home, having a quality detached space can only help matters. Everyone wants their own slice of privacy, and backyard studios offer that and more.
- Utility: Detached buildings can be practical as well as convenient. They provide a place for storage, relaxation, or study; the flexible nature of a space separated from the home allows many potential buyers to see their own needs reflected back at them.
- Luxury: Backyard studios come in a variety of designs. If you’re using the space for personal privacy, you’re going to want it to be comfortable; you can include insulation, electricity, and even plumbing in the space. This allows you, as the seller, to raise the asking price and encourages buyers to imagine themselves in a place as nice as their home but all their own.
As a result, it’s hardly surprising that purpose-built structures such as detached offices carry an ROI of between 80% to 100% and beyond. Whether you work from home, are an artist looking for a space to practice your craft, or simply want to get the most bang for your investing buck, backyard studios are a wise choice.
