Prudent house hunters usually await the results of a professional inspection before buying their dream home. All too often, though, one of the biggest contributors to a home’s value is neglected: the landscape. And that can prove costly.
“I feel bad telling people who’ve already put their life’s savings into a new house that their sprinkler system is outdated or was installed wrong,” said Jeff Wolfe of Sun Wolfe Irrigation Inc. in Phoenix. The company’s services include irrigation and outdoor lighting inspection.
“Now they’re facing big expenditures,” he said. “Depending on the size of the property, costs for a new irrigation system can vary from $2,000 to $20,000. The same goes for lighting systems.”
Landscape problems are more costly to correct when deferred, said Bruce Avery, an arborist with AAA Tree Experts Inc. in Tallahassee, Fla. And inspections are increasingly important now that families are making more use of their outdoor living areas, he said.