backyards – The Interiors Addict

Landscaping big yards: expert tips to avoid boring!

With shrinking land sizes across the country, it’s no surprise that the majority of backyard design and gardening advice focuses on achieving great style in small spaces. However, thoughtful planning and design is just as important in large backyards where the extra space can be transformed into stunning landscapes that will add value to your home.

The 2018 Adbri Masonry Great Australian Backyard survey has revealed that 56% of respondents have a large backyard with plenty of room for entertaining and gardening. Yet, large backyards are often under-appreciated or lacking landscaping which results in big, boring spaces.

“With a little research, inspiration and planning, dull backyards can be converted into feature areas for eating, entertaining, relaxing and gardening,” says landscape expert and Adbri Masonry ambassador Jason Hodges.

Gardening and landscaping expert Jason Hodges

Jason’s tips for utilising space in a large backyard

Set the scene

Arguably the most important part of a landscaped garden is the place where you’ll sit back and appreciate it – usually this is the paved courtyard or patio area. The patio will usually come directly off the house and represent the transition point from indoor to outdoor living. While this is practical, large backyards provide the opportunity to get creative!

If the facade of your home needs work and looks dated, consider taking the focus away from the home by having a path off the house, leading to a feature courtyard in the centre of the space. This design draws attention away from the home and shows off the size and depth of your yard.

When it comes to thinking about the surfaces of your patio or courtyard, pavers are a great option for stepping stone paths and the entertaining pavement. “While I love stepping stones separated by pebbles or turf for paths, the foundation pavement should be a solid area which can house your dining and relaxing furniture as well as any shading or barbeque equipment,” explains Jason.

Build a children’s playground

If you have children, a large backyard provides an opportunity to create a space where kids can play safely, so take advantage and start planning your kid friendly yard.

“Try building a cubby house or teepee that can be used in summer as a shaded play area or as a mini campsite in winter,” says Jason. “I also love the idea of placing pavers in a hopscotch pattern and letting grass grow in between. The pavers will act as a pathway for your garden, as well as a fun activity for your children.”

Incorporate an entertaining area

There are countless ways to create an exceptional outdoor room to entertain and spend time with family and friends. Building a dining area with built-in seating helps to give the area structure and utilises available space. You can achieve this using Adbri Masonry’s Versawall blocks, which create vertical retaining and garden walls whilst doubling as bench seating.

“Alfresco areas tend to feature on the front cover shots of real estate listings and signboards – this is because they’re an asset that adds value to a home and where buyers picture themselves enjoying the home with family,” explains Jason. “In larger backyards, these entertaining areas can be multi-functional with cooking equipment, dining settings as well as breakout garden beds or bench seating around a feature fire pit.”

Change levels with a sunken patio

Add depth and dimension to your backyard with a sunken patio that will become a private retreat. Whether your backyard is flat or slightly sloped, you can create a sunken a patio – either DIY or with the help of a professional landscaper. Level changes immediately increase the aesthetic appeal and intimacy of a space. Try introducing steps, garden walls, terraced retaining walls or go the other way and create a sunken patio.

Beat the heat with a swimming pool

A large backyard is a great canvas for a swimming pool and creates an opportunity to value the space around it – whether it’s sunbaking, entertaining or relaxing.

“Avoid dominating the area with a large pool; try taking cue from the Island of Gods, with a Bali-inspired plunge pool that is small and cleverly landscaped. Pave the boundary with Adbri Masonry’s Euro Classic or Euro Stone that will give your pool a sleek finish, whilst providing a safe, slip resistant surface,” suggests Jason.

More on how Adbri Masonry can help create your ultimate outdoor space

Outside there’s $3,491 more in deductions to be claimed

As summer brings warmer weather to our backyards, it is a great time for property investors to think about the outdoor areas of their investment properties.

Outdoor areas in investment properties contain a number of structures and assets which are worth thousands of dollars for their owners. These items also experience wear and tear over time. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) allows owners of income producing properties to claim this wear and tear as a depreciation deduction when completing their annual income tax assessment with an accountant.

Before an investor can claim depreciation, it is recommended they consult with a specialist quantity surveyor to arrange a tax depreciation schedule for the property. A tax depreciation schedule will outline all of the deductions available for the structure of the property as well as the plant and equipment assets contained both inside and outside of the property.

The deductions a specialist quantity surveyor outlines on a depreciation schedule are split into two types. Structural items will be classified as capital works deductions, while assets which can be easily removed from the property can be claimed as plant and equipment depreciation.

Items classified as capital works will depreciate at a rate of 2.5 per cent each year over forty years. Plant and equipment assets, on the other hand, each have an individual effective life as set by the ATO.

The following graphic shows some of the depreciable plant and equipment assets and structural items found within the yard of an investment property as well as the first year depreciation deductions an investor could claim for these items.

Examples of outdoor structures which depreciate, as shown in the graphic, include the in-ground swimming pool, pool fencing, shade sails, pavers and window awnings. Other common structural assets found in the yard which depreciate include concrete slabs, clothes lines and sleepers.

Depreciable plant and equipment assets found in the yard of the pictured property included solar garden lights, outdoor furniture, garden watering systems, swimming pool filters and chlorinators. Other common examples of depreciable plant and equipment assets which might be found in the yard include garbage bins, garden sheds and freestanding barbeques.

As the assets outside a property experience wear and tear, it also makes sense to check in regularly with your property manager to see if there are any necessary repairs and maintenance required. If there are, it is also best to check with your specialist quantity surveyor before completing any work to the property.

While work completed to repair damage (such as mending part of a fence) or to prevent deterioration to a property (for example oiling a deck) is able to be claimed as an immediate deduction in the year of the expense, any work which improves the condition or value of an object beyond it’s original state at the time of purchase will be considered a capital improvement. Capital improvements completed will also be classified as either capital works deductions or depreciated as plant and equipment using the asset’s individual effective lives.

If an investor already has a depreciation schedule and plans to complete improvements to the yard, a specialist quantity surveyor can provide information on any remaining deductions for items planned for removal. Removing items could entitle an investor to claim additional deductions using a process known as ‘scrapping.’ Using this process, any remaining depreciable value can be claimed as a deduction in the financial year the item is removed.

When any new structural additions or plant and equipment assets are added to an investment property, it is recommended to ask your specialist quantity surveyor to provide an updated depreciation schedule outlining the deductions for any new items.

Maximising depreciation deductions for items outside a property and carefully considering whether any improvements can be made can add thousands of dollars to an investor’s pocket. It also can add additional value to the property and appeal to tenants, helping to increase your rental return.

Quantity surveyors can provide a free estimate of the depreciation deductions available in any investment property. To request an estimate and obtain their advice, click here.

— Bradley is the chief executive officer of BMT Tax Depreciation. Bradley joined BMT in 1998 and as such he has substantial knowledge about property investment supported by expertise in property depreciation and the construction industry.