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Hardscaping

What Is the Average Size and Cost of Residential Inground Swimming Pools?

4Oct2021

What’s the average size of a residential in-ground swimming pool? What should you look to spend to install one? To answer these questions, we first need to answer what is “average” since there are so many factors and variations that would change our answer. The “average” inground pool size and cost are incredibly subjective depending on the space available and your budget. However, most pool experts would agree that the average size of a rectangular pool is between 10-20 feet for smaller inground pools and 20-40 feet for bigger ones, with an average cost between $28,000 and $55,000 This is a pretty big range so let’s take a look at what “average” might mean in different contexts.

What Exactly Is “Average”?

Average can mean a lot of things especially when it comes to what the average cost of a residential swimming pool is. This heavily depends on what it is exactly that you want out of your contractor. More often than not contractors will give you a sample book that you’re able to choose from. The more water features, the deeper the pool, etc. the more it will cost. Don’t even get us started on the different pool shapes you can choose from. If you can dream it, we can build it.

Another determining factor in pool cost is the location. Do you live in a big city? There’s a good chance you have less space for a pool than say someone out in the country. So keep that in mind when choosing how big you want the size of your inground pool to be.

The last big factor on average cost is the intended use of the pool. Are you a couple of grandparents building an inground pool for your grandkids? Then your pool will likely be smaller and shallow, giving your kids more room to play. Did you just buy a house and you’re looking to build a pool to entertain your guests? Then the size will likely be much bigger and deeper as it’s intended for adults.

Average Pool Capacity

Another factor that often goes unnoticed when it comes to residential in-ground pools is the capacity of the pool. Capacity is directly related to not only the cost of filling the pool but also the time and maintenance required. As a general rule of thumb, the bigger the pool’s capacity the more maintenance it will take. Pool cleaning, the cost of machines that filter the water, and the cost of chemicals can build up. It’s important to keep in mind the long-term costs of what goes into keeping your inground pool safe to swim in when talking to your contractor and choosing what creative shape you want the pool to be.

Speaking of Contractors…

One factor surrounding residential inground pools we haven’t mentioned yet is the landscaping around the pool. A key part of having a pool that will impress is having the landscaping to match. Luckily for you, Wildwood Landscape is here to take that off your hands. We are a team of award-winning landscape experts that will turn your backyard into the getaway of your dreams. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Uncategorized

5 Late Summer Lawn Care Tips for Virginia Landscapes

24Sep2021

While summers in Northern Virginia can be hot and humid, thankfully there is an end in sight. As we enter into the back half of the summer months, now is a good time to assess your lawn. Acting now to fortify it can strengthen your lawn as the frosting of fall and winter approaches. Simple lawn care maintenance like pulling weeds and mowing your grass down to the ideal length can go a long way towards keeping your lawn healthy, full, and green.

Here are 5 late summer lawn care tips that can improve your Virginia Landscape.

Bye Bye Dandelion

You know, for all the children’s games that involve pulling up dandelions, you would think weed pulling would be more fun in the adult years. It’s not, but it is an essential aspect of lawn maintenance that can improve both the health of your grass and your curb appeal.

It’s best to pull any and all weeds as soon as you see them encroaching on your lush grass. While a weed here and there won’t cause serious damage to your yard, one can quickly turn to dozens and before you know it, your yard is overrun.

Keep Your Grass Short and Tight

Did you know that there is actually such a thing as “proper height” for your grass? Keeping your grass between 2 ½ and 3 inches high can let more sunlight soak into your soil surface. More sunlight enhances your seed and valuable moisture spreading which plays an important role in keeping your grass healthy and full.

Let Your Grass Breath

It’s best to aerate your lawn in the late summer to open up your soil for increased oxygen and moisture. This keeps your roots strong and healthy. If you want a healthy lawn, you need healthy roots.

Test and Fertilize Your Soil

You need to regularly test your soil for pH deficiency (your soil’s acidity level) or nutrients deficiency. A deficiency in either of these can cause your grass to wilt. Regularly testing your soil can bring these concerns to your attention while you still have time to remedy them.

An enhanced release fertilizer is your lawn’s best friend and keeps your grass lush and green without having to repeatedly apply fertilizer.

Do You Grasscycle?

Do you hate picking up grass clippings that your mower spits out as you cut down your grass to the proper height? Then grasscycling is for you. This is the process of letting your grass clippings fall back into your lawn so that your lawn will absorb the nutrients that are still in the freshly cut clippings. This is great for your lawn’s roots.

You can find “mulching mowers” at most lawn care or hardware stores. These mowers are made specifically for grasscycling. They chop your grass clippings into smaller pieces than regular mowers so that your grass clippings fall and nestle into the top of your turf. Nature takes over from there as microbes digest your clippings and release the nutrients inside them into your soil.

Need Some Help With Your Late Summer Lawn Care?

From seasonal color to turf maintenance, mowing, and edging – your oasis awaits at Wildwood landscaping. We are Northern Virginia’s premier landscaping partner and we look forward to serving you with all your lawn care and landscaping needs. Request your quick and easy quote today.

Gardening, Weather

Planning Your Landscaping For 2021

3Mar2021

The cold months at the end and beginning of the year are the perfect time to start planning your next landscaping project. The earlier you begin planning, the better – don’t wait until the summer to begin! Landscapers usually schedule ahead 6 – 8 weeks in advance. Begin planning with a landscaping company before it starts to warm up so you can enjoy your property in the warm weather. Landscapers are busy year-round, and a good company will be willing to plan ahead with you.

Budgeting for Your Next Project

The first and most important for planning your landscape for next year is to figure out your budget. Whether your looking to build a new outdoor structure, plant new shrubberies, or just do simple maintenance, it’s important to know what needs to get done and what you can afford before planning out anything else. Don’t just look at the budget from last year, either – your property’s needs can change yearly, so it’s important to talk to a professional about what you want and what your property needs. Talk to a local landscaping company and submitting a request for proposal (RFP) will help you better understand what your budget is.

Plant What’s In Season

All plants are unique, from appearance to planting time to hardiness. All plants have an ideal planting time and an ideal environment in which to grow, and talking to your landscaper or nursery will help you to keep your plants healthy and get the most out of them.

Plan With Your Landscaper

Planning ahead is very helpful and saves both time and money, both for yourself and the landscaper. Plotting out what you want to be done with your landscaper ahead of time ensures you’re getting exactly what you want and they know exactly what to do. It can save a lot of money in the long run – deciding what you want as you go will be timely, not to mention expensive, and the landscapers won’t have a clear vision of what they’re supposed to do. Planning ahead cuts down on mishaps, and ensures that the landscaping company knows exactly what to do.

Hire the Right Landscaper

Make sure the company you use the right fit for your budget and timeline. Getting a professional design can be expensive – around $500 expensive – not including water features and detailed hardscape installations, which is why planning out what you want ahead of time is so important. A design is the company’s interpretation of what you want, and changing designs on paper is a lot less expensive than changing it on the fly in the middle of a project.

Gardening

15 Home Updates that will Increase your Home’s Value

6Oct2020

Looking to sell your home soon or in a few years? Maybe you just want your home to stand out? There are plenty of ways to make improvements, but not all will add value to your home. See a list below of updates that will have your visitors or potential buyers excited about your home and help you get the most bang for your buck!

First Impressions will always have the biggest impact when it comes to your home. From the landscaping to the siding all the way to the front door- these things are what keeps people either coming back or running for the hills.

Is your front door old or drafty? Replace it with a newer strong and energy-efficient door to keep the drafts out and to keep your guests warm to your home. A new door can also be a beautiful and unique element to your home. In many cases, a fresh coat of paint is all you need to bring a new element to your curb appeal.

When it comes to landscaping, make sure you pull out all the stops (and the weeds). Trim any overgrown bushes and make sure your windows and doorways are visible because this allows gorgeous natural light into the home. Add pops of color with bushes or flowers at varying heights to create beautiful depth. You can also create an interesting focal point by adding a fountain or updating a walkway with brick or stone. Wildwood Landscape is a local and professional landscaping company that specializes in creating outdoor spaces and scapes that accentuate your home. See completed projects at www.WildWoodLanscape.com.

Siding updates may not seem like an obvious fix, but new siding will enhance the look of your home and will be more fade-resistant than previous designs because of the updated products and technology. Your old siding may be dull or stained from years of being in the outdoor elements so consider an update that will reap benefits long into your home’s future.

Inside your home, your updates can range from minor to major. Major home renovations will run you a pretty penny so you may not want to invest that kind of money or time into a major overhaul. Do some research in your area and see what other successful sellers are doing to update their homes because some minor updates will also make a big statement. Many of them can be done quickly and can still increase your home value.

Bathrooms and kitchens are the main areas that you will want to make updates to since they are the most used spaces in the home. In the bathroom, you will want to look at the following things: paint, caulk, and grout. These are quick areas to make a change. You can repaint, recaulk, and clean your grout easily and quickly and it will add a great look to potential buyers. Another way to update your kitchen and bathrooms is adding new light fixtures to enhance the space.

The kitchen is often referred to as the heart of the home and it’s definitely the number one area on a buyer’s list. Minor updates will make a big difference and can include: resurfacing your cabinets, updating hardware, and updating light fixtures. Light in a kitchen makes a huge difference to homeowners and to the space. Under-cabinet lighting is fairly inexpensive and can add a great atmosphere to the space. Changing out large fixtures for recessed lights will enhance the space with clean lines and an open feel. Adding techy updates in your kitchen is a great addition as well. For instance, you can change out regular sockets for USB ports or add motion-activated lights.

When it comes to updating your home, there are many ways to really get the biggest return on investment and we are here for all your outdoor needs. Whether you want to sell or stay in the home- our designers can create a space that works for you and your budget. From outdoor kitchens and water features, all the way to pools and gorgeous driveways- our designers have created amazing homes right here in Northern Virginia. Find us online at www.Wildwoodlandscapes.com and see projects that we have done for your neighbors or give us a call for a free estimate at (540) 338-7190 today.

Gardening

Top 3 Flowers Honeybees Love

16Mar2020

With spring a little over a week away and temperatures flirting with the low 70s, it’s time to think planting and with planting comes the quiet buzz of honeybees looking to find pollinating plants to gather from.

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