You love your home. But sometimes, you feel like it could be missing just a little bit something. You look out at your backyard and envision all the ways you can make it into your own personal oasis. But you also see the glaring sun beating down, or maybe a pile of snow piling up on your deck.
If you’re like many homeowners in Salt Lake County, you have four (sometimes brutal) seasons with which to contend.
That’s where a patio cover can make all the difference. It’s more than just a way to add some shade to your outdoor living space. A patio cover is a smart investment that can help you increase your living space, protect your home and property and add resale value to your home.
In this article, we’ll talk about exactly how a patio cover can add value to your Salt Lake County home in both tangible and intangible ways.
1. Increasing Your Living Space
Patio Cover Salt Lake City
The most tangible value a patio cover provides is simply additional square footage. If you look at a covered patio as another room, it starts to make sense. By adding a permanent cover, you’re creating a functional extension of your home. After all, when you have a solid cover in place you can move from indoors to outdoors without any break in structure or level of comfort.
The Salt Lake Outdoor Lifestyle
Salt Lake is all about the outdoors. From Sandy to Draper to Sugar House, when the weather is nice we all want to be outside. The only problem with our great Salt Lake outdoor lifestyle is the heat. Our hot, dry summers are more than enough to send us scurrying back inside to cool down.
A patio cover changes that equation. By shading the area underneath the patio cover you effectively cool the area by 10 to 15 degrees. All of the sudden, that 10×10 slab of concrete you wouldn’t step on in July becomes the ideal place to…
- Hold Summer BBQs: Grill in comfort without burning yourself.
- Morning Coffee: Wake up with the sunrise without the glare.
- Remote Work: Bring your laptop outside without glare or overheating.
Increasing your square footage with a covered patio makes your home feel bigger and more functional without breaking the bank with a full room addition.
2. Protection Against Salt Lake’s Harsh Elements
We have nice weather here, but it can be tough on your home’s exterior. Strong UV rays in the summer and heavy snow in the winter take their tolls. A patio cover is armor for both your outdoor furniture and the home itself.
Protection in The Summer
Utah’s high elevation means we experience a much stronger sun than many parts of the country. Harsh UV rays fade your expensive outdoor furniture cushions, crack plastic and warp wood decking. A cover provides shade to block the damaging UV rays and extend the life of your outdoor décor.
More importantly, a cover shades your windows. When the sun is blocked from beating down on your sliding glass doors or rear windows, it helps keep your home’s interior cooler. This means less strain on your HVAC system and lower energy bills in the summer months.
Snow And Ice Control in The Winter
Winter on the Wasatch Front is a snowy one. And, when it doesn’t snow, it still rains a fair amount. Without a patio cover, your patio is a snow storage unit. Melting snow and ice can refreeze on your concrete, causing cracks and heaving from the freeze-thaw cycle.
A sturdy patio cover sheds snow from your patio surface. This translates to:
- Less Shoveling: Clear walkway access to your backyard.
- Concrete Protection: Less water penetration that can cause damage to concrete slabs.
- Dry Entryway:A dry intermediary zone in which to stomp off snow boots before entering the house, keeping your indoor floors dry.
3. Improved Curb and Landscape Appeal
Salt Lake County Patio Cover
Real estate is all about first impressions. A professionally built patio cover provides architectural interest to the front and back of your home. It also hints to buyers that your outdoor space is usable and well-maintained.
A bare concrete pad with no cover looks uninviting and unfinished. Cover it up and the backyard looks intentional and designed. It’s an added structure, whether insulated solid roof or an elegant lattice pergola.
In Salt Lake County’s competitive real estate market, features that project a “lifestyle” are the ones that sell homes. Patio covers are one of them because buyers can easily imagine a fun backyard setting. Hosting parties or just kicking back with a cold one outside. The emotional draw leads to an increase in value and often a quicker offer when it’s time to sell.
4. High Return on Investment (ROI)
Home improvement projects can run the gamut on ROI. A full kitchen remodel for $50,000 does not guarantee you will recoup that value when you sell. But patio covers typically have a high ROI.
Patio covers are a good investment because they are a lower-cost improvement that add significant value to the usability of the property. General real estate estimates put a good quality, well-designed outdoor living space at a 50% to 80% cost return at resale. In places like Utah, where outdoor living is a way of life, the ROI may be even greater. Outdoor living is a high-value upgrade, and most buyers are willing to pay a premium for a “turn-key” backyard where the shade structure is already installed.
5. Usable Anytime of Year
A patio cover is unique in our area because it is useful in all four seasons.
- Spring: Patio covers allow you to enjoy the outdoors even when it rains in April.
- Summer: Patio covers provide much-needed shade to your entertaining and lounging areas.
- Fall: Patio covers give you a comfortable retreat where you can cuddle up with a blanket and watch the aspens turn.
- Winter: Patio covers shield your grill and furniture from being engulfed by snow drifts.
That means you’ll enjoy 365 days of value from your patio cover, not just three months out of the year.
Should You Install a Patio Cover?
Considering a patio cover in Salt Lake County? You betcha! High summer sun, heavy winter snow, and a love of the outdoors are some of the main reasons to build a patio cover in Utah. It will shield your outdoor living space, cut energy bills, and give you the perfect place to gather with family and friends. A patio cover is a great home improvement that boosts your property value and your everyday life.
Ready to upgrade your backyard?
Don’t let another season pass wishing you had more shade. Reach out to a local patio cover expert today like Awnings Unlimited to find out if a patio cover is right for you. You can reach us at (801) 268-4441 or fill out our online form — we’d be happy to give you a free quote! Start adding real value to your home today!