Expertise: Hardscaping

Curb appeal is the first impression your home gives off as people enter your property. Having strong curb appeal separates your home from the others in the neighborhood. Many homeowners, whether they are planning to move or stay long-term, are looking for new ways to boost their curb appeal.

Owner Kyle Staffa has noticed there are various ways homeowners are working towards updating their curb appeal and states that on average in the New Jersey market, owners can expect to see an 8-12 percent increase in home value from just a nice curb appeal. Not only that, but updating your backyard landscaping helps increase value as well.

House and Home spoke with Staffa to see what the new and exciting updates homeowners are looking into and what steps they need to take.

What are common curb appeal projects homeowners are reaching out for?
Latley the landscape of our business has changed a little bit. We are seeing all sorts of different curb appeal projects. There are projects that are very extensive that include paver driveways with intricate inlays, to basic decorative stone driveways with bluestone curbing.

One of the biggest ideas homeowners are doing is dressing up the foundations of their homes using veneer stone or brick. This is a timeless look. Raised flower beds using a nice Unilock estate wall system to give the home a 3-dimensional approach. This draws the eye to a new focal point. These walls look exceptional when you add in the landscape lighting.

Driveways can be one of the first things you notice about a home. Why is it important to upkeep?
Driveways can be a true statement piece to the home. What many people don't understand is all driveways require some sort of maintenance. Asphalt requires seal coating every other year to keep it looking fresh. In the northeast concrete must have an expansion joint for freeze thaw factor. There is one major disadvantage with concrete and that is cracking and spalding. Having an eye-popping paver driveway can be as little or as much maintenance as you choose. You can seal them if you choose, or you can choose an inline sealed paver. Unilock is making a few different pavers that are already pre-sealed. This means it prevents staining from your tires, motor oil and other organic materials eliminating the need for yearly maintenance.

What should a homeowner look for in a backyard outdoor space?
When homeowners are looking to plan their outdoor living oasis there needs to be some basic questions asked. A few of the considerations are: What are your needs and wants? What do they need now and what do they see happening with the space for the future? There needs to be a comprehensive look into the layout of property. Major issues can be averted by using a good designer who will shoot grade elevations to help with water runoff.

What are new outdoor trends for poolscaping homeowners are raving about?
When we move from the front yard landscaping to the backyard poolscaping there are many things to consider. What type of pool coping should I use? What pavers should I use that won't get hot?

These are just the two most common we hear when walking homeowners around our display. Unilock is the only paver manufacturer that produces a solar reflect hardscape product. This helps keep the summer heat from burning the bottom of your feet. Many of the pools we see now are salt water so we also try to recommend a dense product that will not allow the salt to eat away at the coping and patio.

When is the best time to start considering landscape projects?
Wintertime is the best time to start thinking about your landscape projects. First off if you have to hire a contractor or a designer you will want to get on the schedule sooner rather than later. Secondly, many of the hardscape products are in good supply now but as spring approaches these manufacturers have a hard time keeping up.

Staffa Stone
318 Atlantic City Blvd | Bayville, NJ | (732) 831-4174 | StaffaStone.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 23, Issue 3 (Spring 2023). 
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