When planning apartment complex landscaping there are a number of things you can do to save money now and in the future. Complex landscaping must be handled with utmost care and attention to detail. For one, the space is shared by all of the residences living on the property, meaning landscaping needs to be kid-friendly, pet-friendly, and overall durable. Landscaping also makes a statement about your property to potential and current residents, impacting how much you can charge per unit.
The million-dollar question is: how do you create pretty and inviting apartment landscaping all while saving money? It’s a tall order to fill but it is very possible with careful planning.
We Can Help You Save Money On Apartment Complex Landscaping
TerraCast Products offers many of the landscaping elements your complex needs, including planters, lighting fixtures, trashcans, benches and more. All of our products offer unmatched quality proven to save you money in the long haul thanks to our specially formulated resin blend made to resist rust, graffiti, corrosion, and cracks.
Dogs are going to lift their leg on light posts and weed whackers are likely to take a few hits at planters, be confident your landscaping accessories can stand up to these challenges and more. Our products last longer than anything else on the market, hence why so many businesses, apartment complexes, city centers (including Times Square in New York City) rely on TerraCast Products.
The landscaping products and materials you purchase are only part of the equation. Here are 6 other ways you can save money on high quality landscaping for apartment complexes big and small.
1. Pay Close Attention To Local Landscaping Codes
Most local land-use codes have specifications about landscaping in regards to the appearance of the property and the amenity space provided to tenants. These requirements vary depending on location but may include something like preserving certain large trees at the front of your property, or placing certain amenities a specific distance from public roads. Do your research and make sure you are aware of any local landscaping codes in order to prevent costly issues with the city down the line.
2. The Front Entrance Sets The Stage
The first thing guests, potential tenants, and residents see when they arrive at your apartment complex is the front entrance. This is your chance to make a statement about your property, as well as separate it from the rest of the surrounding homes, buildings, streets, etc. Planting large trees at the entrance looks beautiful, increases resident privacy, and the trees provide a nice sound buffer.
The front entrance to the main building is often right near the entrance to the actual complex. Make the front entrance pop by adding unique ground material that differs from the sidewalks and other paved surfaces. An affordable way to do this is with screened gravel or pea gravel, both add a nice crunch beneath your foot and tend to be cost-effective. This low-tech, low-cost security measure offers safe footing for residents that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
3. Use Planters To Your Advantage
Planters allow you to adorn every inch of space in lush greenery without having to rip up concrete or make other huge changes. Planters can be placed all around the property to add pops of color and a higher end look.
Planters can be sporadically placed around the property or set up in a smaller area, such as a seating area where residents can casually gather and socialize. We have the benches and planters you need to create spaces residents are drawn to for many years to come.
4. Focus On Sustainable Community Spaces
Apartments don’t typically come with individual backyards; instead tenants only have balconies to escape indoor life. As a result, the public spaces such as swimming pools, tennis courts or BBQ areas are a shared backyard for all residents within your apartment community. You don’t want to underestimate the importance of these amenities.
A great way to separate the community space and make it feel safe and secure for residents is to surround the area with large shrubs or trees, as well as canopies that extend above eye-level.
If you’re thinking all of this greenery sounds expensive we have a trick to make it more affordable: only use native plants and trees in order to reduce maintenance costs considerably. If you are planning to plant greenery around a pool, go for trees that don’t shed as much. For instance, you might want to avoid trees with little berries, otherwise you will constantly need to pay someone to clean the pool of plant debris.
5. LED Lighting
All apartment complexes require lighting fixtures around the property to keep tenants safe and light up the property after dark. These lighting fixtures should be designed to resist rust from sprinklers, dog urine, and all other elements in order to prevent having to replace them soon after installation. LED light bulbs will also save you time, money and hassles considering they last so much longer than traditional bulbs.
Our LED lighting fixtures are made strong so that you save money in the future on repairs and replacements. LED lighting also saves you money on your electric bill each month.
6. Landscape Maintenance
A landscape maintenance program is another important thing to keep in mind as you plan apartment landscaping. You will need some sort of program in place to keep your property looking nice all year long. Your tenants are sensitive to how the property looks on a regular basis. If it begins to look run down and unmaintained renters are not going to be happy. The better care you take of your property the more pride tenants will feel towards it, and in return the better care they will take of it. As a result, pick landscaping that isn’t top dollar to maintain. If you keep this in mind from the get-go your landscaping will only look better over time. (Reference)