A property guru has issued a warning that opting for artificial grass in your garden could slash £2k off the value of your home. The debate over the use of synthetic turf is heating up, with supporters arguing it offers a low-maintenance and tidy alternative to natural lawns but many disagree.
Artificial grass has been popping up in gardens nationwide, but there's a growing backlash against it, with some environmentalists calling for an outright ban due to its negative ecological impact. Concerns include the potential for plastic particles to contaminate soil, damage to wildlife habitats, and the challenges associated with recycling or disposing of it.
Property expert Andy Simms, from MyBuilder.com, suggests that public opinion is shifting on fake grass, potentially affecting house prices. Following the Welsh Government's failed attempt to ban artificial grass, people are taking a harder look at its environmental implications.
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Simms said: "While it's not for everyone, and there are some obvious concerns about its 'green' credentials, there are still benefits to having an artificial lawn. If you are thinking about it, we'd advise you to carefully weigh up the pros and cons before investing in it.
"With so many against installing artificial grass or in favour of a ban, this has got to have an impact on property values. If a buyer knows that they will need to replace and landscape the garden, this could cost many thousands of pounds which is likely to influence an offer they place on a property."
He estimated the removal and replacement of artificial grass on a 25m2 plot would cost around £2,000, reports the Express.
"If the installation of the artificial grass is done well, it's likely laid on a sub-base which would need to be removed and replaced with topsoil and then turfed."
The cost for returfing an 'average' garden size of 5mx5m (25m2), including labour for about five days, skip for waste and materials, would amount to approximately £2,100.
Research from MyBuilder.com, a site which matches reliable tradespeople with homeowners, found that 24 per cent of Brits would endorse a full ban on imitation grass. This view is backed by demand data from MyBuilder.com, which reports that requests for artificial grass installation decreased by 48 per cent year-on-year in 2023.
Furthermore, the recent study revealed that while one quarter supports a ban, a third (33 percent) think there should be policies in place limiting the usage of such materials in order to safeguard the environment.
In the study, a significant 57 per cent of participants stated they would never consider installing artificial grass in their garden. This sentiment was even stronger among those over 55, with a whopping 68 per cent expressing opposition to the idea.
