When planning an outdoor living project, it’s easy to get excited about every possible feature.
A larger deck. An outdoor kitchen. A covered porch. A pool. A fireplace. A motorized pergola. Built-in lighting. Premium decking.
But which outdoor living upgrades are actually worth the investment?
The features most likely to be worth investing in are the ones that improve how often you use your outdoor space, reduce long-term maintenance, solve a problem with your property, or would be difficult and expensive to add later.
Features that look impressive but don’t match how your family actually lives may be better places to save.
At Keystone Outdoor Living, we design and build custom outdoor living spaces throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Northern Maryland. Here are some of the areas homeowners should consider investing in, along with places where spending more isn’t always necessary.
What Should You Spend Money on in an Outdoor Living Project?
When deciding where to spend your outdoor living budget, prioritize these five things:
- Structure and construction quality
- A functional layout
- Durable materials
- Weather protection and shade
- Infrastructure that is difficult to change later
After those fundamentals are addressed, features such as outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, pools, lighting, and entertainment areas should be evaluated based on how your family plans to use the space.
Worth Considering: A Well-Planned Layout
Before spending money on premium appliances or decorative upgrades, invest time in getting the layout right.
A good outdoor living design should consider how people move between the house, deck, patio, pool, yard, cooking area, and seating areas.
It should also account for:
- Doors and entrances
- Stairs
- Sun exposure
- Shade
- Views
- Privacy
- Furniture placement
- Cooking areas
- Traffic patterns
- Future additions
Changing a piece of furniture is easy.
Changing the location of a staircase, outdoor kitchen, pool, or roof structure after construction is much more difficult.
The takeaway: Spend money on getting the bones of the project right before spending heavily on decorative upgrades.
Worth Considering: Quality Decking Materials
For homeowners who want less ongoing maintenance, composite TimberTech decking can be worth considering.
Traditional wood decking generally requires more ongoing maintenance to preserve its appearance and protect it from weathering. Composite and PVC products are designed to reduce many of those maintenance requirements.
Premium decking can also offer additional colors, textures, and design options.
Does everyone need the most expensive decking collection available?
No.
The better question is whether paying more provides a benefit that matters to you.
The takeaway: Invest in durability and maintenance characteristics first. Premium aesthetic upgrades should come second.
Worth Considering: A Roof or Covered Outdoor Space
A covered outdoor living area can be one of the most impactful additions because it changes when the space can be used.
A beautiful uncovered deck may sit empty during intense afternoon sun or rain. Adding a roof creates protection from the elements and can make the space feel more like an outdoor room.
Covered spaces can also accommodate features such as:
- Ceiling fans
- TVs
- Recessed lighting
- Outdoor heaters
- Fireplaces
- Retractable screens
- Finished ceilings
For homeowners who expect to spend significant time outside, weather protection may provide more everyday value than several smaller decorative upgrades combined.
When might it not be necessary? If the deck is naturally shaded, used only occasionally, or the project budget is focused primarily on creating basic outdoor space.
Worth Considering: Good Lighting
Lighting is easy to underestimate during the design process.
It’s also something homeowners notice immediately when they begin using their space after sunset.
Outdoor lighting can be incorporated into:
- Stairs
- Deck posts
- Railings
- Walkways
- Pergolas
- Outdoor kitchens
- Landscaping
- Covered areas
Good lighting serves two purposes: it contributes to the atmosphere of the space and helps people navigate it after dark.
The takeaway: Lighting is usually better planned during the initial design than treated as an afterthought.
Worth Considering: Electrical Infrastructure
Extra outlets aren’t exciting.
Until you need one.
Think about everything that may eventually require electricity:
- Televisions
- Speakers
- Phone chargers
- Outdoor refrigerators
- Lighting
- Ceiling fans
- Heaters
- Hot tubs
- Pool equipment
- Motorized pergolas
- Outdoor kitchen appliances
Planning electrical needs while the project is under construction may be easier than trying to retrofit them later.
The same concept applies to gas and plumbing.
The takeaway: Infrastructure that will be hidden beneath or inside the finished project deserves attention early.
Worth Considering: Shade
A backyard can look incredible and still be uncomfortable if there’s nowhere to escape the sun.
Shade can come from several sources, including:
- Roof structures
- Pergolas
- Motorized louvered pergolas
- Retractable awnings
- Umbrellas
- Strategic landscaping
The appropriate solution depends on the property and how the space will be used.
For a backyard with intense afternoon sun, investing in shade may improve the experience more than upgrading countertops or adding decorative features.
Worth Considering: An Outdoor Kitchen, If You’ll Actually Use It
Outdoor kitchens can be a great investment for homeowners who regularly cook and entertain outside.
But an outdoor kitchen doesn’t need every available appliance.
A highly functional setup might simply include:
- Quality grill
- Counter space
- Storage
- Trash storage
- Small refrigerator
Another homeowner may genuinely use a sink, side burner, pizza oven, ice maker, beverage refrigerator, and large bar.
Neither approach is automatically better.
The best outdoor kitchen is the one designed around how you actually cook.
When is an outdoor kitchen worth it?
An outdoor kitchen makes the most sense when outdoor cooking and entertaining are already important parts of your lifestyle.
When might an outdoor kitchen not be worth it?
If you rarely cook outside, a large kitchen filled with premium appliances may consume budget and space that could provide more value elsewhere.
Worth Considering: A Fireplace or Fire Feature, If It Extends How You Use the Space
Fire features can create a natural gathering area and make cooler evenings more comfortable.
Options can range from a freestanding fire pit to a fully integrated outdoor fireplace.
Before investing in one, consider how it will actually be used.
Do you picture your family gathering around a fire regularly?
Will the fireplace be integrated into a covered living room?
Are you primarily adding it because it looks good in inspiration photos?
A fire feature can be a major part of the experience when it matches the family’s lifestyle. If it doesn’t, that portion of the budget may be better used elsewhere.
Worth Considering: A Pool, When It’s Central to the Backyard
A pool can completely transform a backyard.
It can also change the scope of the entire project.
Homeowners considering a pool should think beyond the pool itself and account for:
- Pool decking
- Fencing
- Landscaping
- Lighting
- Drainage
- Seating
- Shade
- Equipment
- Entertainment areas
If swimming, entertaining, and spending summer days outside are central to your family’s plans, a pool may become the centerpiece around which the rest of the outdoor living space is designed.
If the pool would only be used occasionally, it’s worth considering whether another feature could better support how your family spends time outside.
Where Can You Save Money on an Outdoor Living Project?
Not every feature needs to be premium.
There are several areas where homeowners may be able to control their outdoor living budget without compromising the fundamental quality of the project.
You May Not Need the Largest Possible Space
More square footage doesn’t automatically create a better backyard.
Unused space still requires materials and labor.
Instead of asking, “How large can we make the deck?”
Ask:
“How much space do we actually need?”
A thoughtfully designed 500-square-foot outdoor living space may function better than a poorly planned 800-square-foot space.
Design around furniture, activities, and traffic patterns rather than simply maximizing square footage.
You May Not Need the Most Expensive Material in Every Category
Premium materials can be beautiful.
That doesn’t mean every selection needs to be at the highest price point.
If upgrading the decking is important to you, perhaps the railing can remain simpler.
If the outdoor kitchen is a priority, maybe decorative masonry can be reduced.
If a covered porch is essential, perhaps the premium ceiling treatment can wait.
Prioritize where you want the project to feel premium instead of upgrading everything equally.
You May Not Need Every Outdoor Kitchen Appliance
This is one of the easiest places for a wish list to grow.
Do you need a refrigerator?
Maybe.
Do you need two refrigerators, an ice maker, pizza oven, side burner, sink, smoker, beverage center, and warming drawer?
Maybe not.
Think about what you use inside your home.
Your outdoor kitchen should support your cooking habits rather than becoming a collection of appliances.
You May Not Need Complicated Shapes
Curves, multiple levels, intricate borders, and unusual deck shapes can create visual interest.
They can also increase construction complexity.
Sometimes a simpler footprint combined with excellent materials, furniture, landscaping, and lighting creates a cleaner finished space.
Simple doesn’t have to mean basic.
You May Not Need to Build Everything at Once
One of the most effective ways to manage an outdoor living budget is to create a master plan and build it in phases.
For example:
Phase 1: Deck and patio
Phase 2: Roof or pergola
Phase 3: Outdoor kitchen
Phase 4: Pool or additional entertainment area
The important part is planning future phases before constructing the first one.
Utilities, foundations, structural supports, and layouts can then be designed with future additions in mind.
What Should You Never Cheap Out On in an Outdoor Living Project?
Homeowners should be cautious about reducing costs in areas involving structural integrity, foundations, drainage, waterproofing, electrical work, code compliance, and other components that protect the safety and longevity of the project.
Finishes can often be changed.
Structural mistakes are much harder to correct.
The hidden portions of an outdoor living project may not create exciting photos, but they are critical to how the finished space performs over time.
What Outdoor Living Features Add the Most Everyday Value?
The features that provide the most everyday value depend on how the homeowner uses the backyard.
For many families, frequently used features may include:
- Comfortable seating
- Shade or weather protection
- Outdoor dining space
- Convenient grilling or cooking areas
- Lighting
- Easy access between the house and backyard
- Low-maintenance materials
The most valuable feature isn’t necessarily the most expensive one.
It’s the feature that makes you use your backyard more often.
How Should You Prioritize an Outdoor Living Budget?
A simple way to prioritize your budget is to divide the project into three categories.
1. Build It Right
Start with structure, drainage, foundations, utilities, layout, and quality construction.
2. Make It Functional
Next, prioritize the features that determine how you will use the space, such as shade, cooking areas, seating, lighting, stairs, and traffic flow.
3. Make It Personal
Finally, consider premium finishes, decorative upgrades, technology, entertainment features, and other customization.
This approach keeps the fundamental parts of the project from competing with optional upgrades for budget.
Outdoor Living Investment FAQs
What is the best thing to spend money on in an outdoor living project?
There isn’t one feature that’s best for every homeowner. In general, prioritize quality construction, a functional layout, durable materials, necessary infrastructure, and features that will increase how often your family uses the space.
Is composite decking worth the investment?
Composite or PVC decking may make sense for homeowners who prioritize reduced maintenance and long-term durability. The right decking material depends on budget, appearance preferences, maintenance expectations, and the specific project.
Is a covered deck worth it?
A covered deck can provide substantial functional value for homeowners who want protection from sun and rain. Whether it’s appropriate depends on the property, budget, and how frequently the outdoor space will be used.
Is an outdoor kitchen worth it?
An outdoor kitchen can make sense for homeowners who frequently cook and entertain outside. Homeowners who grill occasionally may get more value from a simpler grill station with counter space and storage.
Is an outdoor fireplace worth it?
An outdoor fireplace can be valuable when it becomes a frequently used gathering place or helps extend the outdoor season. It may be less important for homeowners who don’t anticipate regularly using a fire feature.
Should I build my entire outdoor living project at once?
Not necessarily. Some outdoor living projects can be designed as a master plan and constructed in phases. Planning the entire space first can help ensure future additions work with what is built today.
Where should I save money on an outdoor living project?
Homeowners can often consider simplifying the project’s size, shape, decorative details, appliance package, or finish selections before reducing spending on structural construction, drainage, foundations, waterproofing, utilities, or other fundamental components.
Planning an Outdoor Living Project in Pennsylvania, Delaware, or Northern Maryland?
Keystone Outdoor Living designs and builds custom outdoor living spaces throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Northern Maryland.
Our projects can include custom decks, covered porches, patios, pools, outdoor kitchens, pergolas, fire features, and complete backyard environments.
Rather than starting with a list of products, we believe the better place to start is with how you want to use the space.
What matters most to your family?
What features will you actually use?
Where does it make sense to invest?
And where can the design be simplified?
Answering those questions can help create an outdoor living space that isn’t simply impressive when it’s finished.
It’s a space you’ll actually use.
Space for What Matters.
About Keystone Outdoor Living
Keystone Outdoor Living is an outdoor living design and construction company serving homeowners throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Northern Maryland. Keystone designs and builds custom decks, porches, patios, pools, outdoor kitchens, pergolas, fire features, and complete outdoor living environments.
Homeowners planning an outdoor living project can work with Keystone Outdoor Living to develop a design based on their property, priorities, lifestyle, and investment range.