10 ways to spruce up your property without breaking the bank

TEMPE, AZ - If you want to improve your property or add a little curb appeal, one Valley landscape architect and designer has 10 suggestions for you.

Bill Tonnesen is a landscape architect, landscape contractor and a sculpture artist with a keen eye for design.

He's drafted plans for dozens of properties and renovated many others. He has agreed to share some of his insight with you.

Don't use your driveway as an entry

Many homes have driveways packed with cars with no free approach to the front door.

Tonnesen says the look is cluttered and is an impractical way to welcome visitors to your home.

"You should really have a dedicated entry," said Tonnesen.

He advocates building a path from the public sidewalk to your front door.

He says concrete is an excellent material from which to build the pathway, adding that cement sells for about $4 per square foot.

Don't paint anything, color is irrelevant

This may strike you as odd, but Tennesen suggests painting can detract from the texture of the home's exterior.

This can be especially true when the home is made of brick or block.

By stripping paint away, or simply not painting a new home, the texture can set your home apart from others.

"Sandblasting is an upfront expense at about $2,500 for a 1,500 square foot home," he said. "But you can save money in the long run because you don't have a paint scheme to maintain or update."

Stop pruning your shrubs so much

Shrubs can be a great addition to any property, but constantly pruned foliage doesn't have a chance to blend together with neighboring plants.

The look leads to "clutter," which Tonnesen says should be avoided.

Avoid variety when choosing plants

This goes hand in hand with the third tip. Too much variety with the landscape plants is a major contributor to clutter, which can leave your property looking more like an eyesore than a textbook case for lawn of the year.

Six foot walls are too short

Living in Arizona, we're all familiar with those block and stucco walls that frame our backyards, but Tonnesen says they aren't high enough and often don't look very good.

He is currently adding a wooden picket fence to a renovation property. "I love this old wood, but it needs to be straight," he said.

His crew is building a short foundation of cinder blocks that will support the wooden pickets. You can buy pre-fabricated sections of cedar fence at a home supply store for $50 each.

Block your neighbors

The picket fence can help you accomplish this, but a property surrounded entirely by a fence looks more like a fort than a sanctuary.

Tonnesen suggests creating a border with shrubbery along property lines. You can buy a shrub for $4 or $40, he explained.

The key is size. It may take two years for a row of small shrubs to grow in, but you've spent far less for the same effect."

Flatten your lawn

"Think of your lawn as a place to play croquet," Tonnesen said. "You want it flat like a table."

He says you can accomplish this by purchasing sand and spreading it 1/2 inch deep across the lawn. The grass will grow into it and your lawn will become flat.

Be sure your patio is 12 feet

Ratios and standard measurements are important elements in design, and the proper dimensions can make your furniture fit in seamlessly with your yard.

"A 12 foot by 12 foot space is essential," said Tonnesen.

Organizing furniture is easy when you have an even square in which to arrange the pieces.

Don't get advice about putting in a pool from a pool company

File this one under common sense, but some may need reminding. While pool companies can be good resources for questions about chemical levels, concerns about integrating your pool into your property can be answered by architects and designers.

An independent one won't suggest solutions that will earn them a buck and cost you more.

Write down what you want to do

This is likely the easiest way to save money.

By writing down your projects and goals, you can clearly map out the process and estimate expenses.

It can also keep you from getting carried away and spending your kid's college fund on your backyard sanctuary.

Find out more information on Tonnesen and his projects on his website .

Many landscape architects are members of their own professional association. You can learn more about them online .