QLD Yard maintenance - cost effectiveness vs appeal?

Discussion in 'Property Management' started by kacheek, 27th Oct, 2021.

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  1. kacheek

    kacheek Well-Known Member

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    Hi all,

    I have an IP that has a big yard and a nice looking Bougainevillea tree in the backyard, which looks beautiful and has pink flowers.

    However the tree can grow wild if not pruned regularly, and it has thorns which can be difficult to handle.

    I am considering cutting it back to a stump and poisoning it so it doesn't grow back, to save maintenance costs in the future, in case tenants slack off and doesn't prune it.

    However the tree does make the backyard look beautiful and adds a lot of appeal. If I cut it down, there aren't really any other plants in the yard, it will look sad and empty.

    I'm not sure how much this visual appeal will really add value to my IP at the end of the day though.

    If you were me, would you:

    - Keep the tree for the visual appeal? This means telling the tenants they have to do regular pruning (how enforceable is it to make tenants maintain the yard?) or sucking it up and paying for pruning myself ($100-200 every year)

    - Cut it back to a stump to eliminate all future costs. This seems like the most cost effective option but visual appeal is reduced.
     

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  2. spoon

    spoon Well-Known Member

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    The wooden fence will tilt and collapse over time when the plant grown too big
     
  3. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    I'm sure that will send you broke.

    The rest of the yard is also devoid of any plants.
     
    Joynz likes this.
  4. Tom Cooper

    Tom Cooper Well-Known Member Business Member

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    You are better off having your yard as maintenance free as possible.
     
    qak likes this.
  5. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    It isn't adding much visually. I'd remove it and plant something care-free.
     
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  6. Paul@PAS

    Paul@PAS Tax, Accounting + SMSF + All things Property Tax Business Plus Member

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    Depending on your council you could face penalties for removing it. All plants grow and its like a haircut. How many shave their hair off to the skin because they dont like haircuts ? Not many. What looks better - neat hair or a unwashed knotted mess ? Trimming a plant is easier when it is maintained. Thats the tenants job. Its their job to ensure its just as big or small when they leave as when they arrive. But they dont have a great start position.

    Killing it in the event your tenants may not maintain it sounds irrational. Thats like not servicing your car and blaming the mechanic.

    Its just one flowering plant in a barren yard. What you do with that one plant doesnt create a garden. If you wanted to enhance the visual appeal consider some basic improvemnets and complementing plants long that fence. Something that grows to a screen that can be trimmed like a hedge even. . In a bed that allows edges to be maintained and little weeding. A hedge trimmer skin for a battery tool costs $89. Job would be done twice a year and take a hour, or longer with something manual. Straight to the council recycling bin.
     
  7. Marg4000

    Marg4000 Well-Known Member

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    Our first home had a huge bougainvillea.

    It looked spectacular but the thorns are deadly and pruning it was close to dangerous. You simply can’t expect a tenant to prune it.

    Remove it completely and plant a couple of easy care shrubs.
     
    beach-haven likes this.
  8. kacheek

    kacheek Well-Known Member

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    Thanks all, I think I'll remove it completely to save hassle both on my side and tenants' side, and think about planting easy care shrubs later down the track. Appreciate all your comments!
     
  9. Stoffo

    Stoffo Well-Known Member

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    For the record, the showy colors of Bougainvillia is in fact new growth/bract that gives this appearance ;)

    What many people think of as the blooms of bougainvillea are not actually blooms at all. The showy paper-like structures are a modified leaf called a bract. These three bracts hide the true flowers inside, which are small, trumpet-shaped flowers in whites and yellows :cool:
     
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  10. kacheek

    kacheek Well-Known Member

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    That's pretty interesting. I feel a bit sad for it but hopefully it has a good afterlife o_O
     
  11. beach-haven

    beach-haven Active Member

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    Why don't you just get cut it down, but leave stump..then make a little feature of easy care plants around it, in a garden feature...it'll grow back but be small & managable (& attractive) & no problem for tenant to trim
     
  12. Stoffo

    Stoffo Well-Known Member

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    Even when cut back and poisoned Boganvillia can reshoot, and in 12 months it could easily have grown to the size of a van again.......:confused:

    Those who have had one KNOW ;)
    (only ever grow in a pot off the ground to restrict growth)