Having a house of green is easier than ever

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Published Date 5/8/2024

Anyone can paint a house green, but how many people have a greenhouse on their property? A greenhouse is more than just a transparent outbuilding and a sunny place to grow plants, flowers, and vegetables; it’s also a great spot to plop a lawn chair in winter.

Bet you didn’t know that with a mere keyboard click, today’s prefabricated greenhouses make it easier (and more cost-effective) than ever to become a backyard hero, with options ranging from less than $500 up to $10k depending on your needs and your property, according the Realtor.com’s Madeline Bilis.

To build one, all you need are the space and the time. But there are pros and cons of prefab greenhouses, according to experts. Prefab models are easy to set up. “The beauty of prefab anything, greenhouses included, is that most of the hard work of building the structure is done for you,” says Bilis. Some arrive already built and others are sold as kits, which means a team of two people will need to do some light assembly to get the outbuilding up and running. Smaller (8-foot by 12-foot greenhouses) only take a few hours to build. But planning is required.

Start with a string-and-stake layout for the area for which the greenhouse is intended. Greenhouse experts agree that this exercise can help you decide not only the size of your greenhouse, but also help you determine if the area receives enough sunlight.

Full stop here. Be aware that outbuildings are not always permitted in residential backyards. Depending on where you live, building a new structure in your backyard could violate zoning laws. Confirm your municipality’s rules regarding setbacks, or the distance of structures from a property line to ensure your greenhouse size and placement don’t constitute an encroachment or title issue down the line in a future sale.

If you pass the zoning test, see if a building permit would be required from your town, city, or neighborhood. Your HOA might have limitations on what can be constructed on your property, too, so it’s best to cover all your bases before adding a prefab greenhouse to your cart.

The beauty of a greenhouse is its year-round appeal as well as the personal satisfaction you get from having a direct connection with your flowers or to how your food is grown. In colder areas, more light and heat may need to be added, even in a location that gets good sunlight. Grow lighting can be used to supplement what Mother Nature may lack in certain areas. A few other ways to keep things toasty are to heat gallons of water during the day to release its heat at night, horticulture bubble wrap, or a space heater.

Don’t invest in a greenhouse if you’re looking for a monetary return, however. “Like cold plunge pools and saunas, special-interest home additions won’t always net you a return on your investment—or boost your home’s resale value,” says Bilis. Real estate experts agree that prefabricated greenhouses might not increase property value. In more rural settings or on larger lots, you’re more likely to have a future buyer pool that values the feature, but in others, it could narrow your prospective buying audience.

So in the end, you’re doing this purely for your personal enjoyment. If gardening is just a passing interest and you’re not willing to put in the work to maintain the structure, it will be like all that exercise equipment you bought that now collects dust.

Realtor, TBWS

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