Although owning a private estate may seem like a dream come true for many people, it certainly comes with a unique set of challenges and difficulties. Whereas being the proud owner of a country estate may have been a status symbol in the 19th century, today it can prove to be a costly drain on finances.
For those who have inherited their family’s country seat, finding ways to generate sufficient funds to run their operation can present problems, and is increasingly leading to more creative ways to bring in valuable income.
Many private estate owners today either sell their property to investors, developers, or business owners, but others are embracing the challenge and are turning their estates into thriving hospitality businesses, wedding venues, conference centres, and sporting estates in order to bring in much-needed revenue to support the property’s upkeep.
While these business ideas can be fruitful, most private estates will require some investment in groundwork to prepare the property for its final purpose. To this end, owners may need to hire the services of private estate groundwork maintenance contractors who can handle various aspects of groundwork from estate driveway reconfiguration to a period property drainage upgrade.
Conversion Into A Wedding And Conference Venue
One of the most popular groundwork investment projects for owners of private estates is conversion of their property into a wedding and conference venue. Country estates lend themselves especially well to this modern usage thanks to their extensive grounds, large rooms, and attractive settings. However, in most cases, a private estate will not be suitable for use for this purpose immediately without some renovations being carried out.
For example, it’s likely that a team of wedding venue groundwork maintenance specialists will be required to keep the grounds in a condition that will look good in wedding photos, and driveway contractors may be needed to create a more practical parking area or driveway.
Investment In Hospitality Venues
Converting a private estate into a hotel is another popular project and can generate some extremely profitable revenue for the owner. However, this, too, requires some significant investment in groundworks.
Often, old stately homes suffer from decrepit drainage systems that require replacement by specialist groundwork contractors and private estate drainage engineers who can resolve the existing problems and install new systems that are fit for the 21st century.
It’s likely that further investment will also need to be made in estate hard landscaping and paving contractors to create the essential outdoor features that hotel guests require. Patios, fences, steps, walkways will form the basis of the estate soft landscape features that will also need to be added to give the property the kerb appeal that is so essential for its success as a hospitality venue.
Creating A Successful Sporting Estate
One further way in which private estate owners can raise their revenue and exploit the full potential of their property is by establishing it as a successful sporting estate. Many owners offer their properties as a hunting ground for enthusiasts, or offer duck or pheasant shooting in season. Although there is a lucrative market in this area, groundwork investments will almost certainly need to be made. For example, the creation of duck ponds will necessitate the use of both earth moving and soft landscaping services.
Often, sporting estates run in conjunction with an onsite hospitality business, so a more comprehensive approach to groundwork investment may need to be taken, renovating all the outdoor areas to make them fit for their new purpose.
Groundwork Investment Is At The Heart Of Successful Private Estate Management
For today’s private estate owners, finding ways to pay for the maintenance and upkeep of their costly property couldn’t be more important, and evidence has shown that investing in groundworks lies at the heart of their success.
By investing in works such as drainage upgrades, hard and soft landscaping, driveway and paving improvements, as well, of course, as ongoing maintenance services to keep their estate’s exterior looking in top condition at all times, private estate owners can repurpose their existing grounds for more profitable uses, for example, as a wedding or conference venue, hotel, or sporting ground.
With the right investments and by choosing the right specialist contractors for their project such as Edburton’s, estate owners can reap valuable profits from their property’s new use and can plough that money back into the upkeep of their country stately home so that it can be preserved for future generations to enjoy.
