Create an outdoor space without creating debt
There’s a fine line between something you want and willing to work for in order to afford, and something you need that is affordable and within your budget. Outdoor living spaces have been an attraction for as long as we can remember… Birthday parties, graduations, even weddings are quite often suited “best” at the closeness of your home.
This is why more people are forgetting about the tall prices they pay for renting a venue for these celebrations, and using that (somewhat unaffordable) cost to create their own space that can suit not only these events, but also be an escape from the daily grind as a retreat with their family and friends.
What’s better than coming home after a long day than relaxing out by the pool or dining together under fire light?
Most backyards are not built with the homeowner’s activity or hobbies in mind. We spend hours and hours creating our building plans, or finding that perfect home, and never give much thought to our (now owned) surrounding land, and what we’ll do with it until the home is finished or moved into. And all you have on the exterior is lots of grass to mow…
These spaces do not need to be huge.. or extravagant for that matter. It’s how it’s put together to create a comfortable, sensible area that suits your needs. Whether you need a 5×10 patio that houses a few chairs with a tiki torch for a quiet evening with your spouse; or an inground pool with water features, a fire pit, and a sound system for weekend bbq’s. The idea is all the same. A place to get out to, to enjoy, to feel, and to relax and build memories.
Basically, treating yourself and family/friends by creating a space to make these memories is not as complex as it may seem; nor as expensive. With the right contractor, a bit of vision, and a wide range of budgets, you can bring home the feeling of the places you always loved to be.
How are decks built
We need to understand that a property that has a deck is basically an extension of its own foundation. We are creating more living space not only to expand what we have, but by allowing raw material to be placed into the elements of our harsh environments and withstand our term of residence and hopefully beyond.
There are many different products that will allow this, some better than others, but with budgets and location in mind, we are sure to find what best suits our needs.
From aluminum, to steel; from treated-pine, to cedar; from composites, to pvc; The options seem overwhelming. I can promise you, with the right contractor, the guesswork has already been done for you. As these individuals have gone through extensive training and lessons, seen what works and what doesn’t, and lastly, put their name on your project. Which in our case, means everything.
It all starts from the ground up!
Whether you are building a free-standing structure, or one attached to your home, your deck will need support. We want to “pretend” here for a second… meaning we want to imagine 20 people are going to be on your deck at one time, and they all jump to the right. What happens? Are we going to have movement? Will the structure fail and fall? This all comes down to the quality of the chosen material and how it was installed.
Here in Wisconsin, (Green Bay for clarity), we can only build by following a very strict set of rules called codes. We need to address frost as the winters can be brutal. We need to address connections, as each and every piece of the build so that two parts cannot be joined without some sort of structural bind or joinery. Railings… Can we lean on them? What if someone trips against a rail, or sits on the top? I can assure you, these questions have been a topic from the first platform ever (correctly) built, and yes, these are why we vet and hire professionals that meet the standards, put themselves and their liabilities on the line, and create not only safe and sturdy spaces, but make them look amazing in doing so. We call them pro’s.
Yes, the average homeowner with tools and slight knowledge can put together a patio deck, and I’ve seen some amazing ones, but if you don’t have the knowledge or skill set, it’s probably best you hire this out. It would take a 2 year tech school and a few years in the industry to teach you most everything you need to know to build your own deck from scratch, let alone the costly mistakes along the way. But, we all know how much easier and reassuring it is to have the local lube shop change our oil!
Circling back here, on How decks are built is a very loaded question and description which would take eons to explain. But as in every industry ever known, a professional is good at what they do based on their knowledge and experiences they’ve acquired over their career.
Applications and how things mesh
We’ve probably all been to a public place for either enjoyment or entertainment like a park, restaurant, waterpark, or a venue for our jobs where there is a mutual meeting held at a common ground. These places can accommodate our needs with freshly updated, lasting features that make us feel pleased to be there.
Our spaces need to have a few things that bring those feelings to life as well. By creating an area that can accommodate your personal needs and wishes, whether it be just for your family or if you plan to entertain guests, we need to look into these same types of features to bring that comfortable feeling home.
A square patio with a table set suits most outdoor picnics and card games but doesn’t resonate beauty. By adding a curve, or a bump-out bench, planters, a water feature or lighting, we can bring the most simple space to an eye-catching setting that will be sure to stand out. Incorporating multiple types of seating areas within our space as benches, deep cushion chairs, and dining areas, we can create a feeling of a place that will suit all our guests with comfort and a place to relax.
Tiered entries to exclusive areas or pathways to such, are a great way to have multiple areas partially separated, but still act as one space. Separate things with bushes or tall plants, a few torches or solar path lights, and a pleasant approach to each area will wow your guests and have them wanting to stay. Including enough tables or platforms to hold drinks, snacks, or table games, as well as a space for yard games and sports is sure to give friends and family an event or evening they will have memories attached to for a long time. This may even turn into an annual event for you and give the feeling of an investment well made.
Swimming areas are attractive to most, and even small pools or a spa will add depth and pleasantry to your space. Incorporating an area for children to soak, while adults can keep a close eye being comfortable in a space, is a surefire way of attracting guests, and your children or grandchildren will tend to hang around more often and for longer periods of time.
Highlighted Outdoor Oasis – WOOD HAVEN
This customer approached us in January, and by August, everything they once dreamed had become a stunning reality!
We’ll call them John and Jane to provide confidentiality for these great people.
John and Jane had an existing deck built with their home (15-20 years old now), and knew that his backyard space needed an uplift. They wanted to include a nice sized pool, space to lounge, place for a jacuzzi tub, and a spot to sit with guests.
After a few emails and discussions, we met at their home to view the property and give them ideas on products, as well as listen closely to where their personal vision was so we could ultimately design a space with their needs in mind.
I believe there were three drafts of this design, although we basically “nailed it” on the first try. By the third revision, we were all very happy with the look and feel it had provided, (even though it was just an aerial sketch). It showed a comfortable feel, and incorporated everything they wanted without having too much wasted space and ultimately kept within the budget.
If you read through the above literature, more so the “applications and how things mesh”, you will notice many of these topics were included within this build. We have multiple entries to this space… two on the upper tier of the deck with zero entry at both patio door locations, one entry from the front of the house for guests to arrive or to bring furniture from the garage, and one toward the backyard for access to the pool equipment; more importantly the yard area. We also have incorporated multiple levels of entertainment space, broken up with either steps or railings, a variety of seating areas, lighting throughout, and two areas for soaking or swimming for additional entertainment.
There are many different products used within this build, which gives uniqueness and a pleasant feel. There’s brick, stone, composite decking, wood, aluminum, and lots of landscape to add color and highlight areas between areas.
By that August, everything was being wrapped up, and grass seed went in. Jane and John were already getting their final touches placed, using the tub and pool, and enjoying the space fully.
We were invited back over to enjoy a nice evening with them, had a drink together in the new space, and discussed our warranties and minimal maintenance items so they could keep watch over the lifespan of this amazing project.