All too often, homeowners who are looking to spend more time outdoors with family and friends add a deck or patio without giving it much thought or planning. Before you jump into simply adding a place to relax and entertain outside, it’s wise to take some time to think about how you want to utilize this space – now and in the future.
Considering Your Personality
Every family has their own unique way of living. Some are quiet, reserved, and enjoy spending time in solitude. Others live for gathering friends and family together for cookouts and parties as often as possible. When planning your outdoor space, think about how you and your family live. Would you like trees, shrubs, or fencing for ultimate privacy, or are you more inclined to create a space with a more open feel? Are you looking for lots of seating options for guests, or is your goal a cozy area with room for just a few? Knowing how you’re most likely to use your space will help you and your contractor come up with a plan.
Factoring in Nature
Outdoor spaces are, well, outdoors! Whatever space you create will be out in the elements – sun, rain, snow, wind, insects, and critters. While planning, take some time to think about things like how much sun and shade the space naturally gets, how the wind generally flows through the area, and what types of wildlife are most likely to enter the space. After all, the last thing you want to do is spend money on furniture that will constant get blown across the yard, or plants and foliage that deer will be feasting on!
Another huge considering when planning your ideal space in nature is drainage. Maryland is subject to all sorts of weather, including frequent summer thunderstorms that have been known to dump several inches of rain in short periods of time. If your patio, for example, is not pitched properly, or is located in a lower portion of your yard, flooding may be an issue. Additionally, poor drainage can be devastating for your plants and flowers. Professional landscapers like Chesapeake Landscape Group are highly skilled in making sure your space drains properly, keeping your hardscaping and landscaping safe.
Room for Growth
If you have great big plans for your home’s outdoor space, but a not-so-great-big budget, consider installing your space in stages. Instead of just adding on a simple patio or deck with the hope of doing “something else” in the future, plan out your dream space now. Take a 10,000 view of what you want your space to be and take the time to have initial plans drawn up. After that, you’ll be able to section off the items you have the budget for now, and develop a plan to save the money for what you want in the future.
When to Call a Pro
While perusing internet photos of your outdoor dream space can provide inspiration, there are many factors that go into actually constructing a space that are not visible in pictures. We mentioned a few above such as drainage, but you must also consider things like underground utilities, potential home owners’ association restrictions, and county permitting requirements. So while you might be handy, unless you are a licensed professional, you could be looking at a DIY disaster!
Involving professionals like Chesapeake at the beginning can not only offer you ideas you may not have considered, but will provide you with a team of pros that will help with planning and will stand behind their work. When you’re ready to start planning your outdoor oasis, give us a call at 866-984-6484, or click on the Contact link above to schedule your no-obligation estimate.
