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I have a few questions on backyard stuff! Can anyone recommend someone to do a simple pergola and outdoor kitchen and about how much it costs?
What are the backyard additions most people do?
How much have you spent on your outdoor area?
Trying to figure out what to do in our backyard that has nothing in it and I'm interested in what others have done and the best person in the area to use.
I have laid brick (cement ones from Home Depot so they won't crumble!)
in great curved patterns, built 10' square ramadas
(in the southwest, a simple covered area with 4 posts to get outta the sun is a ramada)...
Did 2 myself...people call them pergolas....put furniture in there, a coffee table, Voila.
Curtains on rods in case of sun...I put tin corrugated roofs on for rain and snow...
decorate...
But I'm handy and don't like paying for something that is fun
for me to design and do.
Then I plant a silver lace vine for one side facing the sun...Sunset magazine has many ideas for outdoor areas.
Flag stoned the rest....myself.
Love not having to mow or water!
The grill is right there and metal outdoor serving tables at the ready....ahh!
Even use a fan on hotter days.
Relax at a Barnes and Noble or library and look thru all the photos on designs...
Boy, will it inspire you!
Ha, I remember getting estimates for a cement sidewalk in my backyard....$900.
I said, "It's cement!" (Not sprinkled with gold dust, in other words.)
I did it myself ....very fun!...for $75.
I love making cemented areas now....it is not rocket science, lemme tell ya!
Gives me something to do and get some exercise!
I am interested in this thread because our outdoor living area is our next big project. It's definitely above our pay grade when it comes to DIY projects though because we want to extend our roofline to make more of a covered space, and we want to build an outdoor fireplace and then furnish it with upholstered outdoor furniture, an outdoor rug and we even want a few outdoor lamps (that is my research project now - LOL). We truly want to make it into another room and since we're in Texas, if we put good ceiling fans out and a blower in the fireplace to spread the heat, we should be able to use that room for about 10 months out of the year - maybe even more. I'm so excited!
I have a few questions on backyard stuff! Can anyone recommend someone to do a simple pergola and outdoor kitchen and about how much it costs?
Great topic...
But wanted to point out first you are in a general "house" forum that has posters from all of the US... so if you are looking for a local recommendation you should also post in your regions forum.
Old house, small backyard we built a somewhat large deck (20x16) and a paver patio next to it that held a hot tub.
New house (this year) is a somewhat clean slate. There is an inground pool 16 feet of the back. We have a new 12foot slider that right now just opens to grass.. spring will bring a very large concrete or paver patio 30+ x 15 that will fill the space between the pool and house, and we'll also build an outdoor bar area. I am really looking forward to that project.
Kids are older so the target is entertaining. Building our own little piece of Key West.
Another idea... Sounds crazy, be we have an acre of woods too and seriously thinking of building a cabin or something out there. I have another thread here about that and I'll dig that topic up in the spring.
to do a simple pergola and outdoor kitchen and about how much it costs?
A pergola and outdoor kitchen is NOT "simple"
And if done properly will not be inexpensive.
Quote:
What are the backyard additions most people do?
How much have you spent on your outdoor area?
Unless you KNOW that you will be in that home for at least 10 years...
don't do construction level changes. Focus on plantings and the ground level.
eg... some landscape timbers to create a "terrace" that still has grass and beds.
If you are certain of your timeline and/or have a wad to spend...
Great info! I'm trying to figure out a solution that is between a slab of concrete with a grill and a full 30k outdoor kitchen remodel. I want something nice, but not something that will break the bank.
We brought the original concrete patio around the house, tiled the different "rooms" like the house (same tile, various patterns, some glass). An extension of the house with several types of cover from walls and roof to pergola with vines. About 1600 sqf plus a 20x20 pergola at the end of the yard with connecting walkway.
What do you plan to use the outdoor space for? What climate are you in? Can you post dimensions/pictures?
Up here in northern Maine, we have 2 seasons: Bugs and Snow!
We added a 20' deck to the south side of our new place. This summer, I added a roof and removeable panels of screening. That was for "bug" season. I also put together some panels of the same size that are glazed with polycarbonate, which turns the area into a sunspace during "snow" season. I put those on around mid-October, when it turned cooler (but not snowy!)!
There is a dining area on the deck. On either end, I have outdoor cooking gear: a wood-fired brick oven for pizzas and roasts; a gas grill and charcoal grill on the other end. Also have a utility sink out there with one of those 'curly' hoses for spraying everything down.
We have a slider in the living room that leads out to this deck; in the winter, it will probably become one continuous room on sunny days. On the lawn in front, there is a firepit. I made virtually all of it myself. Not very upscale, but we don't have too many months up here when we can be outside to eat, unless there's something between us and the bugs or the snow!
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First things first
