What’s The Best Way to Plan and Build an Outdoor Living Combination?
We don’t have just one answer to that question. Every homeowner’s
situation is different. Since all of our outdoor living spaces are custom-designed
and built for one home on one specific property, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer.
Here are three scenarios, and each one could be the best way for a Birmingham
homeowner to plan and build an outdoor living combination:
The One-Piece-At-A-Time Scenario
You build a deck, either wood or low-maintenance composite, depending on
your personal preference. A few years later, you decide you would like
to turn that deck into a screened porch and add a new deck attached to
the porch. After another year or two, you realize that you would use your
screened porch more if it were enclosed with the Eze-Breeze window system
to keep out pollen in spring and chilly air in winter. At some point you
want to add an outdoor kitchen. We may have to add more support under
the deck, but we can definitely put an outdoor kitchen there for you.
And don’t forget the pergola. Since your new deck is large enough
to have more than one seating area, you can put a beautiful wood, composite
or vinyl pergola over one section where you can enjoy sitting outdoors
in the shade.
The Phased Building Program Scenario
Homeowners who want to work with Archadeck’s phased building program
know in advance that they want several components to their outdoor living
space. They may not have the budget to build all of them at one time,
but that’s alright. Working with your Archadeck of Birmingham deck
and porch designer, you can plan the whole project in advance so we can
prepare each section for the next one to come later. The end result will
be a cohesive outdoor living combination where each piece is built on
to the one before when your budget allows.
The difference between the phased building program and the one-piece-at-a-time
scenario is planning. When we build a deck knowing a screened porch will
follow, we can tie the construction into your home and each section into
the next with preparation and forethought. Planning leaves less chance
we’ll have unforeseen obstacles to overcome later.
The Everything-All-At-Once Scenario
If your budget allows, why not plan to move ahead with all of the components
now so we can design and build all of the parts of your outdoor living
combination together? Right from the start you can enjoy the porch when
you want to watch your big screen TV outdoors. You will have a covered
space when the weather is rainy and a big deck area where you can cook,
eat and relax under the stars. With more than one outdoor space functioning
together as a cohesive area, you can entertain larger groups with guests
flowing from the porch to the deck and back as they mix and mingle.
The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts
Whichever route you take to get there, in the end you’ll love your
Birmingham outdoor living combination. When you have a series of outdoor
living spaces working together, you get a synergy that you will quickly
learn to take for granted. The entire space works together with different
areas for specific purposes, while the whole space can also be used for
a special event without sending your guests into different sections of
the house where they won’t all be able to see each other.
In the three scenarios above, we still haven’t covered all of the
possibilities. For example, if you build the screened porch first (as
opposed to converting the deck to a porch), you have several options for
your porch flooring. You can select wood or composite flooring to match
that of your deck, or you can contrast the deck flooring by using tile
on the porch.
If your lot has several different elevations, you may want to use the underside
of your deck as a covered porch. That way you have another option for
spending time outdoors without getting burned by the Alabama sun’s UV rays.
If you prefer a simple grill rather than a full outdoor kitchen, you might
want to think about adding an outdoor fireplace to your new deck. It’s
possible! As your Birmingham deck builder and porch builder, we are interested
in hearing about the outdoor combination space of your dreams. Let’s
work together to make those dreams come true.
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We want to be your Birmingham outdoor living combination contractor. Call
Archadeck of Birmingham for a complimentary design consultation at
(205) 576-5780 or email us at
birmingham@archadeck.net. We look forward to creating the outdoor lifestyle you’re dreaming of!
— Derek & Carissa Crews, owners of Archadeck of Birmingham
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