Austin patio-pergola-outdoor fireplace proves outdoor living projects can be budget-friendly
Let’s start with the hard question. Do you feel like your budget might stand in the way of you having a new and/or improved outdoor living space? Almost everyone is budget-conscious these days, and we understand that may mean different things to different people. But if you feel your budget is keeping you from having the outdoor living project you really want, Archadeck of Austin will work with you “every which way” to try to make it a reality.
Before we look at today’s combination-outdoor-living-project-on-a-budget, let’s talk about the process we go through to arrive at a quote for a job. First, after we listen to what elements a client wants included in their project, and we offer our suggestions, we have to be able to tell them how much it will cost. If the number is too high, we’ll look at choices the client can make — maybe different materials, maybe scaling it back a little bit — to bring the price down. We don’t expect the client to sign a contract until we quote them a price they are comfortable with.
The price we quote is the actual price the client will pay. Does that surprise you? It should not. But we’ve heard about other contractors (not Archadeck) who quickly low-ball a quote just to get the contract signed. They may not take the time to do the necessary research about materials costs, etc., to give a semi-accurate quote. The client doesn’t realize some costs have been left out of the conversation. Oh, yes, they find out eventually, when the job is half-completed. What choice do they have at that point? They approve the additional costs and end up paying more than they would have if they’d gone with a higher (accurate) quote from a professional builder like Archadeck of Austin.
Today’s featured project is in Austin, TX, and it’s a sweet combination outdoor living project that includes a patio, pergola, outdoor fireplace and privacy screen. The homeowners were upfront about their budget. Their Archadeck of Austin designer sat down with them to go over all of the specs, materials and costs for the project. Together, they worked out a cost-effective plan that addressed the homeowners’ needs and wants — within budget.
Backyard before Archadeck of Austin began the project:
The clients were looking to add a shade structure to the back of the home and wanted to include an outdoor fireplace. Their home had an existing covered porch at the back door. The property was not right for a deck because there’s no change in elevation behind the house. Decking “at grade” is not a good idea. So they wanted a patio to extend outward from the existing porch and serve as the base for their new shade structure (pergola) and outdoor fireplace.
Starting with the custom patio, we always dig trenches about 12″ deep and lay a beam system within the perimeter of the patio before we pour concrete. These steel beams reinforce and stabilize the patio to prevent the concrete from settling over time (or in response to ground movement). This way we know we’re providing a strong and stable pad for the concrete patio. Keep in mind, concrete will always crack, no matter what. The added perimeter and internal beams provide more stability to help reduce the eventual outcome of any concrete deck or patio.
For this patio, we added a textured and stained concrete overlay to the surface for visual appeal.
For utilities, we ran conduit and a gas line from the main meter to the rear of fireplace for service, and we ran wiring for electrical access at the fireplace and at several other points around the patio as well.
We built the gas-burning custom outdoor fireplace with a combination of Nicotine and white flagstone. The Nicotine color is white with deposits of yellow and gold running through it, and the interplay of these colors mimics the variations in the patio’s textured-concrete surface in an interesting way.
Extending from the fireplace, on both sides, is a low stone wall that is extremely practical in two ways. First, it creates a visual boundary for the patio, and second, it provides seating. The bench surface on the wall is made of smooth Lueders stone, one of our favorites.
The freestanding pergola is stained cedar, and over the top of the pergola we added a Polygal cover to deliver maximum shade benefits. This durable covering is an affordable way to add protection from rain as well as from the sun’s rays. It’s waterproof and it blocks UV rays, making the patio enjoyable regardless of the weather.
Beside the pergola, we installed a privacy screen, also made of stained cedar, because the homeowners plan to add a hot tub to their outdoor living space in the future.
Finally, we installed a flat-screen TV above the mantel for the homeowners. Their outdoor living space comes complete with a remote control for the ceiling fan and to dim/control the lights: the comforts of the indoors brought outdoors.
If you would like to learn more about how we can help you create an outdoor living project on a budget, contact Archadeck of Austin today at (512) 259-8282 or via email at jim.odom@archadeck.net to schedule a free design consultation.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
This covered porch promises to increase poolside pleasure exponentially!
When Archadeck of Austin began work on this project it was a diamond in the rough…
The homeowners had an existing porch that was nearly void of space to extend outdoor living activities. Their goal was to not only extend the existing space to enhance versatility but to also create an area that was more conducive to use alongside their newly installed backyard pool.
The project posed some difficult roofline obstacles due to the pitch of the roof of the existing home. Archadeck of Austin was able to come up with a final design that flows perfectly as if the new porch was original to the home.
before and after
The space is finished with HardiePlank siding matching the home on the exterior, along with a seamless gutter system. For aesthetics, the post system utilizes larger than normal posts which we wrapped in Cedar. We also created a wall that features a Touchstone drop down TV lift for easy access. The interior of the covered porch glows with beautiful details such as the Synergywood ceiling in Pine in Auburn. Take a look at the beautiful transformation in our project focus video from our YouTube channel:
These homeowners are beyond satisfied with their final project. Now they can enjoy their new backyard pool along with the covered porch simultaneously. If you are ready to make the most out of the time you spend outdoors, contact Archadeck of Austin today at (512) 259-8282 or via email at jim.odom@archadeck.net to schedule a free design consultation.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
This Austin Covered Patio Serves as the Perfect Outdoor Man Cave and Much More!
This patio cover in Austin, TX, by Archadeck of Austin is a true masterpiece of design. As you can clearly see from the images, the space appears as if it has stepped off the pages and into reality from one of those glossy home & garden magazines. Jim Schallon, our lead designer, came up with the concept on this structure.
Even though some would say this patio cover serves as the ultimate outdoor man cave area, the benefits of the space exceed just enjoying the big game outdoors. This space serves a multitude of uses, it can evolve as your needs evolve. From outdoor entertaining to relaxing by the fire. The presence of the TV provides a space for family movie night, watching home videos and much more! The possibilities are as endless as the imagination.
The floor of the patio features a textured overlay finish, this was present on both the existing (older) patio and the new concrete patio and featured a custom designed Texas Star in the center. Having the advantage of a textural finish for the patio not only increases the aesthetic appeal of the space adding to the rustic nuances present in the natural stone used throughout the project, it also increases traction within the space. This makes the area easy to navigate even when outside weather conditions may be damp.
The focal point of the space is surely the large outdoor fireplace. Archadeck of Austin designed and built this fire feature and custom fire boxes attached using the same all natural stone used on the facade of the existing home. Since the homeowner’s wanted to attached a TV over the mantel of the fireplace, we ingeniously created a built-in space under the hearth that holds the electronic equipment for the TV. By working with the homeowner’s audio-visual professional, conduit was ran to perfect this feature and in addition a speaker system was installed within the ceiling of the space. Not only is the addition of these elements innovative, it also ensures the wiring and cords stay out of view promoting a clean, wireless atmosphere.
The exterior sunshades directly behind the outdoor fireplace were installed by a local company here in Austin. Austintatious Blinds that specializes in a diverse array of blind and shutter solutions. From custom wood shutters to polyscreens and other shade materials for exterior and interior residential and commercial use. These retractable shades allow the homeowners to block out the late afternoon sun.
The ceiling of the patio cover is simply stunning! We used Synergy Cypress E-Peck tongue and groove to get this amazing rustic look. Synergy products require no staining or sanding and come with an exterior grade protective polyurethane finish. You can also see a continuation of the rustic nuances evident in the ceiling are carried through the entire design including the cedar-wrapped posts. The railing we used is also cedar with aluminum balusters.
Take a look at this amazing project through the video we created for our Archadeck of Austin YouTube channel:
The homeowners are elated with the design, the process and of course, the finished patio cover!
If you would like to learn more about creating the ultimate outdoor room for your home, contact Archadeck of Austin today at (515) 259-8282 or via email at jim.odom@archadeck.net.
Jim Schallon, senior designer Archadeck of Austin.
Austin Decks, Pergolas, Covered Patios, Porches, more 