IS IT TIME FOR A BACKYARD MAKEOVER?

By Jeff  Posted June 1, 2015  In Blog

Do you neglect spending time in your backyard simply because you have a dilapidated deck or worn out patio? Is your backyard space large enough to entertain guests, but lacks visual appeal? If you said yes to either of these it sounds like you realize your backyard has great potential and you’re ready to make that potential a reality.

IT’S TIME FOR A BACKYARD MAKEOVER!

There are a few questions you need to ask yourself: What do I want my backyard to do? Do I want to entertain? Do I want privacy to relax? What about the climate we live in, will this impact what you decide to do?

No matter the challenge, an experienced professional with access to the right resources can really help you take your backyard from boring and run down to beautiful and fun.

REPLACE OUTDATED MATERIALS

Some backyards seem as though they were left and forgotten about in the 1980’s. The materials are old, cracked and generally not useable anymore. These backyards stick out like a sore thumb and become an eyesore. You should view your patio as an outdoor family room. One that is perfect for relaxing with family and/or entertaining friends, so keep this outdoor room concept in mind.

A common mistake we see is making the patio too small. When working on a backyard makeover consider making your patio bigger to accommodate larger furniture and provide walk around space.

OVERRUN WITH WEEDS & DESIGN DILEMMAS

Like our prior patio stuck in the 1980’s, these patio’s are also overrun with weeds and unwanted plants. Weeds breaking through the concrete and plants or trees making it difficult to even see where the patio is. This can all hinder the vision and be overwhelming. Cut the landscaping out and start with what is essentially a blank canvas, using trees to your advantage. Trees can be worked around and provide the best thing in hot summer months – shade.

RETAINING WALL TLC

Retaining walls that were not properly installed, or ones that have been neglected, can be become yet another eye sore and may not even do their job correctly. If your wall was installed correctly, there will be drainage openings for the water to escape and not sit behind the wall (this will cause issues). The area around these drainage holes are prime real estate for mold and mildew. Taking a power washer and cleaner can make your wall look brand new.

On the other end, if your wall is falling down and looks like it’s on the verge of collapse, it was not properly installed. It may be missing crushed stone, proper drainage or more. Walls can look great and provide you with more room by holding landscaping back. In order to achieve this however, the installation process is key.

DRAINAGE

When it rains, does your patio become a pond? Patios are not intended to be perfectly level and should have a very slight slope to them. This gives the water somewhere to go. The slope of your patio should be away from your house so the water doesn’t collect at your foundation. This can and will cause major issues.

CONCLUSION

Redoing your backyard can be a big project for a do-it-yourselfer. Demolition and installation of new hardscaping can be difficult work that takes the average homeowner weeks, even months, to complete. However, a professional can probably have it done in a few days, depending on the project. Projects that involve running water, gas or electric lines can be difficult to navigate. Additionally, if you want a fountain, built-in-grill or lots of lighting, the safest option is to find and hire a licensed professional. But whatever your dreams are for your home, a backyard makeover might be the perfect start.



Backyard Makeover