As we ease into the summer months, you’ll naturally want to frequent your outside whereabouts (that is, if you’re brave enough to withstand that Florida heat!). Perhaps, you are looking to add a backyard patio to your home, or even make adjustments or additions. Much like any home improvement project, it makes the process significantly more manageable when there’s someone there to give you some tips and tricks to facilitate operations. Let us be that someone!
Does your patio require a permit?
Depending on where you live and what you plan to create, your home might require a permit. This is pretty common unless your entire property is privately owned. Understanding the restrictions and limitations of your permit and community will make the planning easier, and spare yourself some headaches down the road.
Establish where is the best place to orient your patio
The typical patio or back porch is often directly behind a home, but it can be anywhere that you’d like it to be…or wherever it is smartest. By this, we mean wherever it is most practical to have the patio. A few factors can go into this: where sunlight hits most or least, which location has the most or least privacy, and whichever location has the best view. In other words, how much do you like your neighbors? All of these factors are subjective and based on personal preferences, of course. Still, it’s a good idea to hang out in different candidate locations for your patio to see where you enjoy spending time the most.
Does your patio need a railing?
Your patio may need a railing, depending on the height, or the terrain either below it or surrounding it. Do you have small children who may fall over the edge? Figure this out ahead of time to go into the planning.
What types of materials would be best?
Architecture can look very different depending on which state you are in. Aside from stylistic preferences, this usually has to do with the climate that accompanies the particular location. Determining environmental factors is crucial when selecting the materials you will use to build your patio. For example, if where you live gets a lot of rain, you want to make sure you are choosing materials that can withstand that exposure to the elements, and that will not deteriorate. Sun can bleach certain materials with continuous exposure, so if you are in a sunny spot, ensure that your patio can handle it.
Determine how much you want to spend
When it all comes down to it, money is arguably the most pertinent issue at hand. Before dropping a huge down payment on your exciting new construction venture, look ahead to the future to anticipate how long you plan to live in that home, and what the costs might be to maintain the patio. Different types of patios require different levels of upkeep, so these are some factors to keep in mind!
TSpark Enterprises, headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida offers a wide range of construction services. Visit our website or call (850) 766-1340 to get a free estimate and embark on your construction journey today!