All Decked Out

Adding a Deck to Your Home Equates to A New Outdoor Living Space AND Could Increase the Value of Your Home

As Spring begins to take hold, the days grow longer and the temperatures grow warmer – the desire to “go outside and play” will be stronger than ever. Wait ’til the motors of the lawn mowers begin humming in the distance and the scent of a backyard barbeque envelopes you on a Spring day breeze.  This is the perfect time of year to enhance your home by adding a deck! At Highlight Home Restoration, we don’t just build rooms and decks – we create unique living spaces where you and your family will make memories together for years to come. Imagine the al fresco parties and neighborhood grill-outs. Consider taking some of the family dinners out of the dining room and setting them under a canopy of stars. Allow yourself to dream of relaxing to the sounds of nature while sipping on sweet iced tea and reading a good book from the comfort of your brand new deck. Your backyard should serve as your sanctuary – your escape from the hectic world of carpools, rush hour, spreadsheets, and deadlines. You deserve an outdoor space that says RELAX the moment you lay eyes on it.

Benefits

Personal enjoyment aside, adding a deck to your home has several benefits. Not only does a deck extend your living spaces to the great outdoors – if done properly, it can also add to the aesthetic beauty and overall value of your home.  It’s a less expensive option than building a room addition, but serves the very much the same purpose by allowing the homeowner to expand their living area.  Think of it as an open- air parlor or family room. Consumer Reports recently referred to a deck addition as a “high return item” and Remodeling Magazine found that more than 85% of the cost of building a wooden deck could be recouped during resale (2007 Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report).

In addition, many outdoor “extras” can serve a useful purpose while adding appeal for potential future buyers. An added outdoor fireplace or fire pit can add an air of romance, while providing warmth for four-season enjoyment.  A water feature adds an ambiance of tranquility while helping to block street noise. Landscape lighting is always lovely after the sun has set, increases the viability of your outdoor space after hours, and highlights some of the best features of your home. A gazebo, pergola or trellis can offer shade from the hot afternoon sun and provide privacy from closely situated neighbors.

Importance of selecting a quality contractor

Some decks can be built two- to three-stories off of the ground. It is imperative that you hire for quality over price when the safety for your family and your guests are at stake.  A deck expert or qualified contractor will be up-to-date on all of the required building codes, and will be licensed, insured and registered. The experienced team at Highlight Home Restoration is all of those things and so much more.  We build things to last, so you can expect years of enjoyment out of your Highlight Home Restoration deck.

Alternatives to a deck

If your home or lawn is not designed to house a deck, there are many ways Highlight Home Restoration can help you design and build outdoor living spaces to fit both your home AND your family. For flat lots, a gazebo may add the same effect a deck would. Perhaps a flagstone patio with a pergola and open fire pit is the best option for your family. We can also help you create a backyard oasis with koi pond, screen-in your current patio or build a glassed-in sunroom.  The only limits are your imagination and budget!

How to get started:

1. Begin by deciding the PRIMARY use for your backyard. Do you have young children who would enjoy a playground? Do you LOVE to entertain and envision a built-in outdoor kitchen complete with Tiki Hut? Do you prefer a quiet refuge where you can reflect and relax?
2. Consider which materials and elements you’d like to incorporate.  Are you a stone and timber fan? Do you like water features? Do you like lots of greenery or are you looking to establish a classic English Garden?       In other words, what is the overall theme to your backyard dream?  Whatever you choose, it should complement the style of your home.       Also, be honest with yourself about the landscaping – if you are a low maintenance kind of person, you need to focus on mostly hardy plants.  Don’t forget things like sun exposure – if your yard gets lots of afternoon sunlight, your dream of a shade garden may not be in the cards.
3. Keep in mind the limits of your property and city/home owners association rules and regulations.  Do a walk-around of your yard to learn where the problem areas may be. If you have a favorite tree you’d like to keep or an old shed you want to get rid of, make note of it. Then do a little research to learn what obstacles you may face with your HOA or city.  Some of these issues can be worked around, but it’s always better to know up front.
4. Take pen to paper.  On one page, make a list of all of the above – primary use, favorite elements, and possible problems.  On another, make an elementary drawing of what you see in your mind’s eye.  This is just a “jumping off” point, and a really good designer can take your vision to entirely new heights.
5. Baby Steps.  If budget is an issue, know that you can always build your backyard oasis in bits and pieces.  Begin with a design, and then break it into steps. You may want to work on building the garden one year, then lay the hardscapes the next – or build the deck first, and add on from there.      Don’t look at it on the whole, but as an ongoing process.
6. Call Highlight Home Restoration!

Let your home blossom this Spring! It can grow in new directions you never even dreamed of.  Call on the experts at Highlight Home Restoration at 678-873-9234.  We are happy to come out and evaluate your home and lot, listen to your wishes and needs, then draw up exciting plans and give you an estimate for your NEW outdoor living space. What are you waiting for?

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