By Jenna O’Donnell
Daylight saving time is here, spring weather is imminent and visions of barbecues and backyard chaise lounges are getting closer to reality every day. Any homeowner knows that those sunny daydreams don’t come true without some work, so whether you are looking for a complete patio overhaul or some affordable tweaks, here are a few tips to help turn your tired old backyard patio into a magical outdoor gathering space that will be the envy of your neighborhood.
Know Your Limits
This might be a no-brainer, but any improvement project should begin with a few assessments: How big is this project? How much can you do by yourself? And, perhaps most importantly, how much are you willing to spend?
For smaller scale patio makeovers, introducing new furniture, plants and lighting can transform the space and be done on a smaller budget. For some added ambiance, an outdoor firepit is an easy upgrade that can be found in most home improvement stores and can instantly turn your backyard into a party-ready hangout space.
More extensive patio overhauls will require significant investments in labor and material and should not be undertaken by home improvement novices or those looking for a cheaper backyard solution. Patio installations require demolition of existing decks or patios, digging holes, installing, packing and leveling fillers of varying material, and then hauling, cutting and installing stone, using levels, plastic edging and other methods to ensure that the patio is correctly laid out.
If that sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is. Brendan Duffy of Total Landscape Contractors in Little Silver said many people don’t realize how much labor is involved when they set out to add a patio.
“It’s about 10 percent material and 90 percent labor,” he said. “There’s a lot of things people don’t see.”
Wait For Warm Weather
On the surface, the month of March seems like a perfect time to start a home improvement project that you’d like finished in time for Memorial Day, but experts recommend that those looking to install a new patio resist that impulse.
“It’s best to install a patio in the spring or summer,” says Duffy. “You don’t want to put a patio on the ground when it’s frozen.”
Duffy explains that even ground that seems thawed now will likely have frozen dirt deeper down. That can create an unstable base that will cause stones or bricks to shift as the ground settles.
Check Those References
No one wants to install a patio on Memorial Day weekend only to find falling apart by September. To avoid the pitfalls of crumbling patios, make use of the most versatile tool in your arsenal: your smartphone.
Before hiring any contractor to install a patio, get in touch with past clients to ask about their experience. Make sure that work will be done ethically and to your satisfaction. For most craftsman and contractors, providing lists of former clients shouldn’t be a problem, Duffy explained.
“Almost all the business we get is for the next one,” he said. A contractor that doesn’t happily provide references should raise red flags.
An incorrectly installed patio or pathway will need to be torn out and replaced, leaving homeowners with even more expenses. Duffy said he has been outbid for jobs only to return several years later for another quote to fix problems.
“People saw a $3,000 patio versus an $8,500 patio,” he said. “Unfortunately for those people I gave estimates to five years ago, I need to rip the whole thing up, so you don’t end up saving anything at all.”
In addition to cross-checking references, folks will also want to make sure the company or contractor they are considering is insured and licensed as a registered home improvement contractor. Verifying credentials also helps to protect homeowners from contractors that might not be experienced or qualified for the job at hand.
Any patio, deck or backyard can be transformed with some care and investment. Work within your budget and look for inspiration in magazines, online and in home improvement retail stores. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying some lemonade and vitamin D in the backyard of your dreams.
