Cooler temps will soon be here. And while cold, wind, and snow may move you indoors for the blustery winter months, the time to start planning your outdoor project is right now! Depending on the size and scope of your project, there are a few essential team members, including your contractor, landscape designer, and maybe even an architect. We’ll walk you through some of the critical details, so you can get started.

Photo: Ross Van Pelt

TIMING IS EVERYTHING.

If you’re looking to kick back on your back patio in the fall of 2022, it’s time to get started. There’s a lot that goes into an outdoor project. Depending on the size and scope, imagine that it could be the same effort as a full kitchen remodel or even a home addition. After all, your yard is likely your largest “room” in the house.

Photo: Ross van Pelt

BROKEN RECORD.

We’re sorry to be saying it. We’re even sorrier to be experiencing it. Like everything else, the building industry is a victim of supply chain delays, with everything from appliances to construction supplies. That doesn’t just mean more careful planning for a project, but it can mean higher prices, too. Manufacturers of all kinds are in short supply and shipping is taking much longer, plus supply and demand means that materials prices have expanded beyond the annual 5% increase. We recommend careful planning, then ordering, and then starting the project. It makes the process a bit longer, but makes it all go so much easier when the materials are on site before we start digging and drilling.

PLAN YOUR WORK. WORK YOUR PLAN,

Although we are going to talk about the actual project planning, there’s work to be done before you even get to that point.

Check Neighborhood Guidelines.

Do you live in a newer neighborhood or do you belong to a Homeowners’ Association (HOA)? Many newer neighborhoods and most HOAs have guidelines or even restrictions on how your property can be improved or developed. These can include paint colors, fence height, and other details. It can also dictate the percentage of your lot that you can use. While intended to keep the development aesthetically within certain standards, they can be really restrictive, so check and double check. And if you live in a historic district, triple check, since often in these types of areas, there are guidelines on improvements to keep homes within the historic character of the neighborhood.

Check Property Lines.

It can be a good idea to have your property surveyed before starting a project in your yard. A disagreement about property lines once a fence or other outdoor element has been added can be a costly one to remedy.

Call Before You Dig.

Here’s an important one. Call 811 to have utility lines marked before anyone starts digging. Your contractor may take care of this for you, but it’s a detail that should not go overlooked.

BALANCING ACT.

Before you start an outdoor project, you may need to do a little juggling. It’s the only way to manage your wish list against your budget. We recommend starting with a budget range in mind, always with a little extra in reserve for unforeseen circumstances. Budget should always be on your mind with a construction project. It’s another reason why planning in advance is—and sticking to that plan—is so important. We see project costs increase because of a large amount of change orders and the dreaded scope creep. Scope creep is when the size of your project slowly grows. When the project grows, your cost goes up, as simple as that. We love how a project can evolve on site, but careful and consistent communication can keep you on the same page and prepared for budget increases.

Once you’ve established a budget, start thinking about your outdoor space. Are there any challenges, like a large slope in your back yard or lack of privacy? Add these to the list of issues you want to address with this project. Think about how you’ll use the space. It is a space to contain and entertain kids and pets? Will you entertain large crowds? Are you looking for some respite from the hustle and bustle? Or all of the above? On this wish list, prioritize any “must have” features: a fireplace, water feature, outdoor kitchen—the list is endless! Here’s where the balance comes in. Your budget, outdoor space, and neighborhood restrictions will have to be balanced. We want you to have it all are careful planning will make sure the project turns out in the best way possible.

CALL IN THE EXPERTS.

Once you’ve done your homework, it’s time to assemble your team. It’s essential to find the right people for the job, who can help you not only plan and budget, but bring your project dream to life. Now is the time to get started so by this time next year, you could be relaxing in your new outdoor room.

Looking for project inspiration to get you started? Check out these projects here:

Photo: Paige Pederzani

• Covered Front Porch

• Exterior Transformation

• Screened In Porch

• Front Porch & Outdoor Living

• Front Porch Addition

• IPE Deck

Major home improvement projects are always an adventure. The pandemic, however, has made careful planning for a home remodeling or renovation project more important than ever before. Lead times are longer, materials costs are high, and crews are busier than ever before. That doesn’t mean you should shy away from a remodeling or renovation project. Planning, though, is everything. If you’re beginning your process towards a home addition, we’ve asked one of our architect partners, Rob Busch at drawing dept architecture and design for his top tips on first steps to make the process of major home remodel, like an addition, go as smoothly as possible.

1. Collaboration is key.

   Build a strong team of advocates who have your best interest at heart. A team of close collaborators will allow the project to be viewed through various lenses; design, jurisdictional parameters, budget, schedule, etc. An architect and general contractor are your key allies and they can flesh out the rest of the team.

2. Manage risk.

A good team will never sacrifice vision, vision, and aspirations easily. But those goals should be informed by budget and schedule. Multiple pricing exercises can help manage risk. Consider a very rough estimate from your architect and/or general contractor from the outset. Next, consider preliminary pricing estimate after the design development phase, but before construction documents.

3. Transparency is the best policy.

Be transparent with your collaborators about your aspirations and construction budget. Prioritize your goals and understand what is a must and what is a want. Your team will want to accomplish all of your goals, but if the aspirations and budget are misaligned, there needs to be a plan forward.

Our team is ready to help bring your home improvement plans to life. We’re happy to jump in and work with you or your architect, or we can make help make recommendations as you begin to build your team and plan your project.