Well, it's been 10 months or so since we moved in, and summer is fast approaching. Last year we spent all our time sitting in the garage or grilling on the driveway. with spring time here and birds chirping, this summer will be spent grilling in the back yard. We initially wanted to add a deck and eventually enclose it, however after getting a couple estimates on building a deck, we decided it just wasn't economical. Lowes ...yes Lowes quoted a deck that didn't even have railings to cost over $12K!!! And we're not talking about composite materials either, but treated lumber. After doing our research we decided to build a patio because it was MUCH cheaper for more square footage. We have hired a company to build us a stamped concrete patio and it costs 1/3 of what it would to put a deck on the house. We can't wait to grill and spend time on it. I even bought a smoker to use as well so I can punch my Man Card and spend hours out there smoking meat. It will also be nice to let the Rommel out instead of always walking out the front and around the house for him to potty. We will also have a box garden and some flower beds probably around the patio.
We have our patio furniture selected and umbrella. Just waiting on the patio to be completed next week.
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| Beginning of a patio. Notice the shitty grass bare spots because of run off and shitty rocky top soil |
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| I didn't want to have a standard square patio, but rather free flowing odd shape. |
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| This is the pattern we have chosen for our stamped concrete patio: Flagstone with medium gray color. |
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| Table and Chair selection |
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| Umbrella selection |
Another project this spring is to fix the landscaping. The job Ryan Homes with landscaping and grass SUCKED ASS!!! This grass is horrible. They gave us the shittiest top soil, if any at all. We have so many bare spots and rocks, I will need to reseed and treat the whole yard again. I had a piece of siding that they just buried sticking out and had to dig it up before my dog cuts his foot on it running. It is going to be a lot of work getting the yard looking half way decent. They should have just put sod down for us instead of trying to save a buck with shitty top soil and seed, but what else do you expect from Ryan Homes?
Last and not least, what would an update be without a pic of Rommel? He is no longer the small puppy, but a big softy Guardian that will take up half the bed!!
