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Budgeting for Your Dream Backyard Design

Creating the perfect backyard for entertaining and relaxation is a dream many homeowners have. To turn it into a reality, though, you’ll need to save a considerable sum of money. Here are the basic steps you should take to budget for your dream backyard design.

Start By Figuring Out What You Want

The first step in budgeting for the changes you want to make to your backyard is deciding exactly what those changes are. From building a gazebo to constructing a large, open patio, each backyard project you plan will have a price tag. Layout your plans, and you can get a better idea of what you’ll have to spend. If you’re not entirely sure what you want, consider hiring a professional landscape designer to help you create a plan for your space.

Take Account of the Big Purchases

In addition to physically transforming the space, you’ll also likely have some large single-item purchases involved in creating your ideal backyard. For example, a hot tub from Marquis Spas, can be a great addition to your backyard if you want to enjoy some relaxing with friends and family. However, you need to take these bigger items into account. Other larger purchases may include a grill, outdoor kitchen, or premium patio furniture set. These purchases can be made after your new landscaping is done, but it’s a good idea to plan for them now in order to get a better idea of the full price of the project.

Get Estimates for the Work

Unless you plan to do the landscaping yourself, you’ll need to get estimates for the work you plan to have done. Even if you aren’t ready to get started, getting estimates is a good way to figure out how much money you’ll need to save up. It’s also a good chance for you to talk with various contractors and decide who you want to do the work when the time comes.

Create a Monthly Savings Plan

Once you know about what you’ll have to spend, set a specific amount aside each month to save up for the project. This amount should come out of your disposable income, rather than being diverted from savings, investments or retirement contributions. Stick to your monthly savings plan, and before you know it you’ll be starting work on your new and improved backyard space.

Financing your perfect backyard will take time and effort, but you’ll be surprised at how easy it can be when you follow these four simple steps. Remember that you don’t have to tackle the entire project at once. If you break it up into several smaller projects to complete over the course of several years, you’ll be able to start enjoying elements of your new backyard that much sooner.

Guest Post By:

Anica Oaks
Freelance writer and web enthusiast

Backyard Remodeling Projects to Get You Outdoors

Are you and your family not spending enough time outdoors because your backyard is not conducive to gatherings or even hanging out on a lazy Sunday afternoon? There is a wide range of options for backyard remodeling projects to get you outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air while visiting with friends.

Build a Deck

Building a deck in your backyard creates an entirely new gathering and entertaining space that you and your family will be able to enjoy for years to come. The right deck design will incorporate your home’s style and character and fit snugly into space in your backyard.

Here’s a tip: Use modern hidden deck fasteners for a clean and refined look.

Adorn your deck with benches, built-in furniture, planters, latticework, or even add a protective cover using beadboard patio ceiling techniques to keep the elements away from all or part of your deck area.

Pool/Spa Additions

A backyard pool or spa can add hours and hours of family fun time for years to come. Whether you are looking at adding an above-ground pool or you have space and equipment for the proper pool drainage to install an in-ground swimming pool or spa, this backyard remodeling project will get you and your family outdoors for days at a time.

Install an Outdoor Kitchen

One of the most popular recent trends in backyard remodeling projects includes the installation of an outdoor kitchen, an ideal space for entertaining outside. Among the features and amenities to enhance the outdoor cooking and dining experience include:

  • Bar
  • Two-Sided Grille
  • Serving station
  • Seating area
  • Pizza oven
  • Outdoor barbeque smoker
  • Icemaker
  • Outdoor refrigerator
  • Sink with garbage disposal and dishwasher

Add a Fire Pit

A fire pit can add style and character to your backyard while offering an ideal gathering place to spend the evening outside with friends and family, and providing heat and aesthetic beauty to your outdoor space.

Before installing a fire pit in your backyard, make sure you are complying with all applicable local regulations, and always take appropriate safety precautions around live flames. 

Get Sporty

There is nothing quite like a competitive game played in the comfort of your backyard with family, friends, or neighbors. You do not need too much space to add a permanent or temporary surface or equipment to turn all or part of your backyard into a mini-sports arena.

Some common ways to add a sporty element to your backyard that the whole family can enjoy:

  • Baseball diamond
  • Basketball court
  • Bocce ball or croquet court
  • Giant board games, such as chess, checkers or Connect 4
  • Horseshoe pit
  • Ice or street hockey rink
  • Putting green
  • Soccer field
  • Tennis or paddle tennis court
  • Volleyball or badminton net

Light the Way

Proper and ample lighting will allow you and your family to enjoy your backyard amenities at any time of the day or night. Advances in LED lighting technology offer a wide range of options for sizes, styles, colors, and timing features for entertaining or just hanging with your loved ones outside.

Options and techniques to lighting your way to backyard fun throughout the year include:

  • String lights
  • Lanterns
  • Hidden wall and floor lights
  • Uplighting to feature walls and plants
  • Light orbs and spheres

In our digital age, more and more Americans are spending more time behind smartphones or TVs than spending time in the outdoors. Getting your family outside and active may be as simple as making your backyard an inviting place to spend time. Reduce screen time and increase quality time by turning your backyard into a family-friendly oasis!

Mandy Lee is a contributor to Innovative Green Building Materials. She is a blogger and a content writer for the building materials industry. Mandy is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that increase property value, maximize energy savings, and turn houses into homes.

Add a More Lavish Appeal to Your Backyard with These 4 Must-Have Features

Add a More Lavish Appeal to Your Backyard with These 4 Must-Have Features

Turning a bland backyard into an outdoor oasis doesn’t need to be an expensive or time-consuming process. For many homeowners, a few simple upgrades and additions will make all the difference. Here is a look at four must-have features that are going to transform your yard.

Hang Patio Misters

If you live in a particularly hot climate, then you should consider installing outdoor misters. You do have the option of permanently attaching misters to posts and awnings, but removable misters require much less work. In addition to being more affordable, removable misters are also much easier to clean. Outdoor misters should be thoroughly sanitized with vinegar or another cleaning agent once every few weeks to prevent germs from spreading.

Replace Your Old Patio Furniture

Most traditional patio furniture isn’t built with comfort in mind. Replacing old plastic and metal chairs with swings and hammocks is a great way to take your yard to the next level. Very few things are as relaxing as swinging in a hammock on a quiet summer night. If you don’t have any large trees on your property, then you might want to build a standalone pergola. These structures are relatively inexpensive and will last for years with the proper sealant.

Create an Outdoor Kitchen

Those who love to entertain guests need to have an outdoor cooking area. No one wants to leave their guests outside while cooking in a stuffy kitchen. A simple outdoor cooking space requires nothing more than a few comfortable seats, an ice chest, and a BBQ. For a more luxurious feel, you can install a fireplace to provide warmth in the winter and built-in refrigerator for drinks. With the proper setup, you will be able to keep your guests entertained while preparing a meal.

Install an Invisible Sound System

Your next BBQ or outdoor party won’t be complete without a good playlist. Multiple companies are now making outdoor sound systems that are designed to blend into natural landscape features. Some speakers can be hidden in lights while others look just like bushes or rocks. Many of these systems are controlled with a smartphone or tablet, but you can also hook them up to a traditional amplifier or stereo.

While most of these projects don’t require any special permits, you should always double-check all local statutes before working on your property. You must also contact your local utility companies before digging in your backyard so that you don’t hit any pipes or lines. Cracking a sewage line is an expensive and unpleasant problem that no homeowner wants to deal with.

Planning a Backyard that Your Kids Will Enjoy

There’s no doubt that spending time outside has numerous benefits not only for the body, but the spirit as well. Long and hard days at work and school can wear a person down, cause headaches, mood swings and irritation. Getting yourself and your kids involved and engaged in creative outdoor activities is a great way to get everyone to spend more time outside and away from the flickering screens of computers, tablets and smartphones.

With your kids’ safety and fun in mind, here are several ideas how to create a backyard that your kids will love spending time in.

An outdoor easel

An outdoor easel made of an over-sized chalkboard will have your kids go wild drawing, scribbling and doodling and you very happy to have it all happening outside, and not on your living room walls! Create your own chalkboard using a large piece of plywood and paint it with either store-bought paint or your own mix, using unsanded tile grout mixed with exterior latex enamel paint. Apply two coats and once it’s dried, hang it at your kids’ height using heavy-duty hardware. Add a bright coloured frame, a bucket to store the chalk and fun times can begin!

A flower garden

Planting a flower garden can give your kids a chance to experience the satisfaction of growing a garden from scratch and watching its entire life cycle. It will also teach them the responsibility of caring for plants and honouring their daily duties. One more plus is that you’ll have a beautiful and colourful backyard. Local nurseries commonly offer loads of different flowers to choose from and you can decide how to shape the flower beds, from traditional rectangular ones to imaginative spirals, circles or hearts.

A summer stage

Making a summer stage in your backyard is an amazing opportunity for your kids to let their imagination run wild and enjoy role plays or their own little theatre shows. It’s a quick, easy and cheap project that will give your kids the chance to express themselves and you a free, fun show while enjoying your glass of ice tea.

All you need is a clothesline, clip-on curtain rings and 6 yards of red fabric. Cut the fabric in two, 3-yard long pieces, fold down one end of each piece and clip the curtain rings, spacing them equally apart. Pull the clothesline through the rings and hang it between two trees. The line can stay up for the entire summer and the clips will make it easy to take the curtains down or put them up again.

A crafts table

Another inexpensive and fun outdoor addition to your backyard is a crafts table. Use a reclaimed pallet to make a low patio table and add several colourful cushions. Bring out whatever arts and crafts your kids like and make a little workshop in the fresh air. Just be careful you all get proper sun protection in hot summer months. The best way to do it is to install a custom cantilever umbrella on your patio, which has a durable canopy and can rotate 360 degrees to follow the movement of the sun.

Stepping stones/stumps

Stepping stones or stumps will create a balance challenge for your kids as they run or play catch. You can opt for cut logs in different heights that you can space just far enough apart so your kids have to carefully plan each step. Or, you can make it a joint project and create stepping stones together using ready-mix mortar or concrete. Kids will love to participate and get dirty! Choose the moulds you like and pour the mortar mix at least 2 inches thick. While it’s still wet and soft, let the kids decorate them with pebbles, marbles or beads, or write their names. It’ll stay as a wonderful reminder when they grow up.

Whatever you decide to create in your backyard, you’ll have an opportunity to spend quality time with your kids, be outside in the fresh air and create wonderful memories together, so pick a project and get cracking.

 

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