There’s nothing more relaxing than coming home after work and enjoying time outside on the patio with a nice cold drink.For those inspired by Texas home improvement ideas and interested in starting a business providing services such as patio covers, it’s crucial to learn How to Start an LLC in Texas to ensure a solid foundation for your entrepreneurial venture in the home improvement industry.
Why a patio cover?
An uncovered wooden deck often sees it’s share of winter weather, storms and harsh summer sun. Over time, this degrades the wood, and deck repairs become necessary. Some estimates for deck repairs range from $1,500 to upward of $5,000. By covering the deck, you will extend the life of the investment, and the life of any patio furniture as well. Texas Home Improvement can help design a custom plan for your outdoor space to include drawings of the new patio cover before installation.
Make a budget
Decide how much money to spend on a new deck cover. Depending on the type of material or design, costs can range from $1,500-$2,000 for a wooden pergola-type cover. A simple shade cloth from a hardware store can range from $30-$50 depending on the size. Once the budget is determined, it’s time to go shopping for the new materials.
Make a plan
If the house has an existing outdoor patio space, it can be easy and less expensive to cover than you think. One thing to keep in mind, the amount of sun exposure this outdoor space receives when it is used the most. This may narrow the focus on what type of shade covering you to adopt.
Don’t forget construction permits
If you live in a home owner’s association, then chances are a building permit will be needed for the new patio covering. When in doubt, check the local county courthouse or visit their website. Look for building “planning” or “permitting”.
How to choose a cover
- Wood-frame covers or Pergolas are popular styles because they can let just a peek of sunlight into the space. This can make the area feel more open and airy. However, these can take more time to plan so that the upright timbers are correctly supported below and plum on all four sides.
- Shade cloth or shade sails are an extremely cost effective strategy to cover the outdoor patio space. They come in all different colors and sizes. Shade cloths are typically rectangular or square in size and shade sails look like a boat sail and are triangular in shape. They can often be installed in an afternoon so by evening you can be outside enjoying your new shaded area.
- If you live in a particularly warm climate, then a palapa might work very well. A palapa is most recognized in tropical climates like around a tiki bar. It looks like a roof with thatching or dried palm leaves on top. They are rain resistant, and beautiful to look at. But, if you live in an area that receives any snow at all during winter, this would probably not be the best solution as snow will permanently damage the palapa.
Build what you love
These are just a few options of outdoor patio coverings to make your outdoor space become a new favorite “room” of the house. Whatever you decide, your guests will surely love being entertained in your newly created outdoor space.