Outdoor rooms
Outdoor rooms that belong to the garden
A patio set down on a lawn looks like furniture. A patio drawn into the grade, with planting around it and shade where the afternoon sun lands, looks like part of the house.
What is included
A drawn plan for the room, its edges and its planting
Patios and terraces on a drained base
Pergolas, shade structures and screens
Fire pits and fireplaces, with gas and electrical work by licensed trades
Ponds and stepped water features
How it works
From the first visit to the finished work
- 01
Step 1: Site visit
We look at the sun, the views and how the house opens onto the garden.
- 02
Step 2: Plan and trades
The plan shows the room and what it needs: footings, gas, power or a water supply.
- 03
Step 3: Base and structure
Footings, paving base and structure go in first, with licensed trades where the law requires them.
- 04
Step 4: Finish and planting
We finish stone and carpentry, then plant around the room so it sits in the garden.
When it is done
Built in spring, used from summer
Structures and paving fit best between the thaw and the first hard freeze.
Winter
Plans, permits for structures and gas, and material orders.
Spring
Footings, base and paving as the ground thaws.
Summer
Pergolas, carpentry, lighting and water features.
Fall
Planting around the room and a final walk before winter.
Sample work
Rooms, fire and water
Sample photos.
Questions
About this work
Do fire features need a permit?
Often, especially gas-fired ones and anything attached to a structure. We tell you at the site visit which apply and coordinate with the licensed trades.
Who does the gas and electrical work?
Licensed trades do it, scheduled by our site lead into the order of work.
Can a pergola be added later?
Yes, if the plan allows for it. We draw the footings and utility runs now so a later phase does not tear up what is built.
Walk the site with us
We take measurements, listen to how you use the garden and agree what to draw first.