"My wife and I wished we had an outdoor deck or patio for this past summer and want to make sure we have a deck area to enjoy next spring and summer.  As you can tell, we are in the early planning stages so what questions do we need to ask ourselves?"    Brad Delio, Flint, Michigan

Good for you, Brad.  Any successful home renovation project, outdoor patio or otherwise, starts with good planning so it is good you are asking the questions now before any contractors are called, lumber is purchased or even measurements are made.

Let’s focus on the most important thing.  As the old real estate adage goes: “location, location, location” so first ask yourself where you want to locate your deck?  Assuming you want to create an area that accommodates a barbeque or any kind of dining, you will want easy access to the house and preferably easy access to your kitchen.  This may or may not be easy and, of course, cost will come into the picture.  For example, it may be easy to open a wall for your outdoor deck from the kitchen but the slope of your land may necessitate a bit more engineering.

For the vast majority of Americans, the best and possibly only practical location for the outdoor deck or patio layout will be in the back behind the kitchen.

But if you have more flexibility with this home renovation project, you should consider other elements.  In addition to proximity to the kitchen, you will want your outdoor deck to get the right sun and shade at the right times of the day.  

If you are content to have a freestanding flat patio, you will have much more flexibility to take advantage of the sun, shade and natural terrain.  It is important for you to walk around the house during different parts of the day to see where the sun and shade are.  Just saying the sun shines on that spot is not enough.  You need to know whether the area is comfortable or is the sun so strong you will want to plan a canopy or tables with umbrellas.  Also, try to get a sense of whether areas around the house are particularly wet or windy.  

How much landscaping or exterior lighting do you want or need?  Some lighting decisions will likely depend on whether the sun is rising or setting over your deck.  The deck may be used at breakfast time but certainly be used in the afternoon and early evening.  Are you getting direct light late into the day?  Plan your exterior lighting with that in mind.

I recommend that you make your deck no bigger than it needs to be.  You should certainly keep the outdoor deck in proportion to the house. And try to avoid picking a spot for your deck that is within site lines of your neighbors deck or other entertainment area.  Privacy for them is almost as important as privacy is for you.  Of course, if the only good place for your deck is in the site line of your neighbor outdoor patio, you can always design some privacy back into your deck.  Shrubbery is often used for just this purpose.

And remember to check local building codes, regulations, and restrictions. You'll likely need a building permit from your town.  The more complicated the design, the more likely you need to get the OK.  You may also need an inspection if you are adding electrical outside and/or creating a multi-level deck on stilts.  These administrative things are usually not terribly painful to execute they just take some time.

Once the location is decided upon, the design part of the process begins and you will have plenty more fun decisions to make.  But it all starts with location, location, location.

Best of luck and if you have more questions, don't hesitate to Ask The Contractor.  
Thanks, Bruce

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