PROJECT: Outdoor Living

What to expect when you transform your outdoor space into a backyard retreat.

By Kristen Hampshire

Look out into the backyard — step outside and imagine a fully equipped grilling area, maybe a pizza oven, along with a covered space where you can dine or even work. Imagine gathering around a fire pit, listening to the peaceful sound of water bubbling from a grotto, or using your smartphone to click on landscape lights. From elaborate outdoor living spaces to modest yet accommodating patios, what’s in is out.

“Once you have that outdoor living space, it’s a game-changer for your lifestyle,” says Jeff Rak, president of Land Creations Landscaping in Columbia Station and past president of the Ohio Landscape Association.

In many ways, the pandemic ignited a growing interest in spending time outdoors and extending living spaces into the backyard. “People want everything they have inside to be outside now, they want those features,” Rak points out.

And as home automation advances, bluetooth enabled features for the landscape are also catching on, namely lighting and smart irrigation that can be controlled with an app. “It’s an exciting time in the industry and for customers because of these outdoor living areas where they can spend their time,” Rak says. In fact, he built a pavilion on his own property and sometimes sleeps outdoors on summer nights.

Outdoor living projects can be as simple as a deck and barbecue area or as complex as a multi-tiered patio with retaining walls, a pavilion and fireplace along with a pool. “We tell clients all the time, ‘If you can dream it, we can build it,’ so if you think of ideas, throw them out there and we’ll add our thoughts as professionals,” says Kerry Cline, president, C&S Lawn Service and Landscape, Wadsworth.

What exactly is involved in bringing an idea to life in the landscape?

Regardless of the project size, the steps are essentially the same, just on a different scale. First comes a budget and inspiration, then meeting with contractors for a design and estimate. A professional design/build firm will guide you through materials selections and the installation process.

Here’s what to expect.

Inspiration on Budget

What is the most you want to spend on your outdoor living project? Budget discussions are key and ultimately guide decisions beginning with what you can afford to include in the space to which materials suit your price point.

When Rak initially meets with clients initially, he usually sits down for an hour to discuss what clients’ have in mind and their budget limits. Then, he can show portfolio pictures of features and share the estimated costs. “I ask, ‘Is this the kind of patio you are looking for? Is this the type of fireplace you are after?’ Then I can share what those projects cost so they can get a feel for where their budget fits in.”

Don’t veer away from talking about the budget upfront, Cline encourages. “We ask for a budget on that initial phone call so we have an idea going into the first meeting,” he says. “We don’t want to design a $100,000 project if the budget is $20,000.”

Designs are based on your appetite to spend. “If they have a budget of $25,000 and want a patio and fireplace, we know that can’t happen right away,” Cline adds, relating that multi-phase projects with a master design allow clients to accomplish what they can afford in stages.

“I have a client now where we are doing landscape beds and the lawn now, and in the fall we will do plantings, and a patio next year,” Cline relates.

While you determine that magic number, also prioritize what landscape features are most important to you and the ultimate goal of the project. (Check out On Trend Outside on page 6.) Pin photos, create an inspo file and search on sites like Houzz, Instagram and Pinterest.

A design/build contractor will ask for your ideas during an initial site visit while walking the property and sometimes taking some preliminary measurements. Anthony Angelotta likes to collect a site plan right away. “If clients have a PDF of the site plan, we can import that into our design program,” says the design/build manager of Angelotta Landscape Associates LLC in Chesterland.

The site plan shows the plot, property lines, structural elements, driveways, landscaping, fencing, power lines, utility poles and setbacks. Your mortgage broker or title company provides this when you purchase a home, and you can request a