All posts by admin

Which is better – an attached open porch or free standing open porch for your Macon GA home?

September 23, 2014 admin

Are you considering adding an open porch to your Macon area home? Open porches actually have a number of names including covered porch, covered patio, and pavilion. Like any porch, there are different places in your backyard for your porch. Not only can you connect it to various different sections across the back of your home, but you can also have a free-standing porch which is often called a pavilion. The name pavilion may bring to mind images of a structure that sits alongside a pool. But that is certainly not always the case.

These Macon GA homeowners in the Barrington Hall community were looking to add a covered space to their existing deck. Based on the roof lines and windows on the back of their home, attaching a porch was going to be a little bit of a challenge. The family had an existing deck and knew they wanted to add an outdoor space with a roof to get some relief from this hot GA sun. An open porch, or pavilion, was the perfect space. This allowed them to enjoy their existing deck when it was not as sunny and enjoy the pavilion to escape that hot GA heat.

This pavilion was really designed for easy living. Not only is there ample room for a large table and chairs, every little detail was attended to including having covered gutters for ease of maintenance. From a design perspective, the design details make for not only a beautiful open porch, but one that also blends beautifully with their existing deck and home.

The open porch has pressure-treated wood flooring to match the deck. The flooring is run on a diagonal for visual appeal and for a more custom look. In addition, the porch railings have complimentary thin profile black pickets. To compliment the existing home, the open porch has a low sloping hip roof. The pavilion attaches to the deck for ease of moving from one outdoor living space to the other. To create a stately look, 8 x 8 laminated Cox posts were used.

To answer the title question of whether an attached porch or freestanding porch is better; you guessed it, it depends. Often the layout of windows and rooflines on the back of the home dictate where there porch will attach nicely and also whether there is an obvious location for attaching a porch. This is the case when the windows cover the area where you were thinking about adding your porch. It also depends on the roof lines and whether they make it difficult to add a roof structure. In this case, we were able to provide the homeowner with a plan for both an attached porch and a freestanding pavilion. You can see how beautifully it turned out.

If you are considering creating a great new outdoor living space for your Macon/Warner Robins area back yard, or if you want to give a fresh new look to your existing backyard space, give us a call for a free consultation. Together we will work to identify the best structures and materials to create the perfect outdoor living space just for you.

Stephen Denton
Owner, Archadeck of Central GA

Call: (478) 745 – 2000

Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

Visit the screened porch photo gallery on our website for more great design

Porch builder/contractor, Porches, Screened porches

The engineer’s choice for building a porch in Central GA

September 15, 2014 admin

We recently built a screened porch in Centerville. They inherited a deck and used it infrequently because it was poorly designed & built and was also in disrepair. The homeowner is an engineer so he knew he would know a good builder when he met one. He and his wife wanted to work with a builder that would create a thoughtful, professional design and execute on it with the kind of attention to detail that he uses in his own work.

While the homeowners originally thought they wanted a new deck, they soon realized that a porch made more sense. A couple other reasons for not using their deck included the stiflingly hot Georgia summer head and the bugs that come along with that. They did use the patio for grilling so it made sense to keep the patio. For the other outdoor living space, a porch made more sense. It would provide sun protection as well as bug protection.

The new porch is the largest in width we can build without special ordering material (27’ feet wide). This porch width works particularly well because it provides enough space for a table and chairs. Considerations like these help save on materials and labor costs without compromising on traffic flow or the feel of the living space. The length of the porch allows for more than one seating area. Stairs that run the length of the porch leading to the patio provide additional space for potted plants or even additional seating.

We used a gable roof/cathedral ceiling combination. We use gable roofs on many screened porches because the lofty ceiling gives the space a light and airy feel and leaves plenty of room for ceiling fans to keep a breeze going. You can control the fans and light fixtures with a wall switch, a remote or both: your choice.

Our client appreciated some of the finer building details that some other clients might not ever identify or notice. We used a laminated ridge beam for additional strength. We used pressure-treated decking, screened from beneath to keep out bugs. And, we worked out a nice solution to tying in the roof with the existing slanted eave on the house. One of the great advantages of working with Archadeck is that you don’t have to have an engineer’s eye for possible design challenges. We find the problems and solve them as part of our job. And when we miss something, which we did in this case (a few pieces of trim) we always come back for our clients to make sure they feel great about their new outdoor living space.

Stephen Denton
Owner, Archadeck of Central GA

Call: (478) 745 – 2000

Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

Visit the screened porch photo gallery on our website for more great design ideas and inspiration.

Porches

Thinking of selling your Central GA home in a year? Should you or shouldn’t you add a small porch now?

September 15, 2014 admin

It’s always a tough decision. You know you want to sell your home in the relatively near future – 6 months, 1 year or maybe even 2 years. You think updating or adding particular upgrades might have a good return on investment by allowing you to charge enough to cover the cost of the upgrade and then some. But, who’s to know if that’s true? And if that update will increase the value of your home, by how much? What are the top things to update or add? The last area for consideration is how much you will enjoy that upgrade while you’re still in the home.

As complicated as these questions are in a regular scenario, the questions become even more complicated if your house is not a traditional home. This Juliette home is anything but plain and ordinary. It’s truly one-of-a-kind. It’s a historic farmhouse on many acres out by lake Juliette. The farmhouse is complete with horses and is the ideal place for hunting, fishing and horseback riding. But, there’s no outdoor space to sit and enjoy the yard or enjoy the fresh air or the fall breeze. The homeowner knew that a small economically built porch would be something she would enjoy for the next year or so when she prepares the house for sale. She was also certain that she would get the return on her investment in the new porch.

The house is out in a clearing and there’s zero relief from the hot Georgia sun. In addition, a screened porch would provide protection from bugs. After looking at her home and taking many factors into consideration, we agreed that a small well-built, but still economically built, screened porch was a great area to add to the home now. We also decided to add a small adjoining deck.

What is the best way to build an economical porch? A couple of porch upgrades that can quickly become quite expensive are the flooring and the ceiling. It may be tempting to use upgraded wood for the flooring. Pressure treated pine is the most economical and it also has the look of the timeless wood porch. You can see that the homeowner also used a large indoor/outdoor rug to further enhance the porch’s interior design.

Adding ceiling upgrades can also increase the porch’s price fairly quickly. This porch uses an open rafter design saving on materials and labor rather than a closed rafter look. Many of our porch customers choose open rafters for their porch because it’s the traditional, all American, screened porch look. It went perfectly with the style of this rustic farmhouse and the farmhouse setting. If you look closely, you’ll see the lighting fixture with the deer antlers. Often a small touch like that adds the perfect pop of decorating to add beauty and flair to the room.

In addition to the porch, we also added a small attached deck. The deck provides space for grilling and some more seating area to enjoy the outdoors. You’ll notice that the new pressure-treated pine has a tan appearance. When it grays out, it will blend perfectly with the home and look like it was always there.

Indeed, how long you’re planning on staying in your home is an important consideration when making home upgrades. We are glad to use our experience to provide design ideas to fit your lifestyle and the length of time you hope to enjoy your space.

Stephen Denton
Owner, Archadeck of Central GA

Give us a call for a free consultation: (478) 745 – 2000
centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

Visit our website: central-georgia.archadeck.com

Converting deck to porch, Porch builder/contractor, Porches, Screened porches

Turning a Bonaire GA deck into a screened porch

August 28, 2014 admin

Both decks and porches are great outdoor living structures. Each has their own benefits. Decks allow you to spend time outdoors enjoying the fresh air, the view of your yard, and enjoying the “extra room” in your house. A porch allows you to enjoy all of these but it does provide a little extra protection. While a rainstorm will send you inside, a screened porch is a roofed structure. Along with the screens, the porch allows quite a bit of protection from rain and other storm conditions.

A porch provides two additional key benefits. Summers here in the Macon Warner Robins area can be brutally hot. With roof cover and a good ceiling fans, the mid-day temperatures are a lot more bearable. In addition, bugs are a big factor. Depending on a number of factors, your yard might be a treasure trove of mosquitoes and other biting insects. Some of the factors that determine how many mosquitoes you’ll have are the amount of standing water you have and the amount of landscaping you have. Mosquitoes need standing water to breed. So, anything from a pool to a koi pond to a bird bath will bring the mosquitoes in. This home had both a pool and a pond so the bugs were eating them up.

The home had an existing deck. The owners wanted a new porch to provide more outdoor living opportunities, including shade and bug protection. We were able to use their existing deck and convert it into a screened porch. If you’re thinking about converting your deck to a porch, often times that is an option. The deck substructure may require reinforcement but a good builder will be able to make that assessment as well as enhance the substructure to meet code and support the weight of the new roof. That was the case at this Bonaire GA home. Over 10 years ago, we built the deck on this home. The new homeowner saw the Archadeck tag on the deck and called us first to quote his upgrade project.

The new porch includes ipe flooring, a gable roof to create an open cathedral ceiling, large screened openings for great visibility, and the design deftly works with the challenge of attaching a roof to this home. In the middle of the screened porch area is a large chimney. The roof needed to not only to attach to the home but to also wrap around the chimney. That was no problem.

The lower deck also has ipe decking. The railing is pressure-treated wood with an ipe rail caps. White metal pickets and lattice complete the look. With the two distinct outdoor living spaces, the family can pick the level of sun protection they need based on the activity and the time of day.

If you live in the Central GA area and you’re considering converting your deck into a screened porch, give us a call for a free consultation.

Stephen Denton
Owner, Archadeck of Central GA

Call: (478) 745 – 2000

Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

Visit our Archadeck of Central GA website for more great design ideas and inspiration.

Paver patios & hardscapes

You’re never too young or too old

August 18, 2014 admin

Youth has a lot of things going for it, but there are some downsides too, even within the narrow topic of home ownership and improvement. We recently completed a paver patio in the Barrington Hall community. The couple is pretty young and doesn’t have any kids. One of the great things about being in a position like this is that you can invite a bunch of friends over for a cookout at a moment’s notice: “We’re going to pick up some food to put on the grill. Let’s meet up at our place at 6:30.”

Sounds great, right? Of course early in your career you might not exactly own your dream home. But some aspects of your home can be just like that dream home you are striving toward. And eventually if you stay long enough you may turn your house into that dream home. This couple had a deck that was in pretty bad shape and had a pergola that provided minimal sun protection. They wanted to renovate the space on a budget getting most of what they wanted without over investing for the neighborhood. During our meetings with them, we discussed what they need now, what their budget for the project was and what they think they might want down the road.

Rather than a new deck we recommended Belgard pavers to create a low maintenance, durable patio. In some instances a paver patio can be the same cost as a pressure treated deck and there is little maintenance with pavers. And when it’s time to sell or when it’s time to add on again the patio will look as nice as the day it was installed. The low seating wall gives the area some visual definition and there is always room for one more friend to drop by. Out of chairs? No problem! On the opposite side of the patio we installed posts for a hammock—this was high on their wish list.

Another aspect of being young is that you never know when you might get a job opportunity in another city. Rather than going “all in” on this project, our clients chose block styles–Holland Stone in Spice Blend and Weston Wall– that they can match later on if they want to extend the patio space. They think they might want to add a barbecue bump out in the coming years, but don’t know how long they will be in Macon. Always work with a builder who asks you about your needs today and tomorrow. These plans were designed with longevity and flexibility in mind. The patio looks finished, but can be easily extended.

One thing you might notice from the pictures is that the yard is fenced. We were able to pull down a section of the fence to bring in trucks to move the sand, rock, and the blocks. When we left, we reinstalled the fence and the owners saved on labor because the crew didn’t have to move all the materials by wheel barrow. This is a small detail, but can have a big impact on the final cost. Someone unfamiliar with carpentry and paver installation would not recognize this cost saving opportunity. Only companies like Archadeck that work with all aspects of outdoor living construction and design have the resources to offer this kind of service. We are happy to share our professional experience to homeowners of all ages to make their project as easy and rewarding as possible.

If you are considering creating a great new outdoor living space for your Macon / Warner Robins area back yard, or if you want to give a fresh new look to your existing backyard space, give us a call for a free consultation. Together we will work to identify the best structures and materials to create the perfect outdoor living space just for you.

Stephen Denton
Owner, Archadeck of Central GA

Call: (478) 745 – 2000

Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

Visit the patio and hardscape photo gallery on our website for more great design ideas and inspiration.

Deck builder

Why build stairs when you can have a garden deck?

July 11, 2014 admin

All joking aside, mother-in-law suites are not really supposed to be inaccessible turrets hidden at the back of a home. This mother-in-law suite is not only not hidden, but the family took the opportunity to add functionality to also add some beauty.

Things were a little tight for the entry to this area into this in-law suite. They could have gotten away with just building a wider stairway, but they saw this as an opportunity to make improvements to the whole area, not just solve a narrow problem. We loved working with them to brainstorm a great solution that adds functionality while adding beauty.

We designed a 10’x10’ octagonal deck made with Fiberon Pro-Tect Advantage decking boards and rail caps in Gray Birch, which is very popular and nicely complements the color of the home. This is a capstock composite product with great durability and a long warranty. Customers love it because it closely mimics the look of wood without the maintenance issues.

We encircled the deck with black baroque iron rails from the Fortress brand Vienna series. The balusters are pre-galvanized, 1”-wide and powder-coated. They have old world charm, are easy to install and are built to last. They are available in two designs: belly and bow; both have an appealing curve.

When we created this access point that cleverly doubles as a scenic garden overlook, we sealed up a storage area that was underneath and accessed through the garage. We used a self-adhered roofing called Grace Ice & Water Shield ® to enable a watertight bond with the roof deck.

Now the entire family can enjoy a view from the deck overlooking the garden any day of the year. A call to Archadeck, the Macon Fiberon deck builder of choice, yields not just the services of professional construction experts, but thoughtful design solutions to just about any outdoor living building problem.

: Stephen DentonOwner, Archadeck of Central GA

Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

Visit the pool deck photo gallery on our website for more great design ideas and inspiration.

Ipe decks and outdoor structures

A sneak preview of a picture-perfect ipe and garapa balcony deck in Warner Robins

June 23, 2014 admin

Periodically we are so excited about an upcoming job, we like to share the details here on our blog. This particular deck will be made of Ipe with Garapa picture framing. Both are exotic Brazilian hardwoods that are extremely dense with a very tight grain pattern, making them inherently insect damage and rot resistant. Both have gorgeous natural color with an appealing range of tone variation. Ipe is darker brown with red highlights. Garapa, by contrast, is light yellow to golden blonde in hue. Ipe is also known as Brazilian Walnut or Iron Wood; Garapa is sometimes called Brazilian Ash.

: This stunning balcony deck will be include both Ipe and Garapa

Archadeck of Central GA is beginning a second story deck in these two striking woods. The elevated deck will have a partially covered area to add a covered porch section to this deck. As an added bonus, a second-story deck creates an open porch below. It’s going to be stunning. The ipe boards will lay in contrasting diagonal courses. The garapa will be used to frame the ipe, almost like a work of art. Both woods are gorgeous on their own. When placed next to one another, each brings out the best characteristics of the other. When the French doors leading to the deck swing open, guests will reflexively pause to appreciate the beauty of the deck before taking a step onto it.

: A second story deck automatically creates a patio space down below

Remember when you are looking for a Macon GA ipe deck builder, that both ipe and garapa are specialty woods that demand specialty building knowledge and experience. While the benefits are their natural durability and beauty, they are also challenging to install–especially for the inexperienced. The incredible density that keeps ipe decks strong and looking great for 50 years or more requires special treatment and materials during construction, making the costs for these decks slightly higher and experience in working with them absolutely crucial.

When this elevated deck is complete, the colors of the wood will effortlessly blend with the earth tones in the surrounding yard. The ipe/garapa combination mimics the light/dark contrast that we see everywhere in nature, the result of sun and shadow. Our 3D rendering of this project gives us and the owner a sense of what’s in store when the project is complete, but we are especially excited to see the finished product in this case. This Brazilian hardwood combination is going to be amazing to behold in real life .

: Stephen Denton, owner of Archadeck of Central GA

Call: (478) 745 – 2000

Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

Visit the ipe deck photo gallery on our website to see some more pictures of ipe projects in our area.

AZEK, Composite deck builder

Just because you’ve been waiting a long time for the right time to build, you don’t have to wait a long time for it to be built with Archadeck of Central GA

June 9, 2014 admin

Perhaps you have been thinking about adding a new outdoor living space for a while– maybe a really long while, but when you decide you want to get started you don’t want to wait. We have some clients who had been thinking about adding a deck to their home for 10 years, since they purchased the property in ‘04. They had the perfect spot for it: the house has three exterior doors that are at the same height. They had even taken out some trees to make way for the project. It took us just a little over a week to build it. The deck was completed so quickly they may still be surprised when they look out their window and see it.

The house was built in 1997 and has the look of a farmhouse; it’s in a very rural area between South Macon and Warner Robins, GA. Two of the exterior doors led to a patio and one was oriented to the garage. We built a very small roof, similar to a portico, to provide protection from the rain when using the door to the garage. The owners like the look of angled boards so we created a traditional Archadeck angled deck. Angled decks have superior stability and provide subtle visual cues between changes in elevation. They chose AZEK PVC decking in the Redland Rose color. AZEK is impervious to moisture and insects and has terrific durability.

The owners selected wooden rail posts with white metal pickets in Fortress Iron and AZEK decking for the rail caps. In the past, iron railings were often custom made in local shops, were expensive and took time to fabricate to order. Fortress offers the look of custom railings at a fraction of the cost. They are extremely durable and allow a superior view to the yard beyond. This will be especially desirable if the owners decide to add the pool they are considering in the future. The AZEK rail caps visually integrate the railing to the deck flooring.

The house also has a balcony above the deck. We built around the balcony supports; they remain undisturbed. Since the deck is low to the ground, we decided not to use skirting on this project. There are nice wide steps on the front which can be used for benches to enjoy the view. We are proud to be the Macon deck builder chosen to create this great area where this family can sit, entertain and eat outside. Instead of taking three steps from their home onto the ground, our clients now exit to a lovely outdoor living space designed to their specifications.

If you are considering creating a great new outdoor living space for your Macon/Warner Robins area back yard, or if you want to give a fresh new look to your existing backyard space, give us a call for a free consultation. We are the composite deck builder which will identify the best structures and materials to create the perfect outdoor living space just for you.

Call: (478) 745 – 2000

Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

Visit the pool deck photo gallery on our website for more great design ideas and inspiration

Deck builder, Decks, TimberTech composite decks

A deck that could have belonged to southern rock royalty

June 9, 2014 admin

Families grow and change over time. The good news is that your outdoor living spaces can do the same. We recently had the opportunity to do a makeover on a multi-level deck which we originally built in 1992. We remembered working on this home because it was previously owned by the Allman Brothers. The framing was still in good shape, but the floor and railings had weathered over the last 22 years and the needs of the family had changed so we came over to consult on an upgrade/makeover.

The original deck had several levels that stylishly connected the home to the swimming pool. The kids were young the first go-around and getting them to and from the pool and having a good view of the water were the top design concerns at the time. This year the clients wanted to create a more relaxed, living room-type space looking out at the pool and surrounding woods. The house has log cabin construction that fits very naturally with the lot and we aimed to keep the refurbished deck consistent with that look. To that end, we will stain the wood areas to match the home.

We built the lowest level up to match the height of the largest existing section. This allows for plenty of space for eating and entertaining. There are now two eating areas with great flow between them for mingling or just moving about. Multiple deck levels are ideal for allowing either for multiple use or for breaking groups into different clusters: think teens at one table and adults at another.

The decks are surrounded by new, solid skirting with doors underneath, garnering the family ample, secure outdoor storage. Composite materials have come a long way in recent years. For this update the family selected TimberTech decking to build the floors and rail caps. The railings are stained wood with black pickets and provide the necessary safety without compromising the view to the water and trees.

Rumor has it the Cher once stayed at this home. We think she would love the new deck! When you are considering deck builders in Juliet, GA, we hope you will give Archadeck a call for a free consultation. We’d love to talk with you about new construction or a refresh project like this one.

Call: (478) 745 – 2000
Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net
Visit the composite and PVC deck picture and photo gallery on our website for more great design ideas and inspiration

Archadeck of Central GA, Porch builder/contractor, Screened porches

This Perry GA screened porch refurbish solved lots of little problems with one elegant solution

May 21, 2014 admin

: Here’s a picture of their new porch in Perry GA.

As a long time Central GA porch builder, we love referrals. It’s great when someone likes our work enough to refer us to their friends and family. We know what a tremendous compliment that is. In this case, we built a project for one customer who referred us to a second customer – who we built a project for. Then, that second customer referred us to these homeowners.

These Perry GA homeowners had a screened porch that no longer reflected their lifestyle. The porch was a menagerie of its prior inhabitants: the floors and roof were a mish-mash of past projects and, while it was still structurally sound, it was not up to code.

: This is what it looked like before

The client wanted a space that would allow them to enjoy fresh air and not block their yard view from the living room and kitchen. After a consultation about what they liked and disliked about their existing structure, we created a design to accomplish all their objectives.

Once we had a plan in place, we set to work. The first priority for this project was to bring the porch up to code to ensure safety, so we laid beams under the deck and attached them to the house for a firm foundation. We didn’t want the wonderful view to be obscured by too much sectioning, so we changed out the walls and supports in order allow the homeowners to really enjoy being in their yard. The original porch had seven different screen sections in one wall; we reduced it to four by adding a beam which really opened the porch up.

: Our design drawings help our customers see what their project will look like when completed

The design drawing helps our customers know what their finished project will look like.[/caption]Archadeck thinks carefully about the flow of each project– good flow ensures that the space will be useful and beautiful, not just structurally sound. The placement of the original door created traffic problems, forcing anyone walking to either cut through the middle of the room or to awkwardly skirt the edges. We fixed this by moving the location of the door to the side to allow for quick and easy travel.

We solved the owner’s mosquito issue by placing screened walls at the bottom of the deck, denying the pesky bugs access through the floor. The old lattice was tired, so we created a proper foundation with new latticing to mirror the structure of the screening. Before the renovation, beyond the door, there had been only stairs. We gave our family a side deck with space for a full grill that they could use for summer barbecuing. As a final design touch, we installed white porch screens, so the exterior could be painted to match.

If you are considering creating a great new outdoor living space for your Macon/Warner Robins area backyard, or if you want to give a fresh new look to your existing backyard space, give us a call for a free consultation. Together we will work to identify the best structures and materials to create the perfect outdoor living space just for you.

Call: (478) 745 – 2000

Email: centralgeorgia@archadeck.net

Macon Warner Robins Decks, Patios, Porches, Pergolas, Gazebos and more