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08-09-2006, 11:49 AM
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B&B Tree
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: LaGrangeville, N.Y.
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 876
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Need Some Suggestions
I'm bidding a job that is a little different from my normal jobs. It involves building a very large deck with a paver patio incorporated for an outdoor kitchen. The customer wants no rails on the deck, so this will require tterracing with a minimum of a 3' run per deck level. He also has requested a natural looking material be used but with little maintenance. He has said he doesn't want Trex or Mahoganey, but is open to other suggestions.
Here's a shot of the home. This portion will have the deck attached.
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08-09-2006, 11:52 AM
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B&B Tree
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: LaGrangeville, N.Y.
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 876
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This portion will have the patio/kitchen attached. He has also asked for a trellis over the kitchen, I've suggested redwood for that and he likes that idea.
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08-09-2006, 11:55 AM
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B&B Tree
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: LaGrangeville, N.Y.
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 876
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The deck will then continue around the rest of the rear of the house.
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08-09-2006, 12:03 PM
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B&B Tree
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: LaGrangeville, N.Y.
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 876
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The customer made a point to tell me he's gone to great expense to be independant of foosil fuel. A geo-thermal system is installed along with a huge solar panel that powers the house. He wants this project to reflect his environmental concerns. I'm not accustomed to this, was hoping some of you "left coast" guys could lend some ideas. Thanks in advance!
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08-09-2006, 03:51 PM
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Acorn
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Join Date: Jan 2006
USDA
Posts: 22
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I'm surprised that he doesn't want Trex, being a product that I suspose has recycled content in it. With solar panels and geothermal, I would be investigating sustainable building products for his theme. Maybe check out www.oikos.com for product ideas.
I am in the design phase of similar sized house with deck/patio. We are proposing a courtyard to contain the living space rather than decks looking out into the woods. This will be easier than trying to make the back half of two acres look nice. Our project house has a view of a neighbor with travel trailers and a kid playground. For the trelis, I'm looking at fabric (Sunbrella) shade with a steel support structure. Good luck with the project! |
08-09-2006, 11:12 PM
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Seedling
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Join Date: Dec 2005
USDA
Posts: 96
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Ipe. Touted as environmentally responsible. Long, long lasting. But......$$$
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08-10-2006, 07:43 AM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Cape Cod
USDA Zone 6
Posts: 1,323
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A smallerhouse would be a good start to reflect his environmentalism. Sometimes I wonder if "mental" is the root word of environmental. A second suggestion would be to put the solar panel where they are not in the shade. Not using Redwood would be a third. ... but, that has nothing to do withyour question.
The point is that your client is more interested in saving $ by having the geothermal system. He is more interested in being perceived as an environmentalist than in actually being one. He wants to impress people by having a large house, a big open floor plan (by the looks of the windows), and a big stone fireplace. This is important because as a designer you should understand your client and design for his "real" values, not only theones that he likes to think he has.
Use these to your advantage and at the same time address his real needs. If you want to do more stone work, than wood work talk to him about where the wood comes from, the chemicals used to treat it, the natural look of the stone, complimenting the fireplace, aesthetics, aesthetics, and more aesthetics. Anyone who goes with redwood over trex is more interested in aesthetics than granola.
Don't limit yourself by going all out to over value his statement about reflecting his environmental concerns. Keep it in the same perspective he has. Talk about it a lot, use environmentally correct products where they fit, and address his other needs as effectively as possible the best way that YOU know how. That is what his architect did.
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08-10-2006, 01:27 PM
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Acorn
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 21
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I know they are using bamboo as flooring, so maybe decking as well and I am pretty sure it is a "green" product. Try snooping around: www.buildinggreen.com |
08-10-2006, 10:18 PM
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B&B Tree
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: LaGrangeville, N.Y.
USDA Zone 5
Posts: 876
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Thanks for the help guys. I tried reaching the customer today to clarify the direction he wants to go. I may suggest an architect design the deck, I'm not sure I'm up to something this elaborate. I can build to plans and design paver and block work, but deck design will take an extreme amount of time for me.
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08-11-2006, 02:28 PM
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Gold Oak Member
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Join Date: Jul 2005
USDA Zone 7
Posts: 272
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As low as that foundation is, why not do a raised paver patio? Decking would need to be replaced in 12-15 years.
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