Exactly where should I build my Kansas City screened porch?

Custom screened porch and deck design is not a career field with lots of easy, all-purpose answers. That’s where the “custom” part comes in. Having said that, I do have some experienced guidance to help you along in the thought process of adding a new screened porch to your home. The really short answer to this common question is, “It depends on how you plan to use your porch.”

When you first started considering a new porch for your home, what got you thinking about that option? Did you go to a really enjoyable party at a friend’s house and find yourself thinking that you would like to host events like that? Perhaps you were watching a home improvement show and were really taken with the way a screened porch allows you to enjoy the best of being inside and outside at the same time. Maybe you were eating dinner in the yard one night and found yourself annoyed by insects or unexpected rainfall. Start with the activity that first inspired you and then start making a list of what you want to do with your new porch.

Your plans for using the space will be one of the primary driving factors in both location and design. If you want to eat lots of meals outside, it makes the most sense to try to locate the porch near the kitchen and to have some space available outside the porch for the grill or outdoor kitchen. If you envision your guests spilling out onto the porch from the living or family room when they come over to watch the Chiefs or the Royals play, you will want to have direct entry to your interior entertaining areas.

Some homeowners see their porch as a quiet retreat where they can curl up with a good book before bed or enjoy a cup of coffee and then newspaper first thing in the morning. In that case, the ideal location for the porch might be adjacent to the master suite. We do recommend some additional consideration on this location. Attaching a porch to your sleeping area will pretty much ensure that the owners of the master bedroom are the only ones that ever use the porch. This seems like a great idea if your view from the bedroom is overlooking a tremendously scenic area. One concern, and this is a serious concern, is that you are far from the coffee maker, the toaster, and the refrigerator. If you’re going to relax in your own private porch, you will often likely want to take a snack, a cup of coffee, or a cold refreshment with you. While it’s only a hop, skip, and jump to the kitchen, this may keep you from spending as much time out there as you originally thought.

One porch lover that seems to have no preference about location is the family pet. Regardless of the kind of companion animal you have, except perhaps fish, your pet will love spending time on your porch regardless of where you build it. They are some of our most satisfied customers.

Keep in mind that none of these plans excludes any of the others. Your porch will almost certainly end up being a mixed-use area. Once it is complete, you will find yourself looking for opportunities to go outside and enjoy it. You should also be aware that the other major deciding factor of location of your porch will be the layout of your home and available yard space. Don’t be alarmed or upset if a site inspection dictates that your porch has to go in a different area than you originally planned. It is still going to be a wonderful addition to your home.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you’re considering the addition of an outdoor fireplace – or a deck, porch, patio or other outdoor living structure – to your Kansas City area home, give us a call at (913) 851-3325 for a free consultation or email us at kansascity@archadeck.net. We look forward to your call.

What makes a “Goldilocks” porch? How to design a Kansas City screened porch that’s “just right” for your home and family.

Overland Park screen porch AZEK deck Fortress Rail

The deck to the left of this screened porch is small but just the right size for a grill and some space to enjoy grilling.

When you are making plans for your new porch, in your mind, it is always “just right.” This porch has plenty of room for lots of people, all your furniture fits perfectly and the porch is not so large that it looks disproportionate to the rest of your home. There are several factors that go into making the porch that’s “just right” for your family, your home, and how you want to live on your porch. We put together a list of a few things you’ll want to consider to determine the porch that’s just right for you.

What size Kansas City porch do you want? First, think about how you are planning to use the porch. Do you plan to eat out on your new porch? If so, will this just be for casual impromptu meals such as deciding to take your sandwiches outside and enjoy the fresh air while you eat? Or, do you plan on entertaining and regularly having over your 2-3 favorite couples for dinner parties on the porch? What about relaxing on your porch? Do you plan on sneaking out with your favorite book every now and then or do you plan on having the family cozy up with blankets to watch a good movie on fall evenings in front of the outdoor fireplace with outdoor TV mounted atop?

Archadeck takes great pride in creating outdoor living spaces that, when we’re done, look as original to your home as possible. Considerations include the size, shape and proportions of your yard and your house. Once you’ve decided how you want to live in your new space, share that with your builder. During the consultation, you and the builder can walk outside and “eyeball” any opportunities or challenges based on the porch addition and the size of your home, yard, etc. We will look at what size porch will “fit” on your home?

Roof style is an important consideration. We will consider different roof options. Certain roof sizes, styles, and angles may work better than others. There are several factors to take into account as it relates to the roof style you select. Your new roof should complement your current one for the best overall exterior appeal. If you have a second story, the roof will need to work with and not block anything on the second story including the windows and any other architectural elements.

Traffic flow is another design consideration some people miss but is critical to a successful porch addition. Where will people enter and leave your porch? Consider entrances and exits from the house and the yard. If you plan to include a fireplace or even a wall mount TV, those should be part of your traffic plan too. Doors, walls and fireplaces can be expensive to move so they may impact your decision about porch size.

If you are interested in having more than one living area on your porch and you own a multi-story home, you might take a look at expanding your project to a second story. Take a look at this two-story porch and deck in Leawood Kansas. Another option for multiple outdoor living spaces would include a porch and deck combination or a porch and patio combination.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you’re considering the addition of a porch – or a deck, patio, fireplace or other outdoor living structure – to your Kansas City area home, give us a call at (913) 851-3325 for a free consultation or email us at kansascity@archadeck.net. We look forward to your call.

Is a fireplace right for my Kansas City screened porch?

This fireplace surround is made of Ipe exotic Brazilian hardwood

We are very lucky in Kansas City to have four distinct, beautiful seasons each year. Three of them are delightful to enjoy from the comfort of a screened porch, especially if you own a porch with a fireplace. Once the snow is on the ground, you’re better off relaxing inside.

Understanding that a fireplace should offer you enough warmth to extend your use of your porch earlier in the spring and later in the fall, there are some practical considerations in making the decision to include one in your plans. First, of course, is price. A gas fireplace on an open or screened porch could cost between $7,000-$10,000. It may also “cost” you a piece of one wall as far as real estate on your porch. If you have one side of your porch where you want extra privacy or you don’t mind obscuring the view, no problem. If you value a 180-degree panorama outlook, this might be too high a price to pay.

Shawnee KS Archadeck vaulted ceiling porch with fireplace lr

These homeowners had their fireplace strategically placed to create a privacy wall leaving room for a view of the beautiful backyard and street.

As with any other building project, there are also design choices. Do you prefer wood or natural gas? Most of our customers prefer gas fireplaces because they are cheaper to build and maintain, have fewer building code restrictions and are easier to use and manage. If you already have a gas line coming to your home, that reduces the expense further. With either choice, you get the heat and ambiance that make fireplaces so attractive and add value to your home.

During our design consultation, we also discuss your preferences in trim style for the fireplace. Do you prefer wood, stone, granite, brick? Wood is almost always the least expensive choice, but we have some exotic wood and inlay options that are very distinctive and come in at a higher price point. Ipe is a South American hardwood that has a dark red color and makes for a very striking facade. Some customers use a combination of materials, say wood and stone, to create a unique look for their fireplace.

The next question is what would you like to see above or below your fireplace? Some people are more traditional and like a hearth and a mantelpiece. These are options, but aren’t required. Homeowners with a more modern style often choose something more sleek and streamlined in its design. Nooks for flat screen TVs over the fireplace are very useful and popular.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

What’s on your wish list for your Overland Park porch?

I don’t think of myself as a deck or porch builder per se. I create personal outdoor spaces where people can connect with friends and family in a way that is meaningful for them.

This distinction is very important. Any builder can take a set of mass-produced plans and recreate them in your backyard. I listen to how my clients talk about how they want to live outside. No two customers are the same – every Overland Park porch should not be either.

Open porch with deck Overland Park KS lr

This Overland Park porch project that is a testament to the clients’ love of the outdoors. They wanted to replace an older existing area with a light, airy porch that let them be in the yard while offering protection from sun and rain. We didn’t screen it because bugs are not an issue for them; they value openness. They also envisioned this space as being a “second dining room.” The porch is just a few steps from the main eating area inside and has a small adjoining deck for grilling. It couldn’t be more convenient.

They wanted a very compact stair configuration so as to not eat up yard space so we used the smallest footprint by aligning the staircase with the deck. Next to the stairs, we left some beloved trees untouched. A few years from now those trees will provide additional shade and privacy.

Combination shed and gable roof Overland Park porch lr

The home’s existing lines and window configuration suggested a combination shed and gable roof. The gables give the space additional light and airiness. The ceiling fan can create a breeze if there is none that day. We also painted the posts and columns to match the home and the Afco powder coated aluminum rail blends beautifully with the furniture the customers selected. The slender profile, dark color railings, draw your eyes up and into the yard.

The finished beadboard ceiling makes the porch feel like an interior space even while it is completely open. The canister lights add to that impression. The tongue-and-groove look of the beadboard has a clean, classic look that doesn’t distract from the yard view. The AZEK Silver Oak flooring fits in easily with the lines and colors of the rest of the porch and is a snap to maintain.

As outdoors-focused as this project is, our clients still want to be able to watch the occasional game or show from their porch, so we mounted a TV out there as well. For this family, that was it. We hit all of the items on the wish list. The porch matches the style of their home and their lives. They have a wonderful new space that enriches their lives everyday.

Search for porch builder near me and choose Archadeck of Kansas City for your Overland Park KS porch project!

If you’re considering building an open porch, screened porch or outdoor room on your house, give us a call for a free consultation at 913-851-3325. We look forward to your call.

What’s black and white and has rail caps all over?

Not your grandma’s porch railing! Not too long ago, a deck would be a big rectangle with a railing of 2×2 wood pickets ringing the outside. You’ve probably rested many a drink on the flat board that sits atop one of those wooden rails because they are a feature of so many decks. They were a great option for DIY deck projects as they matched the rest of the deck (no imagination required!) and they were simple to build (easy!). On the flip side, these wood railings came with plenty of maintenance issues including durability issues, cracking, splintering, and rotting issues as the railings aged.

AZEK Morado Deck with AZEK railing

Today’s homeowners want more options. They want low maintenance options and they want stronger railings. In short, homeowners want to have their cake and eat it too. It needs to look great, work well, and last long. Discerning Kansas City area homeowners are willing to pay for railing that meets these requirements.

Deck material manufacturers have solved many of these durability issues by developing stronger, longer lasting alternatives. Metal balusters/pickets reduce maintenance costs while giving the the deck a current, more stylish look. Common metal choices include steel, iron and aluminum. In addition, many composite decking companies now offer composite railing options.

Other non-metal material options include vinyl and fiberglass. You can mix and match different materials for a unique or interesting look and no-fuss maintenance. Color contrast rather than color matching is becoming popular. Using a darker rail material draws the eye past the deck and into the yard. Black railings are by far the most popular color in the Kansas City market, followed by bronze. One way to update the look of an older, existing deck or porch is to change the railing. You’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes!

Take a look at some of the project photos on our site with an eye on the railings. Take note of the different colors, shapes and materials. Then give Archadeck a call to schedule a free consultation on your project. We will help you select the best materials and design options for your porch or deck– for today and the years to come.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you’re considering adding a new deck, porch, or other outdoor living space to your Kansas City area home, give us a call for a free consultation at (913) 851 – 3325 or drop us an email at kansascity@archadeck.net.

South America offers robust wood option for decking

Ipe deck in Lees Summit MO

It comes from the warm, wet environment of South America. Its origins make it naturally resistant to rot, decay and insect attacks. It is Ipe (pronounced “EE-pay”) wood from Brazil. It has other interesting qualities as well. Ipe is so dense that if you drop it in a pool, it will sink. It is 8-times harder than California Redwood. It is also known as Brazilian Walnut or Iron Wood. A deck made with Ipe can last 50 years or more and still look good.

Whether or not your decking material can float or sink probably doesn’t matter to you, but some of Ipe’s other qualities are very attractive to homeowners considering deck material options. In the past. Ipe popularity seems to be increasing as we’ve had more requests recently about this super durable wood. Ipe is very attractive: it has a natural reddish brown color that varies in shade and hue and has a very tight grain. In order to maintain its beautiful finish, it is typically sealed with an oil-based sealant, depending on how much weather it will experience.

This close-up of the Lenexa KS Ipe deck shows the beautiful dark color and the color variety in the different boards.

Ipe can be used in many different designs for both outdoor decks and enclosed porches. It can be used in flooring, railing, and in some cases, trim detail. Its look and style are very different from the more common North American hardwoods. It is also distinct from PVC and man made lumbers, though it rivals them in durability. The promise of a long life and good looks wins many homeowners over.

There are some other things to consider when you are researching Ipe. It requires more time and skill to work with because it is so hard and dense. Costs for materials and labor will be higher with Ipe than they will with more common woods like cedar and redwood. Archadeck is proud to be one of only a few experienced Ipe deck builders in Kansas City. We are familiar with Ipe and know how to make it work and use it to its best advantage.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

As fun as exotic wood facts are, hardness, durability, appearance, decay resistance and cost are more important to consider. After you have spent a little time exploring your options, invite us over to answer your questions and give you a free consultation. We want to help you pick the materials and design that will best suit your project.

If you’re considering adding an outdoor living space to your Kansas City area home, give us a call for a free consultation at (913) 851 – 3325 or drop us an email at kansascity@archadeck.net. For more Ipe deck pictures, please visit the Ipe deck photo gallery on our website.

Top 7 ways to research a contractor

There is no perfect way to search online for a contractor and do your diligence after that but here are some helpful ways that we recommend.

1) Google search

Try a number of different searches in Google. Try using “builder”, “contractor” and even construction. Change up the description of the item you’re hoping to have built. If you are looking for a patio, try looking up “paver patio” and also hardscapes. After doing a little hunting, you should find a good list of contractors to investigate.

2) Visit their website

The first thing you always want to do is visit the website of a prospective contractor or partner. Give their website is a gut test. Does the website look like it was put together by a relative who had a few hours to spare? Is their website professional and educational? Look for testimonials on their website and see what others have to say. Also, spend some time looking through the pictures on their site to see if their work is similar to what you’re looking for.

3) Read online reviews

There are a number of places where you can get reviews on contractors. As you can imagine, some review sites are better than others. You want to look for review sites where their reviews are controlled exclusively by the consumer and not open to manipulation and fakery. This is often the difference between a verified site and free site. Here in the Kansas City metro market, many of our clients come to use through Angie’s List. Angie’s List members supply detailed reviews on the contractors they’ve done business with. These reviews include the dollar value of the project, a letter grade, descriptions, and often times pictures of the job. Look for contractors that have the Super Service Award. We are particularly proud of the Super Service Awards we’ve been awarded through Angie’s List over the years.

4) Check out their BBB

It’s good to take a look at the prospective contractors rating on the BBB website. Look for accredited companies with an A+ rating on the BBB. The BBB takes into account the length of time the company has been in business, whether there are any complaints and other factors. We recommend you make sure that any contractor you are considering has a minimum of an A- rating.

5) Talking to references

Ask the prospective contractor for references that you can call and visit. Find out what work that company did for them and how happy they were with the end result. Ask them specifically what were the positives and negatives of working with that contractor. Then, we strongly encourage you to visit one of the jobs in person. It’s a lot different to stand on or in a structure and touch/feel the various aspects than to just look at pictures.

6) Talk to lumber yards and suppliers

Look for lumber yards that specialize in supplying deck and porch material. Go to a commercial reputable lumber yard. To find one, look for one that specializes in deck supplies. Here in KC, ours is Kansas City Deck Supply. Ask the lumber or supply yard about the reputable contractors. The lumber yards will know. The suppliers can also speak to some of the other factors such as whether the contractor is easy to work with, polite, etc.

7) Spend a lot of time with the contractor

Have you ever talked to a prospective contractor only to feel like you might be taking up too much of their time? If you feel this way, it’s probably because the contractor is showing signs that they’re ready for you to make a decision. Make sure they have time to speak with you, have interest in your project, and can answer your questions knowledgeably. Contractors who don’t have the interest and time to spend with you before you build may not have the interest and time to spend with you while you’re building.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you are considering adding to your backyard, give us a call for a free consultation. We will walk you through the choices and considerations so you get the best project for your needs and wants.

Give us a call: (913) 851 – 3325
Drop us an email: kansascity@archadeck.net
Visit our website at kansas-city.archadeck.com

Top 5 porch trends we saw in 2013

Over the last year, we continued to see trends in outdoor living spaces. Below we note the top 5 porch trends we’ve seen in 2013.

Outdoor fireplaces
Low maintenance
Accessories
Outdoor TV
Separate outdoor cooking or grilling area

Outdoor fireplaces (gas or wood)

This has been the year of the outdoor fireplace. We’ve built several outdoor fireplaces for our clients here in the Kansas City market. Homeowners now view their porch as an outdoor living room. They want the whole experience where they can enjoy the ambiance of indoors in an outdoor living space such as a screened porch or open porch. In addition to elevating the ambiance of a porch, the outdoor fireplace serves an additional benefit of moderating the temperature allowing homeowners to spend more months during the year on their porch.

Low maintenance

Many of our clients want to use some low maintenance materials on their new outdoor structures. What does this mean? It generally means that those components are easier to clean and last longer than other materials. As it relates to porches, our customers are looking for low maintenance, permanent flooring. They want low upkeep in all kinds of weather.

Accessories

As noted above, homeowners are not only moving outside by building outdoor living spaces but they also want to do more living in those spaces and want some of the creature comforts they have indoors. On their porches, homeowners are asking for things like custom lighting and wiring for various amenities such as outdoor sound systems. They are also looking for more outlets in different places to plug in the types of amenities that are often used inside such as lamps, laptops, deck lamps, etc.

Outdoor TV

Homeowners want outdoor televisions. They want to watch the game, pop in a good movie, or turn on educational shows for the kids. And, homeowners are mounting their TV’s on the wall to get the most out of the living space.

Separate outdoor cooking or grilling area

The deck to the left of this screened porch is small but just the right size for a grill and some space to enjoy grilling.

Homeowners are now looking to have their outdoor cooking area off their porch. They want it close but not in the porch where it would interfere with other things going on. Grill decks have become popular. These are small decks attached to an exterior porch door designed to hold the grill and grilling apparatus.

Reading the above, you can tell that today’s porches are a good bit different than they were even a few years ago. Today’s outdoor rooms area designed to enjoy the outdoors while not giving up on the great creature comforts of indoors.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you are considering adding a low-maintenance roof structure to your backyard, give us a call for a free consultation. We will walk you through all the various materials and considerations to help craft the best custom porch for how you want to live outdoors.

Give us a call: (913) 851 – 3325
Drop us an email: kansascity@archadeck.net
Visit our website at kansas-city.archadeck.com

Can a porch be low maintenance or no maintenance?

Unfortunately, everything requires maintenance. But, this may be as simple as removing surface debris with a sponge and some warm water. There are many low maintenance options available. These options include a number of factors including design, materials and installation.

Low maintenance building materials

There are a number of low-maintenance porch building materials on the market. Indeed with some of these materials, you may get warranties that protect against different types of damage such as rot, mildew, or scratching among other types of protections. Each product is different and each carries a different warranty. Some of the low maintenance materials available for porches include railings, gutters, column, trimwork, screen types, and design options, to name a few. The maintenance required to maintain these materials is, in part, determined by the finish. For example, you can paint your wood columns with a good outdoor paint. They may not need to be repainted for a couple years. But, you could have your columns wrapped with PVC and they never need to be painted or repainted. The tradeoff is the lower maintenance materials are more expensive to a degree. But, you are exchanging that for the costs of annual maintenance both in time and materials.

Kansas City elevated second story screen porch with heavy-duty screen and low-maintenance trim and we wrapped the columns with Smart Trim

Kansas City elevated second story screen porch with heavy-duty screen and low-maintenance trim and wrapped columns with Smart Trim

Other low maintenance porch considerations

In addition to materials, there are other factors that contribute to porch maintenance. These include but are not limited to use, damage, weathering, and construction. These affect the roof, screens, gutters, roof connections, and other areas.

Let’s look at screens. Screens cover the biggest area of the porch’s side walls. The reason why the screens are such a big maintenance consideration is because they are large targets so they are more likely to be subject to damage. There are so many things that can damage them – wind, animals, kids, hail storms, tree branches, golf balls, birds, and other flying objects. Two important factors are the screens you choose and the installation method. A reputable builder will provide you with the material options and considerations to help you make a good choice.

Another couple areas to consider are the roof design, overhang, and trim work. You’ll want to carefully consider options for all of these. Equally as important is porch construction. If you select a lower quality builder, you may need to be concerned with how the porch is attached to your home. Your builder can be an excellent help in making these selections as they’ve likely worked with many of the different product choices as well as built with a variety of building techniques. Choosing a builder with a lot of porch building experience is your best bet when adding this outdoor room to your home.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

Give us a call: (913) 851 – 3325
Drop us an email: kansascity@archadeck.net
Visit our website at kansas-city.archadeck.com

This screened porch with outdoor fireplace is designed for how these Kansas City homeowners want to live

There is no perfect outdoor project – in a vacuum that is. The perfect outdoor living space for one family will likely be completely different than the perfect outdoor space for another family. The perfect space neither has the ultimate features nor the most features — but it has the right features for that family.

This family wanted a porch that would provide a wide range of family entertainment. They wanted it to be suitable for dining but also for entertaining. As is quite common now, they wanted distinct areas of the porch both for eating and for seating. This makes your porch a multi-functional space that allows different uses at the same time. If you want to curl up with a book in front of the fire but someone else in your family wants to sit at the table with a newspaper and cup of coffee, this screen porch will accommodate both objectives.

In addition to a multi-functional area, this family was certain they wanted an outdoor fireplace both for warmth and for ambiance. They wanted bug protection while enjoying their space. They had a lot of trees on their lot and they wanted protection from debris. Across the board, a large screened porch fit the bill for how they wanted to live outdoors.

When we went to work, we demolished their old deck and built the new gable roof screened porch in its place. We always pay special attention to making sure the structures we build look original to the home. There are several areas that factor into that equation – one of which is the roof. The family was looking to re-roof the entire house and we were able to arrange to have a contractor roof the porch and the remainder of the house at the same time.

Their porch floor is made from AZEK Silver Oak color. This PVC floor is low maintenance and carries a 25 year warranty. It will neither need to be painted nor stained. It will not need the annual maintenance that a wood floor often requires. The outdoor fireplace is the showpiece of this porch. It’s a natural gas outdoor fireplace finished with a stone veneer. Natural stone is used for both the mantle and the hearth.

If you are considering adding a custom outdoor space that’s designed for how you want to live, give us a call for a free consultation at (913) 851 – 3325 or drop us an email at kansascity@archadeck.net.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners