Satisfaction Abounds with Des Moines-area Deck and Railing Projects

Satisfaction...Archadeck Style

We’re just back from our annual workshop where, among other presentations, our franchisor recognizes several achievements across the Archadeck network of outdoor living space builders and designers.  Customer Satisfaction Awards are some of the most coveted awards and we’re proud to announce Central Iowa’s third consecutive Customer Satisfaction Award.  Satisfied customers are satisfied customers regardless of project size, complexity or style.  Based on our awards and their consistency, unlike the Rolling Stones, we do get satisfaction…nearly everyday.

Beyond that award, we had two other nice, unexpected acknowledgements awaiting us when we got home.

2012 Fortress Railing Calendar - March, Archadeck of Central Iowa

First, a project of ours was selected by Fortress Railing Products as their 3^rd Place winner nationally for their 2012 Calendar Contest.  As such, it is the March cover and feature on their 2012 national calendar.  Obviously, Fortress is a railing (and fence) company so the focus is on our use of their FE26 Traditional Iron Railing in the project we did for our client in Urbandale, a northwest Des Moines suburb.  The overall project scope included installation of a low-maintenance railing and cedar pergola on their existing builder-provided composite deck (but with wood railing, initially).  The sleek, crisp look of Fortress Railing was a key component of the stunning transformation we made to our client’s deck space.  The flared pergola concept was key, too.  Thanks to Fortress for selecting our project for March, 2012!  And, thanks to our clients for having the foresight to select Fortress Railing…and Archadeck…for their project!

On a side note, my co-hort Rick Conrad of our Archadeck of Bucks/Mont office in Pennsylvania won the 2012 Grand Prize – the calendar cover and January features in the same Fortress calendar.  Congratulations, Rick!  Rick’s Grand Prize follows on the heels of our Archadeck of West Rhode Island office winning the same award in 2009.  I’m in good company!

Ageless Deck Design, by Archadeck of Des Moines - circa, 2001 (?)

Secondly, a client of ours from 1997 – yes, 1997…from the tenure of the prior Archadeck of Des Moines office – called with a question related to their initial deck design and layout.  No problems or issues, she emphasized; in fact, said their deck is still the best investment they’ve made on their home.   They are reviewing options for addressing a new gas meter requirement in relation to the deck’s layout and wondered if I had any information relevant to that.  Unfortunately, due to the age of their project and retention limitations, I wasn’t able to provide much besides anecdotal discussion to assist her.  But, she said she was very appreciative of that and my call back and said it further validated their selection of Archadeck – 15 years later – to know that we’re still actively in business.

More active than ever, in fact!

We’ll be gearing up for the 2012 Des Moines Home and Garden Show at the Iowa Events Center in the coming weeks.  Stay tuned for more information and we look forward to seeing you there.

Boone Sunroom Goes Beyond Words

Carolyn doesn’t know this (yet), but I almost didn’t go to Boone.

Who’s Carolyn, you ask, and what was in Boone?

Check out the “Built With Love” feature in the January / February 2012 edition of Welcome Home Des Moines magazine for the answers.  Thanks to Sherry Failor and her Welcome Home Des Moines staff for the very fine coverage.  And, a very special thanks to Carolyn for allowing us to be a part of her project.

For reasons I can’t entirely explain, I almost declined Carolyn’s invitation to participate in her 4-season room project.  But once I got there, I couldn’t leave.  Literally.  Carolyn’s is the only yard I’ve had to “break out” of from a design consultation visit.  I was certain her neighbors were going to have me arrested as I scaled the 6’ privacy fence surrounding her back yard.  I was also certain I was going to be attacked by Carolyn’s two dogs and freeze to death if I didn’t risk that Great Escape.

Needless to say, Carolyn’s sunroom project had a tenuous beginning for me.  But, that paled in comparison to the beginning the project had for Carolyn.  Plus, I was joking about the dogs (they are nice…and were inside…which makes them nicer).  Not that we take any of our Des Moines-area outdoor living projects lightly, but I soon realized there was more riding on this project in Boone than most.  Not so much from complexity or scope or material or dollars or anything you’d normally associate with a project of this nature.  But rather…from emotion.  Gut-wrenching emotion.  From life-altering events that can make one question the very meaning of life.

And you want to build a room from that?

In the Welcome Home article, Carolyn was kind enough to say I understood that.  That took me back a bit and caused some reflection on my part.  Two things stood out:

• From my vantage point, going into hundreds of homes every
  

  Home is Important

  year, I can’t help but see…in many different ways, for many different reasons…that homes are important. Like Carolyn, my wife calls “home” her “sanctuary.”  What you do and put into/around your home is important.  How you use your home and its surrounding spaces is important…to you, your family, your lifestyle.  My Archadeck experience has taught me many things, not the least of which is that what we, as Archadeck, are doing is important from that perspective.  I don’t take that responsibility lightly.

• In my own family, we’ve seen a situation similar to Carolyn’s…a wife, a mother, a family…losing a husband, a father…to an uncontrollable illness…at an inexplicably early age…left to maintain a family…maintain a home.   Unfortunately, Carolyn and my sister-in-law, Julia, are just two of countless stories like this – I’m sure you have your own.  But, these stories often also highlight the strength of the human spirit – and that inspires me – and hopefully you, too.

As I told Carolyn recently, her project goes beyond words for me.  As shown in the photos below, Archadeck provided the sticks, glass, stone and the plan to put it together.  But, Carolyn made the room.   Carolyn provided the inspiration.

Of course, I want to build a room from that.

Before - During - After - Exterior Views of 4-Season Room

Before - During - After - Interior Views of 4-Season Room

Boone Sunroom with a View - During - After

Resolve to Enjoy Your Outdoor Living Spaces More in 2012

Happy New Year!  2012.  Twenty-Twelve.  Has a nice sound, feel and look to it, don’t you think?  I’m always excited to turn the page on a New Year and look forward to the symbolic “re-boot” that New Years Day offers.  At the same time, I’m also caught up in both the “reflective” and “reality” aspects of the moment when the ball drops, corks pop and lips lock.  There are things, both good/bad…happy/sad, that happened in the past year(s) that will continue to influence us in the reality that a New Year brings.  I’m looking forward to building on all that and making a great 2012, both personally and professionally.  Here’s wishing you the best in 2012, too!

That opening could be summarized as the “3 R’s of New Years:”  Re-boot, Reflection and Reality.  And, I managed (until now) to do that without using that other dreaded “R” word (Resolutions).  I’m not sure what your disposition is towards New Years Resolutions, but I tend to think that a good, positive attitude (such as “reflectively rebooting for the reality a New Year brings”) goes a long way towards achieving any resolution…whether you actually make resolutions or not.   But, if you are a person who makes New Years Resolutions and you’re looking for help both in making and meeting your resolutions, Archadeck | Outdoor Living can help you with that:

Resolve to enjoy your outdoor living spaces more in 2012!

Note that I said “…both in making and meeting your resolutions.”  Anybody can make resolutions.  Meeting them is the hard part.  Often it’s the hard part because there isn’t a good plan in place to bring the resources together to achieve the goal.   Or, on the flip side, the goal isn’t realistic based on the resources that only haphazardly come together when planning is overlooked.

Multi-Season Room, West Des Moines

How does this relate to Archadeck and Outdoor Living?  If you take us up on our resolution offering, you’ll soon see that we focus on developing a design and plan to achieve your outdoor living space needs and desires. When the design and plan is in place, we focus on building it with the most qualified, experienced resources and to the highest standards in the industry.  After its built, we warrant it and guarantee our warranty coverage for up to 5 years.  “Better Building by Design” and “We Design It, We Build It, You Enjoy It” are not just catch-phrases for us…its our way of life…our way of business.

Maybe you want a patio with an outdoor kitchen and firepit.  Maybe you want a screen porch to keep out the bugs and sun.  Maybe you’re tired of splinters, tired of staining your deck and railing and are looking for lower-maintenance outdoor living components.  Maybe you don’t want to get “burned” like your neighbor did with their contractor.  Maybe you want all of that.  You can have all that – or all that makes sense for your reality –  under the Archadeck | Outdoor Living umbrella (maybe “pergola” is a better word in our case).  We take making resolutions for you very seriously!

Front Porch with Pergola, Central Iowa

Of course, this will cost you some money and, likely, more money than you anticipate going in (as many things do, right?).  But, we’ll certainly address the cost and budget aspects of your project and its various design options in the planning process as well.  The connection between planning/design and cost is comparable to the connection between the chicken and the egg:  Which comes first?  Not sure about the chicken and the egg, but I wish I had that “magic.”  Unfortunately, I’m only human so we address it in a number of ways (design retainers, iterative designs, addendums within known ranges, etc.) depending on the situation.  But, our goal is always the same…to develop a known budget up front, contract to that and…no surprises along the way…or at the end.

The consensus among remodeling industry experts is that this is money well-spent, too. Remodeling Magazine recently published their 2011-12 Cost/Value Analysis Report.  In that, they track 35 common remodeling projects with average project costs, resale value and cost recoupment; they do this nationally, regionally and within major metropolitan areas.  Archadeck’s product offerings span more than these 35 projects primarily because Remodeling Magazine is focused on in-, or on-home remodeling projects while we focus on outdoor spaces, rooms and accessories.  So, for example, patios, pergolas and outdoor kitchens aren’t specifically included in the Remodeling survey.  But, decks are and we generally relate that as the “outdoor living spaces” indicator for cost/value returns.  Remodeling also tracks “sunroom additions.”  But, “sunrooms” tend to not reflect the “stick-built” approach we take with our multi-season rooms and porches here in our Des Moines-based Archadeck office.  So, we look at the “family room addition” within Remodeling’s survey as the indicator for our “room” projects.  Admittedly, though, “porches” (front, screened and open) are difficult to assess via this survey.

Low Maintenance Outdoor Living Spaces on Urbandale Home

With those caveats, you’ll find that deck additions, wood and composite, are 2 of the top 10 projects with the highest cost/value returns in the Midwest/Des Moines region.  Room additions, depending on what you call the room, are holding strong in the middle of the pack.  Deck additions (and other outdoor living spaces such as patios) continue to be strong performers in this survey, primarily from the perspective that they, unlike many other projects in the survey…and, I might add, when they are done “right” (see above), add living space to your home (if even on a partial-year basis).   It’s the space and functionality aspects that are adding value.  If you choose to add that space/functionality with a cheaper material (wood) over a more expensive material (composite), then the cost goes up but the value (as measured by this survey) remains the same, therefore driving down the overall value on a percentage basis.  That’s my explanation for the drop between wood deck and composite deck values per this survey.  This survey does not take into account some of the more lifestyle-oriented values that composites may provide on a more subjective basis.

Multi-Season Room and Patio, Des Moines

Certainly, the values of our homes and what we put into them have been a tricky proposition in recent years…trickier depending on where you live.  Nearly all of the remodeling projects tracked in the survey are down in the cost/return ratios compared to survey results 3 years ago; that’s more reflective of the housing bubble burst that’s impacted our economy over the past few years than it is of any of these projects, per se.  But, here in the Des Moines and Central Iowa region, we’ve been fortunate enough to be as stable as any place in that regard.  That helps to put us in a position to feel good about investing in our homes.  And, more folks are doing that with more of a longer-term outlook.  Outdoor living spaces remain one of the best investments you can make on your Des Moines-area home.

So, re-boot, reflect and look forward to the new realities that 2012 will bring you.  If those realities include a desire (resolution?) to enjoy your outdoor living spaces more in 2012, I look forward to hearing from you soon.  With Archadeck’s proven processes and experience, we’ll put together a good plan for a good investment in your home.  For one piece of a good 2012!

Happy New Year!

Over The River and Through the Woods, to Grandma’s Front Porch We Go!

With Thanksgiving behind us now, we’ve now “officially” kicked off the “Holiday Season.”  The holiday trifecta of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years gives us many opportunities to get together with family and friends to reflect, share and celebrate.   It truly is a special time of the year.

Despite record-setting temperatures in Des Moines this Thanksgiving, those gatherings generally aren’t occurring on too many decks, patios or porches…it will get cold and it will snow.  So, between that and the hectic pace of these coming weeks, “outdoor living” and the services and products provided by Archadeck of Central Iowa are appropriately going to take a “back burner” for most folks for a while. I encourage planning and designing your outdoor living projects over the Winter months.  But I realize most folks – myself included – will be consumed planning their shopping, social and family activities and gatherings over the coming weeks.

But, my “day job” during this – and every – season is dreaming of outdoor living spaces…white or green.  So, we keep our doors open in the Winter.  And, I’ll keep sharing some (warm and) timely outdoor living thoughts with you…like this:

Urbandale Front Porch, pre-Archadeck

Urbandale Front Porch, post-Archadeck

Front Porches…the gateways to your home…are one of the most taken-for-granted, under-appreciated aspects of your home.  And, of outdoor living.  Yet, over the Holiday Season more than any other time of the year, the Front Porch…the front of your home, in general…takes on its most prominent role.  When going to, and hosting, your various holiday gatherings, where do you enter other’s homes?…and where do they enter yours?  What do you decorate for the holidays?  Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother’s house we go, right?  Doesn’t that Norman Rockwell vision include a front porch on Grandma’s house?

Front Porch and Paver Sidewalk - Johnston

Archadeck’s role as a custom design/build firm specializing in outdoor living spaces, rooms and accessories is traditionally targeted to the back yard.  In fact, we’ve had a marketing tag line that refers to Archadeck as “The Backyard Company.”  While I’ve rarely used that tag, when meeting with folks around the Des Moines area I often refer to myself as a “backyard project manager.”  But, our products and services position us well to apply our same design, structural and product applications to front porches and entryways…and we often do.

Des Moines Front Porch, pre-Archadeck

Des Moines Front Porch with Pergola, post-Archadeck

Roofs are roofs, whether they are over a screen porch, a sunroom or a front porch.  Decking and railing products used on our deck spaces can be used in a front porch application.  Something I’ve really come to like is incorporating pergolas into front porch areas…in the right setting.  Same is true with stone and hardscaping… incorporating stone or brick on post columns and using something other than plain concrete (pavers, decorative concrete, etc.) as the pathway to your front door.  All of these components commonly found in our backyard deck, porch and patio projects can be incorporated into a front porch/entry way design that fits both the style of your home and the “welcome” you want to offer.  The “curb appeal” these enhancements can make to your home – year round – can be dramatic.

Front Porch - Maxwell - pre-Archadeck

Completed Front Porch with Pergola and Stone, Maxwell

In addition to the pictures scattered throughout this posting, check out our “Front Porches and Porticos” photo gallery on our web site to see more of some of the front porch projects we’ve done in and around Des Moines and Central Iowa.

So, through the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season, with people coming and you going, give all those front porches a second look…a second thought.  They’re hard to miss this time of year!

Happy Holidays!

Better Building by Design – Johnston Deck/Gazebo Project

Hoekstra Gazebo and Deck, Johnston

When Tracy and John Hoekstra of Johnston, a northwest suburb of Des Moines, contacted us for a complimentary design consultation for their deck and gazebo project, they already had a good idea of what they wanted for their new outdoor living spaces.  In fact, they already had a gazebo!  Sorta.

When I met with Tracy over their dining room table, she pulled out her own to-scale plan drawing…and her ruler, her pencil and her eraser.  We proceeded to discuss their ideas for incorporating the gazebo kit they had purchased from a Pennsylvania-based, Amish gazebo supplier onto new deck space.   In those discussions, it was clear to me Tracy and John had put considerable time and thought into their backyard plan.  So clear, in fact, I wondered whether Archadeck of Central Iowa’s custom design-build services were really what the Hoekstra’s needed.  They believed they could assemble the gazebo kit onto a deck structure built for the gazebo.  They had a good design concept in place.  But, the eraser, the pencil and the ruler were there for reasons, too.  Tracy wasn’t convinced her design was “right,” so she was seeking professional help.

Tracy called her design “a loose plan for how something might come together in our final project.”  I think Tracy was just being humble; it was tighter than “loose” and was a very good basis to work from.  But, Tracy and I both recognized there were opportunities for improvement and validation of the design:

• The Hoekstra’s property is pie-shaped; therefore, placement of the structure in relation to Johnston’s property setback requirements would be crucial to the success of the project
  

  Hoekstra's Backyard, Pre-Archadeck

• Tracy’s design incorporated stairs in a straight run which neither she nor I were really satisfied with due to the railing required on a run of 5 or 6 stair treads; the railing conflicted both with Tracy’s desire for “openness” and my sense of the aesthetic association with the gazebo
• Tracy desired multi-level, open, deck space, in addition to the screened gazebo and she envisioned separate grilling and seating areas.  The aforementioned stairs and proximity to setback lines also conflicted with the vision.  So, the question of how best to achieve this still remained with Tracy’s design.
• Coordination and management of the entire project took on new importance to the Hoekstras as the scope of the full project came to light.  The desire to have it all look like it was designed and built together became important as well.

As our discussions progressed, it occurred to both Tracy and I that, indeed, Archadeck of Central Iowa’s custom design-build services, was exactly what the Hoekstra’s needed to bring their ideas to life.  We agreed to enter into a design/build relationship to first complete a viable design and to then build it for them…including installation of the gazebo.  In other words, Archadeck’s standard, full turnkey solution to outdoor living spaces, rooms and accessories.

For that first step…the ”by design” portion of the project, Tracy and I met at our Urbandale design studio to interactively finalize her design.  As Tracy put it, we took her “jumble of ideas and developed them into a cohesive, workable, attractive whole.”  All the while with Tracy looking over my shoulder.  “Harold actively sought our input and combined it with his expertise to create a solution that was perfect for us and our space!” said Tracy.

Hoekstra Design - Plan View

The resulting plan met the setback requirements of Hoektra’s property and was approved by the City of Johnston.  And, it eliminated most of the railing in Tracy’s original design and achieved the open, multi-level space Tracy and John were looking for outside of their gazebo.  Belgard Hardscaping wall stones were used to bring additional texture and color to the space in the form of planter columns incorporated into the design to “book-end” staircases, level changes and seating areas.

For the “better building” portion of the project, our crew built the structures and hardscaping per the plan, installed the screened gazebo kit and had electrical service and a ceiling fan/light installed in the gazebo.  Not to mention, the Hoektra’s got to relax while all this was going on, rather than building some of the project themselves as they originally considered.  As for the construction experience, Tracy said “The construction crew was friendly and polite despite slogging through mud, working through rain, and steaming in the heat.  They showed up when they said they would and cleaned up when they left.”  And the best part, Tracy?  “Best of all, their work was outstanding!”

Hoekstra's Deck-Gazebo Project Design Rendering

The Hoekstra’s approach to their deck/gazebo project highlights the value that an Archadeck design/build relationship brings our clients:  comfort in knowing what you’re getting, what its going to look like and what its going to cost…and all “up front”…and guaranteed.  In a word, its “trust.”  But in Tracy’s words its:  “The Archadeck team was up-front about expected costs, and even reduced our final payment when a component was less expensive than originally anticipated!  What a treat to sit on our new deck and learn that we were actually under budget!  We felt like active participants in the project from design to construction.  The crew was friendly, the cost estimate right-on, and the end result beautiful – even better than we had imagined!”

Hoekstra Deck and Gazebo, Johnston

Thanks, Tracy and John Hoekstra!  Thanks for being open to using that eraser and for selecting Archadeck of Central Iowa as your pencil and ruler…and as your shovel, hammer and screwdriver.

Is Your Backyard So Bright, Its Gotta Have Shade?

Gotta Wear 'Em

Whenever I think of pergolas, the song “Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades” by Timbuk3 always comes to mind.  Its not so much the pergola, per se, that connects me to that song, but the shade that folks around Des Moines and Central Iowa are looking for from their pergolas.  As in, “my backyard’s so bright, its gotta have shade”…from a pergola.

White Vinyl Pergola, West Des Moines

Pergolas are one of our product lines that people get a little confused about, though.  The questions range from…what is a pergola?, to…what do you call it?, to… how do you pronounce it?  Is it a pergola or a trellis or an arbor?  Or a roof?  Unfortunately, dictionary.com doesn’t help much with that, saying its  “an arbor formed of horizontal trellis work…”  and that it originates from the Italian/Latin word “pergula” meaning a “projecting roof, arbor.”

Bayed Pergola, Urbandale

Maybe for pergolas as much as any of the other products we design and build (decks, porches, gazebos, patios, outdoor kithchens, and more), pictures are worth a thousand words.  So within this post I’ve scattered a few of the pergolas we’ve built around Central Iowa and the Des Moines area.  For more, visit our Shade/Pergolas & Trellises photo gallery on our web site.

As you can see, pergolas can take on nearly any size or shape.  And, they can be located nearly anywhere…over a patio, over a deck, over a garden area in your yard…even as part of a front entry way…something we’re finding more interest in and doing more of.   Pergolas can be freestanding or attached to a structure; what works best depends on its location and purpose.  Pergolas also can be built in a variety of material choices, some more low-maintenance than others.  Wood (cedar is our recommended wood; though treated southern yellow pine may also be appropriate), vinyl (generally in  white, but with recent tan availability), aluminum, fiberglass and molded urethane (the latter three require painting) are the pergola materials we have worked with in our pergola projects around Des Moines.

Front Porch Pergola, Des Moines

Another common question about pergolas revolves around what they do…how functional are they when it comes to providing relief from sun or rain?  The latter aspect, rain, is an easy answer:  None.  As for the sun relief…shade, which is what most folks are looking for from a pergola, that answer is easy, too, though a bit vague:  Some.  Certainly, don’t expect full shade coverage from a pergola.  But, they do break up the direct light of the sun; how much will depend on several factors including “tightness” of the rafters and stringers, the time of day/angle of the sun.

Multi-Level Cedar Pergola on Patio, Ames

My standard summary of these considerations is this:  Pergolas are as much about aesthetics as they are about shade.  But, that’s assuming you like the look of a pergola and it fits the style you are looking for on your house and/or in your outdoor living spaces.  If you do…and you’re looking for some shade and some sense of coziness in your outdoor living space, then a pergola may be perfect for you.

If you’re interested in learning more about pergolas and their applicability to your outdoor living spaces, give us a call or contact us online and we’ll be glad to schedule a complimentary, on-site design consultation with you.

Vinyl Pergola, Holiday Inn and Suites, West Des Moines

In addition, we’re in week 3 of a 4-week promotion we’re doing on our Facebook page and this week’s promotion is centered around pergolas.  Each week we’ve been drawing for prizes from our new “fans” on Facebook.  This week’s prize is a $50 gift certificate to Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse.  What, if any, is the connection?  Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse is located in the Holiday Inn & Suites at 60^th and Westown Parkway in West Des Moines.  We worked with the developer there back in 2007 to deliver and install the long, white vinyl, curved pergola around the garden/patio area on the east side of the hotel.  Check it out…its one of our more visible projects.  Plus, “Like” our Facebook page and you’re entered for the drawing to the Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse there; if you win, you can check it out then, too!

Here’s to your bright future on an Archadeck designed/built outdoor living space!  And, “good luck” with that drawing!

What…Firepits are Illegal in Des Moines? Grate!

One of the things I see a growing interest in as I visit with folks around the Des Moines area about their outdoor living spaces is…firepits.  There is just something so appealing about sitting around the glow of a crackling fire while relaxing and/or entertaining outdoors in the evening.  Even in the summer.  Spring and Fall evenings call out for the flame even more.

First, lets clarify what a “firepit” is.  A pit of fire.  Now, lets move on to the hard stuff…

Seriously, a “firepit” is just that.  But, when referencing firepits, people are generally referring to pits dug into the ground but with a firewall of stone or other masonry around it.

Above-Grade, Fire-Blocked, Firepit on Patio

Firepit bowls made of metal/cast material are also popular and are designed to sit on a flat surface…ground, patio, deck (be careful!); the benefit of these is that they are moveable/portable as compared to fixed, in-ground pits.

Technically, a “grill” has a “pit of fire” in it.  But, its called a grill because you’re generally grilling…cooking…some delicious cut of meat or seafood or vegetables or something edible on the surface (grate) of the grill.  Of course, you could also cook over a firepit if its configured with a cooking surface (a grate).

Gas Fireplace on Deck

A “fireplace” also could be considered to have a “pit of fire” in it.  But, its called a fireplace because…it’s a place for a fire (fire + place).  A chimney is generally associated with a fireplace…a vent or flue that carries away the smoke and gases from a fire, through the draft created by hot air rising.  Fireplaces can be configured with or without a cooking surface (a grate).  Pizza ovens and Churrasqueira are some variations of cooking-oriented fireplaces.

Now…if you live outside of Polk County, Iowa, or otherwise in any other jurisdiction that does not have any ordinances regarding “open burning,” then that’s all you really need to know about firepits.  Other than…be careful!  Its fire.  Its hot.  Uncontrolled, flames and embers can do great damage…to humans as well as property.  Here is one such story, fro Sioux city, but it could happen anywhere:  http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/article_3b71548e-03bf-59b3-a18f-abc4dafe1bb3.html

So, because of that, and because of the pollution that excessive amounts of smoke can put into the air, many years ago Polk County, Iowa, implemented what is commonly referred to as an “Open Burning Ban.”  Most cities within Polk County (including Des Moines and its adjacent suburbs) also adopted the ban.  Rather than explain the ban, here is a link to the regulation:  http://www.polkcountyiowa.gov/airquality/Resources/Open_Burning/Polk_County_Open_Burning_Code.pdf

So, are firepits illegal?

If you live in a jurisdiction that has no ordinances or regulations banning/controlling open burning, then likely not.

Portable, Propane Gas, Firepit

If you have a gas-burning firepit, again, no problem…you’re not really burning anything.  Except the gas.  Alaska thanks you.

But, in most of Polk County, Iowa, the answer to that is…yes, if its not burning just gas and its not a properly grated firepit burning untreated wood or charcoal used soley for the non-commercial preparation of food.  Please don’t shoot the messenger.

Now…would I, Archadeck of Central Iowa, build you a firepit in your outdoor living space?  Sure.  No problem if you’re not in an open burning ban zone.  No problem if it’s a gas unit.  No problem if you’re planning to use it in compliance with any open burning ordinances or regulations in effect in your jurisdiction.  And I’ll advise you of the need to comply and where to check for ordinances or regulations that may apply to you (City and/or County offices).

What I won’t tell you is that enforcement of these bans varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, from neighborhood to neighborhood.  Some municipalities monitor and enforce the ban – in relation to firepits – more aggressively than others (so I hear).  Some of your neighbors may be more accepting than others of open flames burning near their homes…and if they weren’t so accepting, who can blame them really (see that Sioux City article again).  Consequences range from prison time (for reckless manslaughter), to fines, to…a hose down from Pumper #9?

In summary, in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa and a few other jurisdictions (i.e, Ames) around Central Iowa, in/on your outdoor living spaces…

• Grills and Smokers (gas or charcoal) – great!
• Gas firepits – great!
• Gas fireplaces – great!
• Wood-burning fireplaces – great!
• Wood-burning firepits with a grate for cooking – great!
• Wood-burning firepits without a grate – not so great!

Everywhere else…the above still holds true from a common sense, if not legal aspect.  But regardless of what you do…where you do it…when it comes to open flames, fire, burning and cooking outdoors – be careful!  You know what your mom said about playing with matches.

Summer Is Short, but Archadeck Outdoor Living is Year-Round

Stars and Stripes on Archadeck Deck and Patio

I hope you’re all enjoying a nice, long 4^th of July weekend around the Des Moines and Central Iowa area!  And, I hope, plenty of outdoor living – celebrating – to go with this summer holiday.  On the deck.  On the porch.  Outdoor kitchen smoking the tastiest chicken this side of Memphis.  Fireworks.  Back home for a nightcap in the screen porch.  Kids lighting sparklers off the firepit flame on the patio.  Happy Birthday, America!

Today’s light, quick, scattered showers notwithstanding, Mother Nature is cooperating nicely here in Des Moines.  Seems like we haven’t had many of these summer days, summer weekends yet this summer.  Not enough nice days, evenings, weekends to enjoy out on the deck or patio.  And yet, the calendar says July 4^th.  Summer is already slipping away.

That’s an attitude I’ve gotten a sense of the past few weeks as I’ve been out visiting with Des Moines-area folks about their outdoor living space needs and desires.  Certainly, wet and cool weather influences that thought…and we seem to get plenty of that in Spring, anymore.  Our lifestyles – busier than ever – also give the sense that time is slipping away…regardless of season (though, why does Winter last so long?).  So, what to do?

Here are three “attitude adjusters” to consider to help you extend your enjoyment of your outdoor living spaces, rooms and accessories…

Shade from an Archadeck Design-Built Pergola, Urbandale

Attitude Adjuster #1:  Summer doesn’t actually start until June 21^st.  Winter doesn’t start until December 21^st.  Sure, we so badly want winter to be over that we want to get out and enjoy the great Central Iowa outdoors as soon as we can in the Spring…and as long as we can in the Fall.  But, I think (but not confirmed with the National Weather Service; its an intuitive hunch based on 54 years of living in Iowa) there are generally more “nice days” between June 21^st and December 21^st, than there are between December 21^st and June 21^st.  Our anticipation for getting out on the deck, on the patio, in the pool, under the pergola is greater in the latter period. And when the former period arrives…nearly the instant it arrives…we start lamenting that summer is over. Summer is just beginning!  The best is (still) ahead.

Honest to God truth:  As I am writing this, I have on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball game – Dodgers/Angels.  Commercial break; two commercials…back to back.  The first, a promotion for Las Vegas…theme:  “Life is short.  Summer is shorter.”  The second one, an advertisement for Kingsford Charcoal…theme: “Slow down and grill.”  Anybody else see those?

Life is short.  Summer is shorter.  Slow down and grill.  I couldn’t have said it better.  Except to add…go to Vegas in the winter!

Gazebo on Brick Paver Patio with Firepit, Des Moines

Attitude Adjuster #2:  Life is short.  Enjoy Fall, Winter and Spring, too.  Design, build and accessorize your outdoor living spaces and rooms to maximize their use throughout the year.  There are aesthetic and ambience appeals to a roof, but a roof over a deck or a patio will give you relief from sun and rain…depending on how low the sun is and how windy the rain is.  Screens, walls and windows are optional with that roof, but each further extends the functionality of the room, particularly as the weather degrades…day-to-day or season-to-season.  A fireplace in that porch – open or enclosed – will take some of the chill off those early Spring and late Fall evenings.  Not to mention, a nice ambience on those Summer evenings.   (In a couple of weeks, we’ll be starting a project for an Urbandale client that will include a screen porch with a fireplace; stay tuned for updates.)  Even something as simple as some strategically-placed deck and landscape lighting can extend the usage of your outdoor spaces:  Go outside and play…at night! 

Design for Screen Porch with Fireplace - Coming Soon in Urbandale

Attitude Adjuster #3:  Life is short.  Sometimes we can’t slow down…to grill or to go to Vegas…and time gets away from us.  If that happens to you this summer…this fall…and you go through another year without that new outdoor living space you desperately want, we’re here to help…year-round.  The key to getting your outdoor living spaces in shape is that first step – design.  And we do that year-round.  Even build year-round (with “breaks” for blizzards, ice and sub-zero temperatures).  But…horse before the cart:  Design.  Download our Design Guide and keep it handy.  Review it as you get a chance over the coming weeks and months.  Stay in touch with us here.  Like our Facebook page and follow-quick, fun updates about us and our projects there (or on Twitter).  Check our web site regularly; photo galleries will be refreshed as new projects are completed and Special Offers and other news and information will be announced there as well.  Then, if Summer completely slips you by, and you want to enjoy your outdoor from new spaces in the Spring…next Spring…you can contact us in the Fall or the Winter (or even tomorrow) and we can make your new outdoor living space, room and accessories happen for next Spring (or sooner).

Enjoy your Summer!  

Patio Planning Gets Grills Alight and Umbrella Drinks in Hand Sooner

Jennifer Miller realized while interviewing me for the “Patio 411″ feature article in the Des Moines Register’s May 2011 edition of their Homestyle magazine that she should have been writing the article about patio planning at least three months ago.  Then you could have called me about your nice outdoor living space plans and beaten the spring rush!

But, she’s aware of the reality:  Her bosses aren’t thinking about patios and decks and porches in the middle of a cold, Iowa winter any more than you are!  So, she’s happy to write her story anytime of the year.

And I’m happy to have it written…anytime!  So, “Thanks,” Jennifer, for a great article and for “getting” what Archadeck is doing for outdoor living.

This past week, I had a prospect call with an interest in a deck and porch project on their new home in West Des Moines.  One of the first things she said was that it wasn’t something they were planning to do this year, but wanted to get plans underway for doing it next year.  Then, somewhat apologetically, she said she felt bad calling now, for something she wants next year, when we’re busy designing and building outdoor living space projects for people who want them this year.  I told her not to worry, my contention is that you can never call too early.  And, besides, after what Jennifer wrote, who am I to complain?

And speaking of stone and the Des Moines Register, in the May 15^th Sunday Register there was an ad insert for Belgard Hardscapes.  Be sure to check it out!  As mentioned in the last post here, we’ve got a growing, national relationship with Belgard and we are excited about the support and resources they are bringing to the Archadeck system.  Belgard is a manufacturer of some very nice wall stone and paver products that we are incorporating into more of our outdoor living space projects…either as a patio integrated with a deck or porch or as accents to deck and pergola designs.  Here’s one such Des Moines-area project we’re nearly completed with:

TimberTech Deck - Belgard Paver Patio and Wall - Clive (nearly complete)

Stone, Front Pergolas and Other Things We Should See More Of in Outdoor Spaces in Central Iowa

So much to talk about…so little time… …so many Des Moines area backyards to enhance.  And a couple of front ones as well.

Its been a busy spring here at Archadeck of Central Iowa.  Des Moines can’t  wait to get outside and play!  As a result, I am failing miserably at my New Year’s resolution of writing shorter posts, but more frequently.  If I had written shorter, more frequent posts over the course of the past month, they’d be the following…presented here in Archadeck Digest form:

Screen Porch, Hot Tub Deck and Patio with Firepit

Spaces, Rooms and Accessories for Outdoor Living:  We’re seeing more and more interest around the Des Moines area in “combination” projects…decks and patios, patios and pergolas, screen porches and decks, decks and 4-season rooms.  And more!  I’ve written often about Archadeck being more than a deck builder…much more.  And this is why:  you want more.  You want outdoor living spaces, rooms and accessories.  You want a plan that brings those together.  You want a developer you trust to put it together.  You want to feel secure in your decision to invest in your home.  Archadeck makes that happen through our integrated processes for designing and building outdoor spaces and our warranty and guarantee provisions.

Better Building by Design:  As outdoor living projects grow in scope, design becomes more important.  We’ve always taken a “custom design” approach to our projects.  Sometimes folks are surprised by this…not expecting the detail necessary in developing your perfect space…not realizing how much of a difference it will make in the outcome and in the decision-making process.  All before a single board is ordered, cut or screwed!  To take that “surprise” effect away, we’ve developed a complimentary Design Guide to give you insight into the factors you should – and we do – consider for you project.  You can review the Design Guide before you even contact us for your complimentary design consultation and by doing so help facilitate the design process as you move forward with us with your project.  Our Design Guide is available for download via our web site.  Or, call or e-mail us and we’ll be glad to send you a copy directly.

Front Porch Pergola - Carolina Coast Style

Pergolas…not just for the backyard: I’ve long thought there aren’t enough pergolas on the fronts of homes here in Central Iowa.  A few years ago, I was on a business trip in North Carolina and noticed a fair number of front porch pergolas (that made it a business trip, right?).  I’ve apparently been on a one-man mission to bring that style to the Des Moines area.  And, I’m starting to make inroads!  It’s a style that doesn’t fit for every home, but where it does…you can’t beat the “curb appeal” and the welcoming nature it offers at your front door.  We completed our first front porch pergola over the winter…and I’ll have (nice) pictures up to show once things “green up” just a bit more.  We’ve also got another front porch pergola design committed for construction later this summer.  And a couple more on the drawing board!  Stay tuned!

Cultured Stone Bar and Planters

Lets Get Stoned! (legally):  Stone – vertically or horizontally – adds so much to your outdoor living spaces.  Its another “thing” I don’t think there is enough of here in Central Iowa.  Whether it’s a patio space (horizontal) or column wraps (vertical) or any number of other accessories (seat walls, firepits, fireplaces, outdoor kitchens, etc.) the textural addition stone – natural or man-made – adds to your space is very appealing.  Stone is becoming more prominent in many of our combination projects because stone is a more natural, intermediate transition (often in the form of a patio) from the yard to the wood and wood-alternative deck, porch and shade structures we build. Because of this, we’ve got a growing, national relationship with Belgard Hardscapes and are looking forward to the support and resources they can bring to the Archadeck system much like TimberTech, Azek, Fortress (railing and fence) and Feeney (cable rail) do for our deck spaces.  We’ve got a couple of projects we completed late last year and are about to be built this spring (as soon as the rain lets up) that we’ll post pictures of soon that exemplify this growing trend in outdoor living spaces.  Stay tuned!

TimberTech – Dare 2 Compare Road Show:  TimberTech brought their 2011 version of their Dare 2 Compare road show to Des Moines last week.  I had a little fun with this on our Facebook page, so rather than repeat that here…flip over to our Facebook page for that report.

A Weed Logo:  What do you think of this new logo?  Nike has their “swoosh.”  Starbucks has their “mermaid.”  I’m on a mission to have Archadeck | Outdoor Living have “a weed.”

See you outdoors!