Focused on Safety | Making the Most of Your Outdoor Space

Dear ,

It’s June and as we dive into summer, our thoughts naturally turn to baseball, pools, beaches, and summer camp. Some of our normal activities may have been cancelled or have to change, but the long days and warm weather of summer are here.

This summer will be different than usual for all of us, but we can still make the most of our summer. It’s a good time to think about how you can improve your outdoor space and enjoy the extra time with your family. Read below to find several tips for improving your outdoor space.

We also want to make sure you know about everything T.W. Ellis is doing to protect everyone involved in your project. This month, you’ll find information on all the steps we are taking to ensure the health and safety of our clients and our employees.

Focused on Safety

In challenging times like these, we know your first priority is keeping your family safe and healthy.

With that in mind, T.W. Ellis is working hard to meet our clients’ remodeling goals, while also protecting our clients and our team. We’re here to provide a safe, healthy solution to your remodeling needs.

T.W. Ellis is open and operating, while taking precautions. We are following all guidance from local, state, and federal officials, while also working under industry recommendations and precautions for a safe workplace.

We’re issuing regular reminders to our team and have distributed jobsite posters from the National Association of Home Builders outlining these best practices on construction sites. We continue to monitor the situation daily and are working with our industry associations to refine best practices in remodeling and construction.

Investing in your outdoor space is one of the best ways to improve the value of your home and enhance how you use your yard. With the summer months ahead of us, June is a great time to make some changes and improve your outdoor space for years to come.

These projects – at varying levels of expense and difficulty – all can make your home more usable and enjoyable for those long summer days. And if resale is on your mind, research by the National Association of Realtors identifies outdoor projects as some of the best for recouping your investment.

Combining several of these upgrades will really make your yard shine!

Deck vs. Patio
If you enjoy spending time outdoors, adding a deck or patio is a great place to start. Which one is the right answer for you depends on several factors, including the existing structure of your home and condition of your yard. A patio requires a level yard (or prep work to make it level). A raised deck can typically be built to manage any unevenness in the ground.

It’s also important to consider the way you will want to use the space. Do you want an outdoor kitchen? A fire pit? A professional remodeler and designer can help you make the right choice.

The Indoors Out
The trend in outdoor living spaces is to bring the inside outside. That means out with the wicker and in with furniture that would look at home inside the house.

Including an outdoor kitchen will make your space even more usable – and allow you to keep more of the heat from cooking outside during the warmer weather. Your outdoor kitchen can run the gamut from a simple installed grill to, essentially, a full kitchen. Pretty much anything you can do inside you can do outside if you choose to.

Lawn & Landscaping
Whatever you do with your outdoor space, it needs to begin with a nice yard. Depending on your species of grass and soil conditions, a lawn should be fertilized at least twice a year. (Some experts will recommend up to six times a year.)

Installing a sprinkler system will also help keep your lawn and landscaping lush and green, while saving water. A system with moisture sensors, gauges, and timers will more precisely deliver the necessary irrigation compared to manually watering the yard – not to mention the time you’ll save hauling around sprinklers and hoses!

Think Shade
Shade is very important to enjoying your outdoor space, especially if you have southern exposure. Planting trees is one obvious answer, and they offer the benefit of adding to the aesthetics of the yard. Other shade solutions, such as an awning or pergola, can also help achieve those goals. Well-developed shade will also block sunlight from your home, reducing your cooling costs during the summer.

Fire Pit
Who’s ready for s’mores? Or maybe some scary stories around the campfire? A fire pit is an inexpensive option that adds atmosphere, plus a little heat and light for cool nights well into the fall. Fire pits can range from easy portable metal options to high-end natural stone fire pits. Fuel options include wood, charcoal, and propane. A fire pit should always be placed to avoid coverings, trees, or other potentially flammable materials.

Lighting
Smart lighting choices can also enhance your yard. From path lights to deck accents to post lights, stylish outdoor lighting can really add to the ambience of your outdoor space. And with energy-efficient LED lighting and solar-powered options, you can install extensive lighting without racking up huge power bills.

Make the most of your time together and improve your outdoor space!

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