Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

This is an all-too-common question. It would be great to new that a new wood deck should cost within a particular range. The problem is the range of possibilities and options. Gone are the days of yesteryear when a deck was often a relatively small rectangular shape made of pressure-treated wood with a couple of stairs. Just look at any magazine or at the homes of your neighbors and friends. Todays decks are anything but straight and narrow.

Here are some of the factors that help determine how much a new deck should cost:

There are 3 big variables to consider

Metal railings w/ cedar deck

Size/shape:

The first variable is the size and shape of your new deck. Will it be a fairly standard shape or will it have a variety of different angles? Will your new deck be low to the ground or will it be quite elevated.A significant factor is the height up in the air. Its an important consideration because the higher in the air; the more expensive it is to build. It takes more work and also more materials. There are other factors as it relates to size and shape. If the deck is an unusual shape, has a variety of angles, or includes special areas such as a grill bump out, this will affect the price. These special features not only require more construction time but require more material. Further, depending on the standard shapes and sizes that the various materials come in, special design features may require additional material.Unusual artistic shapes create more labor, more time, higher costs.

Its also important to note that different sizes require different degrees of structural support. Its a component of longevity and price. The key to good design is creative attractive shapes with getting too much more expensive.

Materials:

Its easy to underestimate the cost of materials. not only are many more materials needed than deck boards, bolts, and nails; each of these has a variety of options.There are many man-made products at many different prices. That range is quite wide. Even in woods, there are quite a few different price levels. As a general rule, the man-made materials are higher. How much higher? It depends on these common factors weve noted.

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Archadeck of Kansas City | Decks, Screen porches, sunrooms ...

Electrician Apply Now Company: Haston General Contractors Location: Charlotte, NC Date Posted: June 18, 2015 Source: ZipRecruiter Company Description: We are a rapidly growing Full Service General and Electrical Contractor, servicing Charlotte and the surrounding area. Our typical scope of work varies between new home construction, high-end remodeling, warranty repair, handyman services, commercial work, and meeting all types of electrical and plumbing needs. Job Description: ~~Electricians - Great Opportunity! Haston Electrical- Charlotte NC START IMEDIATELY! Electricians - Journeymen and Seasoned Apprentices - HERE'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY!!!!!!!!! Excellent opportunity for a skilled, competent electrician with a Successful, award-winning, 3-year-old Electrical Contracting Company in Charlotte North Carolina. We offer competitive compensation, benefits, vacation days, commissions, bonuses, medical, dental PLUS a solid 40 hour work week!! Partial List of Job Duties: Residential Remodels Service Panel Upgrades Kitchen & Bath Upgrades Troubleshooting Commercial & retail - various projects Electrical Inspections And much, much more Tell us: your experience, number of years in the trade and what you specifically enjoy in the trade. It is helpful if you are a people person because you will have customer contact. Also send your resume and salary history. If you have more than 2-3 points on your DMV, please do not apply as we will be unable to insure you to drive our vehicles. Background checks are run on applicants as a company policy. Apply at info@hastongc.com Thanks so much for your interest! NEW Private Contract - Charlotte, NC

Project type: Replace. Problem type: Other (Fuse keeps tripping). Fixture type: Wiring. Indoors or outdoors: Outdoors. Materials provided: No, I will need the professional to ...

1 day ago from Thumbtack

Commercial Electricians (Journeyman, Apprentices, Top Helpers) needed in and around the Charlotte, NC area. Job may consist of but not limited to: Installing power supply ...

21 days ago from Tradesmen International

Project type: Replace, Troubleshoot a problem. Problem type: Loss of power. Fixture type: Circuit breaker panel or fuse box. Indoors or outdoors: Outdoors. Materials ...

2 days ago from Thumbtack

CLP Knows Skilled Trades HIRING: Apprentice Electrician in Monroe, NC. Ready to put your skills to work? When you join CLP, you'll work for large and small companies, ...

1 day ago from Jobaline

Job Description I am looking for a qualified Commercial Journeyman Electrician for a contract to hire perm position in the Charlotte, NC area. In order to even be considered, ...

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Electrician at Haston General Contractors, Inc ...

Design is the creation of a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system (as in architectural blueprints, engineering drawings, business processes, circuit diagrams and sewing patterns).[1] Design has different connotations in different fields (see design disciplines below). In some cases the direct construction of an object (as in pottery, engineering, management, cowboy coding and graphic design) is also considered to be design.

More formally design has been defined as follows.

Another definition for design is a roadmap or a strategic approach for someone to achieve a unique expectation. It defines the specifications, plans, parameters, costs, activities, processes and how and what to do within legal, political, social, environmental, safety and economic constraints in achieving that objective.[3]

Here, a "specification" can be manifested as either a plan or a finished product, and "primitives" are the elements from which the design object is composed.

With such a broad denotation, there is no universal language or unifying institution for designers of all disciplines. This allows for many differing philosophies and approaches toward the subject (see Philosophies and studies of design, below).

The person designing is called a designer, which is also a term used for people who work professionally in one of the various design areas, usually also specifying which area is being dealt with (such as a fashion designer, concept designer or web designer). A designer's sequence of activities is called a design process. The scientific study of design is called design science.[4][5][6][7]

Designing often necessitates considering the aesthetic, functional, economic and sociopolitical dimensions of both the design object and design process. It may involve considerable research, thought, modeling, interactive adjustment, and re-design. Meanwhile, diverse kinds of objects may be designed, including clothing, graphical user interfaces, skyscrapers, corporate identities, business processes and even methods of designing.[8]

Substantial disagreement exists concerning how designers in many fields, whether amateur or professional, alone or in teams, produce designs. Dorst and Dijkhuis argued that "there are many ways of describing design processes" and discussed "two basic and fundamentally different ways",[9] both of which have several names. The prevailing view has been called "The Rational Model",[10] "Technical Problem Solving"[11] and "The Reason-Centric Perspective".[12] The alternative view has been called "Reflection-in-Action",[11] "Evolutionary Design",[7] "co-evolution"[13] and "The Action-Centric Perspective".[12]

The Rational Model was independently developed by Simon[14] and Pahl and Beitz.[15] It posits that:

The Rational Model is based on a rationalist philosophy[10] and underlies the waterfall model,[16]systems development life cycle[17] and much of the engineering design literature.[18] According to the rationalist philosophy, design is informed by research and knowledge in a predictable and controlled manner. Technical rationality is at the center of the process.[citation needed]

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Design - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Choosing a roofing contractor for your new residential or commercial roofing project can be as critical as the architect and builder you select. Our professionals are versed in all varieties of new roof construction and can work with your general contractor to schedule and install your roof in the cleanest, most efficient, and economical manner.

Your roof is the first line of defense against natures elements and severe weather can compromise your roofs integrity. The first step in getting these issues resolved is having a full, qualified inspection and working with your insurance company to assess your options.

The gutters and siding on your home not only provide an attractive finish but also serve to protect your homes exterior from the elements. But when storms and age take their toll, it can often be most cost effective to replace your worn or damaged gutters and siding along with your roof.

ALLCON Roofing, Inc. provides all types of roofing services, from asphalt to slate, for existing residences and the most popular products for residential and commercial new construction, including aluminumand copper gutters. We keep up with the latest green alternatives to offer products that provideimproved energy efficiency and recyclability. ALLCON also works with customers and insurance adjustersto help make determination of hail damage when considering roof replacement.

As certified installers for CertainTeed and GAF (the two largest shingle manufacturers in thecountry), our sales and roofing technicians have both the training and expertise to ensure our roofingapplications are custom designed to provide maximum life performance.

Choosing a roofing contractor for your new residential or commercial roofing project can be as critical as the architect and builder you select. Our professionals are versed in all varieties of new roof construction and can work with your general contractor to schedule and install your roof in the cleanest, most efficient, and economical manner.

Your roof is the first line of defense against natures elements and severe weather can compromise your roofs integrity. The first step in getting these issues resolved is having a full, qualified inspection and working with your insurance company to assess your options.

GUTTER & SIDING

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ALLCON Roofing | Residential Contractor | Commercial ...

Water gardens, also known as aquatic gardens, are a type of man-made water feature. They can be defined as any interior or exterior landscape or architectural element whose primary purpose is to house, display, or propagate a particular species or variety of aquatic plant. The primary focus is on plants, but they will sometimes also house ornamental fish, in which case the feature will be a fish pond.

Water gardening is gardening that is concerned with growing plants adapted to pools and ponds. Although water gardens can be almost any size or depth, they are typically small and relatively shallow, generally less than twenty inches in depth. This is because most aquatic plants are depth sensitive and require a specific water depth in order to thrive. The particular species inhabiting each water garden will ultimately determine the actual surface area and depth required.

When the aquatic flora and fauna are balanced, an aquatic ecosystem is created that will support sustainable water quality and clarity. Elements such as fountains, statues, waterfalls, boulders, underwater lighting, lining treatments, edging details, watercourses, and in-water and bankside planting can add visual interest and help to integrate the water garden with the local landscape and environment.

Water gardens, and water features in general, have been a part of public and private gardens since ancient Persian gardens and Chinese gardens. Water features have been present and well represented in every era and in every culture that has included gardens in their landscape and architectural environments. Up until the rise of the industrial age, when the modern water pump was introduced, water was not recirculated but was diverted from rivers and springs into the water garden, from which it exited into agricultural fields or natural watercourses. Historically, water features were used to enable plant and fish production both for food purposes and for ornamental aesthetics.

Though the term "water garden" is normally used to describe a particular type of natural or man-made water feature that is used for a relatively specific purpose, there are many other types, styles and designs of water feature.

The sixteenth century in Europe saw a renewed interest in Greek thought and philosophy, including the works of Hero of Alexandria about hydraulics and pneumatics. His devices, such as temple doors operated by invisible weights or flowing liquids, and mechanical singing birds powered by steam, motivated several European palaces to create similar clever devices to enhance their public image.

In Italy several royal houses constructed large water gardens incorporating mechanical devices in water settings. The best-known is the Villa d'Este at Tivoli, constructed in 1550 AD. A hill cascaded with many fountains and grottoes, some with water-driven figures that moved or spouted water. Popularity spread across Europe with the well-known water garden at Hellbrunn Palace built with many water-powered human and animal performing figures and puppet theaters, and folly fountains that erupted without notice to surprise visitors.[1]

On a constructed stream, placing rocks in the path of the water makes small patterns, rapids and waterfalls. The rocks disrupt the waterflow, causing splashing and bubbles that can make pleasant sounds and micro-habitats for plants, fish, and wildlife. Well-placed rocks can create splashing water that adds oxygen to prevent hypoxia: the more bubbles, the more dissolved oxygen in the water.

Stream Garden Trengwainton

Singapore Botanic Gardens

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Water garden - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Landscaping is a great way to add some curb appeal to your home, thereby increasing its overall value. When sprucing up your yard, there are some essentials to keep in mind. You should always install a patio, put in some native plants, and an irrigation system is never a bad idea. But it never hurts to give your exterior a dramatic makeover, and sometimes a flowerbed or garden just isn't enough. If you have a green thumb and like to spend time in your yard, then a new water feature may be just the thing to add some life to your landscape. Here are 5 basic steps that will prepare you to make the right decision.

Step #1: Sound Selection First off, what is your intention? Do you want a tranquil pond that will soothe away your worries? A zen-like garden pond or a bubbling brook? Or do you want something a bit more theatrical, such as a splashing waterfall or flowing fountain? Answering these questions will help you determine the size and power of your water feature. Creating a raging river in your backyard will take up more space and increase the cost, but it may also mask the bark of a neighbor's dog or the traffic of a nearby street. On the other hand, a little can go a long way, so installing a small bubbler, lagoon, or grotto may be enough to create a peaceful retreat without overwhelming the landscape (or your wallet).

Step #2: Aquatic Appearance Next, you should think about appearances. Remember, a water feature can be anything aquatic. It can be as simple as a birdbath, bubbler statues, or potted fish bowls, each of which creates an opportunity to add a little wildlife to your oasis. Or it can be a pond equipped with spurting fountains, floating lily pads, and stream beds. They can even span to larger creations, such as rock-lined pools or waterfall spas. First, decide if you want an above-ground or in-ground addition. An above-ground unit brings things closer to eye-level, are easier to install, and can be a bit cheaper, though they're also louder and are vulnerable to weather problems. In-ground units are naturally insulated by the soil and don't freeze up as much, but they take a bit more digging and manipulating. It may be best to consult a landscape architect who can not only lead you to the right decision but help with the final water feature installation as well.

Step #3: Proper Placement Matching a model with the rest of your yard is crucial. First off, think about where to locate it. The front yard is a great way to add curb appeal and attract immediate attention, but most homeowners don't spend much time on the front porch. So, though hidden from view, the backyard is probably better since it gives you more room to work around. Second, think about placement. Is it to be a focal point or an accent? When positioning, it's best to avoid other foliage (such as under trees) so as to avoid any falling leaves, debris, or clogs. Also, if you install a fountain, you'll want to think about its exposure to the wind and other elements. Third, make sure it matches your yard. Does the plant life gel with the size and function of the water feature? Is it being used to circulate a pool or is it just for looks? What about the other landscaping (bridges, foot paths, and lighting) to highlight the unit? Each decision will bring you closer to your ideal choice.

Step #4: Water Feature Installation Though many come in do-it-yourself kits, these additions come with lots of working parts, such pumps, liners, filters, aerators, piping, and motors. Plus, they can come in stone, concrete, metal, wood, or a mixture of materials. Therefore, it may be a good idea to hire a professional landscaper to install the unit for you. What's more, these experts can also work around any utility, cable, or electrical wiring, and they can obtain permits if needed. They can also give you tips about selection, maintenance, and usage. For instance, if you want to erect a giant rock formation around your pool, these contractors can possibly suggest faux rocks that can have the same appearance and texture as stone but is lighter, cheaper, and easier to install.

Step #5: Pricing Philosophy Remember, bigger isn't necessarily better. When remodeling, only a small portion of your budget should go towards landscaping since it doesn't always guarantee a return on your investment. Therefore, even less money should be allotted to luxury items. So when it comes to water feature installations, it may be best to think small and subtle as opposed to bigger than life. And costs can add up quickly considering all their parts, equipment, and mechanisms. So don't get swept away by the moving water. Instead, remain focused and make your decisions based on value rather than extravagance.

Marc Dickinson has worked in both the general contracting and landscaping trades and is currently a home improvement freelance writer with over 300 articles published.

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Water Feature | Water Feature Installation

Conventional wisdom suggests that when faced with a choice between town sewer and a septic system, the answer is clear: town sewer wins, hands-down.

But is the conventional wisdom right in this case? Is septic sometimes a cheaper, greener choice? A closer look at this question suggests that while the conventional wisdom is clear, it may not be right.

The advantages of town sewer are well-known:

By contrast, the downsides of a septic system are equally clear:

While there is truth in both the advantages and disadvantages, there is misinformation as well. It is certainly true that septic systems require maintenance -- but it may not be true that they are more expensive. And septic has other advantages that this debate traditionally ignores -- it may be "greener", and when you don't want to live in the center of town, it may be your only option.

While most people are aware of the rather significant cost of replacing a broken septic system, few are aware that municipal sewer has its own costs.

For example, according to Bill Gassett, owner of MassRealEstateNews.com and a realtor for RE/MAX Executive Realty in Hopkinton, Mass., homeowners can be assessed huge fees for maintenance and installation of new infrastructure. "In many towns that have sewer as an option, the buyer is asked by the town to pay what is known as a Sewer Betterment fee," he says. "This can be quite expensive. For example, the last phase in my hometown of Hopkinton, the Sewer Betterment fee was $16,000."

In fact, there is no shortage of stories describing these fees and debates by various planning and selectmen's boards as to the best means to handle sewer line improvements, which can be quite costly. The cost can increase quite a bit, too, if a pumping station must also be built. It is also possible for a municipality to place a lien on specific properties until they have paid these fees.

While any home in any neighborhood could potentially be assessed a Sewer Betterment fee, Daniel Friedman, Editor and Publisher of InspectaPedia.com says that homes in low-density areas are at greater risk for higher fees. Installation costs are always high, but fewer homes mean fewer taxpayers to spread the costs.

Even if pipes and a pumping station don't have to be installed and built, there is still a fee to connect a home to the sewer lines or to replace aging pipes. "The expense is actually putting in the line from the street to the home," says Gassett. "This is usually another couple of thousand dollars and then there is also the yearly usage charges for having a sewer connection, which can amount to another $1,000 and, in some cases, $2,000. With a septic system the only expense is a pumping fee, which is generally every couple of years and amounts to a few hundred dollars."

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Septic vs Sewer: Might Septic be Better?

Work in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has produced computer programs that can beat the world chess champion and defeat the best human players on the television quiz show Jeopardy. AI has also produced programs with which one can converse in natural language, including Apple's Siri. Our experience shows that playing chess or Jeopardy, and carrying on a conversation, are activities that require understanding and intelligence. Does computer prowess at challenging games and conversation then show that computers can understand and be intelligent? Will further development result in digital computers that fully match or even exceed human intelligence? Alan Turing (1950), one of the pioneer theoreticians of computing, believed the answer to these questions was yes. Turing proposed what is now known as The Turing Test: if a computer can pass for human in online chat, we should grant that it is intelligent. By the late 1970s some AI researchers claimed that computers already understood at least some natural language. In 1980 U.C. Berkeley philosopher John Searle introduced a short and widely-discussed argument intended to show conclusively that it is impossible for digital computers to understand language or think.

Searle argues that a good way to test a theory of mind, say a theory that holds that understanding can be created by doing such and such, is to imagine what it would be like to do what the theory says would create understanding. Searle (1999) summarized the Chinese Room argument concisely:

Searle goes on to say, The point of the argument is this: if the man in the room does not understand Chinese on the basis of implementing the appropriate program for understanding Chinese then neither does any other digital computer solely on that basis because no computer, qua computer, has anything the man does not have.

Thirty years later Searle 2010 describes the conclusion in terms of consciousness and intentionality:

Searle's shift from machine understanding to consciousness and intentionality is not directly supported by the original 1980 argument. However the re-description of the conclusion indicates the close connection between understanding and consciousness in Searle's accounts of meaning and intentionality. Those who don't accept Searle's linking account might hold that running a program can create understanding without necessarily creating consciousness, and a robot might have creature consciousness without necessarily understanding natural language.

Thus Searle develops the broader implications of his argument. It aims to refute the functionalist approach to understanding minds, the approach that holds that mental states are defined by their causal roles, not by the stuff (neurons, transistors) that plays those roles. The argument counts especially against that form of functionalism known as the Computational Theory of Mind that treats minds as information processing systems. As a result of its scope, as well as Searle's clear and forceful writing style, the Chinese Room argument has probably been the most widely discussed philosophical argument in cognitive science to appear since the Turing Test. By 1991 computer scientist Pat Hayes had defined Cognitive Science as the ongoing research project of refuting Searle's argument. Cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker (1997) pointed out that by the mid-1990s well over 100 articles had been published on Searle's thought experimentand that discussion of it was so pervasive on the Internet that Pinker found it a compelling reason to remove his name from all Internet discussion lists.

This interest has not subsided, and the range of connections with the argument has broadened. A search on Google Scholar for Searle Chinese Room limited to the period from 2010 through early 2014 produced over 750 results, including papers making connections between the argument and topics ranging from embodied cognition to theater to talk psychotherapy to postmodern views of truth and our post-human future as well as discussions of group or collective minds and discussions of the role of intuitions in philosophy. This wide-range of discussion and implications is a tribute to the argument's simple clarity and centrality.

Searle's argument has three important antecedents. The first of these is an argument set out by the philosopher and mathematician Gottfried Leibniz (16461716). This argument, often known as Leibniz Mill, appears as section 17 of Leibniz Monadology. Like Searle's argument, Leibniz argument takes the form of a thought experiment. Leibniz asks us to imagine a physical system, a machine, that behaves in such a way that it supposedly thinks and has experiences (perception).

Notice that Leibniz's strategy here is to contrast the overt behavior of the machine, which might appear to be the product of conscious thought, with the way the machine operates internally. He points out that these internal mechanical operations are just parts moving from point to point, hence there is nothing that is conscious or that can explain thinking, feeling or perceiving. For Leibniz physical states are not sufficient for, nor constitutive of, mental states.

A second antecedent to the Chinese Room argument is the idea of a paper machine, a computer implemented by a human. This idea is found in the work of Alan Turing, for example in Intelligent Machinery (1948). Turing writes there that he wrote a program for a paper machine to play chess. A paper machine is a kind of program, a series of simple steps like a computer program, but written in natural language (e.g., English), and followed by a human. The human operator of the paper chess-playing machine need not (otherwise) know how to play chess. All the operator does is follow the instructions for generating moves on the chess board. In fact, the operator need not even know that he or she is involved in playing chessthe input and output strings, such as NQB7 need mean nothing to the operator of the paper machine.

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The Chinese Room Argument (Stanford Encyclopedia of ...

Hi, I have a brick patio that has mortar or leafcutter bees that I would like to either get rid of or highly discourage. They are in an area that I need to utilize and one family member is allergic to bees. What they are doing is making a hole(s) between the bricks and are seen in a small swarm. I have also seen some of these bees carrying a small piece of a plant leaf so that is why I am not sure which type they are. Does heavy rain have any benefit of getting them to leave, as I read last year that someone recommended drowning the nests? I there any pesticides that can be swept in to the spaces between the bricks rather than a spray or smoke? What if I was to put down quality landscaping paper or something to cover the patio during peak nesting season to discourage them from coming back. As you can see I am at a loss for what to do, as well as thankful that they are not aggressive, and would really like some advice on how to stop this. This patio has been around for many decades and this is the second year they have done this so I do not understand why there has been a change either. Thank you for any help you can provide.

Every home and property will eventually become a nest site for some species of pest so there is no kind of change needed for this to happen. If you want to call it anything, I would say inevitability. Fortunately the pest you currently have is easy to control and repel. But to make the best pick of which option to employ, youll need some basic info on whats happening and what to expect.

First, once these bees get nesting, theyll be leaving pheromones and scents which are basically used to mark locations as good to the species. This means other bees within an acre or two of your property will smell your property as one to use and in turn, build nests. These smells wont go away after one season; typically they last several years which is why these problems tend to persist from year to year.

Second, no act of weather will kill them. That includes freezing or drowning. And though mechanical control may deter them, nature will always win. That means theyll just figure out a way around whatever block you attempt to use.

The good news is theyre easy to treat and can be handled with just a few minutes of time. The simplest method to control them would be to dust every crack or gap theyre using with DRIONE DUST. This will kill them immediately and repel them as long as the treatment is active. Since rain will destroy Drione, treatments may only last a few days or at best, a week or two. But the results will be immediate and if youre lucky, you may not have many new nests for this year so spot treating here and there throughout the summer and fall may be all thats required to keep them away.

Drione: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/dust/drione-dust

Hand Duster: http://www.bugspraycart.com/equipment/dusters/crusader

Now to up the ante and provide a longer lasting treatment window, you can opt to use CYPERMETHRIN. Mix 1 oz per gallon of water and spray all surfaces where theyre active and it too will kill them but not as quick compared to Drione. Basically the process will take a few days but if you use enough material, the nest will die. The good thing about Cypermethrin is that it will also repel them for 4-6 weeks (even with rain) so spraying once a month should keep them away for good.

Cypermethrin: http://www.bugspraycart.com/insecticide/liquid/viper-cypermethrin

Lastly, NBS is a natural organic repellent which can be used to keep them away if you dont care to use the Cypermethrin. Mind you it wont affect the ones currently nesting. But if you treat the active nests with Drione and then spray with NBS once every 1-2 months (instead of using Cypermethrin), they wont return. Basically NBS is a repellent; not a killer.

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Pest Control Supplies & Treatments in Atlanta GA | Animal ...

The options in pool landscaping are limited only by your imagination. Your swimming pool's shape, size and design will be the focal point of your landscaping design. From that starting point, it is important to combine practicality with aesthetics for a backyard that truly reflects your personality and taste.

Making choices about pool landscaping isn't always easy. You can choose curved walkways and rounded flower beds, or a design that is entirely linear and straight. The pool landscaping can coincide with the shape of the pool or it can be entirely different to contrast. Landscaping around a pool can be minimalist or wildly eclectic, involving simple designs or ones that incorporate garden art, ponds, stone pathways and sitting areas.

There are four important considerations when creating your pool landscaping plan:

Personal Considerations in Pool Landscaping Define what you want to use your garden or patio space for. Your space, furniture and design will be affected by whether you use it for reading, relaxing, playing or entertaining.

If relaxation is your goal, consider soft flower colors and perhaps a hammock. If entertaining is your purpose, consider a built-in fireplace or fully equipped barbecue plus a large patio and a spacious lawn to better accommodate guests.

Personal taste is absolutely important and yard art will define a theme and tone around your pool. If you love the sounds of nature, consider wind chimes, bird baths or feeders. Ponds and fountains are also great for relaxing and soothing noise.

Environmental Considerations in Pool Landscaping Your pool landscaping design will depend on whether your backyard has any physical or architectural limitations. These include hills, irrigation or telephone poles. For slopes or hills, retaining walls or a raised deck may need to be part of the design.

Environmental factors will also determine your backyard's look. A patio should also have wonderful view and be situated out of the wind. Placing a patio close to your house will be the most practical. Also, think where you receive sunlight and at what times. Sun exposure will determine plants, shrubs and awnings. If privacy is a concern, fencing, trellises, vines, ivy and hedges may need to be considered.

Pool Decks and Patios The type of patio or pool deck that you choose on will probably affect certain landscaping elements. Patio and deck materials are crucial. Wood is the most common material used in decks. For pool patios, concrete, brick, cobblestone and marble can be used. A deck or patio should be non-slipping and cool to walk on as well as aesthetically enhancing. Wooden decks work well with wooden trellises or privacy screens and matching flower boxes. A concrete pool patio will better match stone fountains and concrete art.

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Pool Landscaping Ideas - Swimming Pools