2020 Washington Metro DC Chapter & Southeastern U.S. Contractor of the Year (CotY) Award from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) for Exterior Spaces
Our clients entertain a lot including often being the host for their children’s sports teams’ parties. They wanted an outdoor space that would be large enough to accommodate large informal parties, under covered spaces, on two levels of their home… one space off their main living level and one space off their basement recreation room. They wanted the space to be very inviting and usable, have lots of light and a natural feeling… like an Aspen ski lodge. Lastly, the wanted more privacy from the neighbors and more storage.
The BEFORE Upper Level Deck was 495 Square Feet.
The AFTER Upper Level Deck is 750 Square Feet.
The BEFORE Lower Level Patio was 645 Square Feet.
The AFTER Covered Patio on the Basement Level is 783 Square Feet.
The BEFORE Sun Deck and Covered Patio were designed and built by the large production builder who built the home.
While the before decks/patios provided some functionality; they were narrow and did not provide appropriate traffic flow for large gatherings.
The lower level was not water proof. The client also needed more storage and the area under the stairs was untapped potential storage.
The AFTER space has ample room for entertaining and has the “Ski Lodge” feel the client wanted.
The new upper level outdoor space has plenty of room: two seating areas and dining for six. An outdoor TV and Grill under the Covered Space extend the functionality.
Another View of the Covered Area: The grill is conveniently located right outside the kitchen.
The materials used to create the “Ski Lodge” look include:
• Flooring: As requested by client, low maintenance composite Trex boards in Spiced Rum color, installed with Cortex concealed fasteners.
• Trim/ceiling: Tongue and groove Cedar boards below rafters
• Roof: Standing seam metal roof adds an additional rustic feature.
Four fixed Velux skylights to capture more natural light in the covered porch area.
Cedar tongue and groove ceiling and custom arched beam add character to the space.
The family dog loves to hang out on the upper deck.
A gate at the top of the stairs keeps him safe from roaming into the woods.
Custom Job-Built Swinging Bed replaces an old freestanding hammock for naps but also adds an unexpected feature that is both practical and beautiful.
Wrought iron curtain rods allow for outdoor privacy curtains on the covered porch.
Lighting: Skylights accentuate natural light on the covered porch. The recessed lights and ceiling fan are on different switches and have dimmers so that the homeowners have maximum control over the lighting at night.
The upper level can be accessed from either the family room or dining. Great circulation.
Custom forged iron hangers for the swinging bed.
Custom cedar arches and beams add increased charm to the space.
The lower level patio was too narrow for a covered dining area and proper traffic flow from the French doors coming from the basement recreation room. In addition, because the lower level was not water proof, it didn’t have adequate lighting for use in the evening.
The new covered patio is more spacious and attractive. New privacy walls with arched transoms on the lower level block neighbors from view.
Keeping with the “Ski Lodge” theme:
• Privacy walls with stone façade frame the new patio.
• Decorative cedar arches are repeated on the lower level.
• The gutter system drains into rain barrels used for irrigation.
• A rubber membrane in the ceiling keeps the patio dry and allows for overhead lighting and ceiling fans.
The materials used on the upper level are repeated on the lower level. The waterproof membrane allows for ceiling fans and lighting. Fixed, arched windows in the stone walls also help with natural light. Space under the steps is now a storage closet for sports equipment and supplies.
A Thermatru Fiberglass Door in Classic-Craft® Rustic Collection™ / Full Plank in Embossed Grain “Cedar” finish hides a storage room under the new stairs. Eldorado Stone’s Cypress Ridge collection (Orchard) with Argos San Tan grout is on the walls.
Travertine Tiles in a French pattern add more interest in the design.
The patio has enough room for seating, dining and a small putting green.
Trex baluster and rail package: rails in Charcoal Black for contrast.
Horizontal LED Outdoor Step Lights provide extra safety.
A few obstacles we overcame:
We removed the brick veneer and bolted a ledger board to the framing so that we could secure the engineered beams to the home. Removing the brick also helped create proper room for flashing the rubber membrane.
Weather in our area does not typically affect our construction team; however, we experienced a highly unusual 30 straight days of sub freezing weather. We protected the concrete footings during the freeze cycle but the weather delayed installation of the rubber membrane. All of this meant we had to work overtime to finish the project on the date promised before a scheduled event at the home.
We used a new concrete sub on this job and unfortunately, they were not as detailed minded as they should be. Our site manager had to watch them closely and asked that they redo several of the footings.
The first set of cedar gables delivered were not built correctly and had to be rebuilt. While we always build in some contingency days for these challenges, the project had more than its fair share!
A few other construction details:
Proper Installation of the Rubber Membrane was Critical. Roofing membrane under porch flooring providing the dry ceiling below.
We framed and provided roof membrane under stair treads and risers to keep the storage closet dry below.
A few other construction details: Creating a Structurally Sound Covered Porch
Transferring structural ridge beam to outer roof rafters in lieu of a typical ridge beam post so that there is an unobstructed view.
Overall – The clients need for more outdoor entertaining space was accomplished with the “Ski Lodge” look they wanted.
Award Winning Remodelers in Northern Virginia – Bowers Design Build has specialized in providing the best overall experience in the remodeling industry since 1990. Bowers Design Build specializes in Northern Virginia Remodeling and Northern Virginia Custom Homes. Our numerous industry remodeling awards have been great, but the true measure of our success has been high marks in overall customer satisfaction
Service areas: McLean, Arlington, Falls Church, Vienna, Oakton, Great Falls, Alexandria, Fairfax County and Middleburg.
Specializing in: Northern Virginia New Custom Homes, Northern Virginia Whole House Renovations, Northern Virginia Kitchen Renovations, Northern Virginia Master Bathroom Renovations, Northern Virginia Interior Renovations, Northern Virginia Basement Renovations, Renovations for Aging-in-Place and Northern Virginia Outdoor Living Spaces.
