Planning for a new patio is not all that uncommon, in a lot of cases it’s part of a total re-design for the garden area, pool cover or just a new entertaining area. Home owners who are willing to put in a little bit of their time to plan for the new patio are always rewarded with seeing their vision complete once installed.
So what do you need to consider when planning for your new patio? Of course you can leave this to us at Great Aussie patios this is after all what we specialize in. However it’s been our experience that input from the home owner is a must and asking them various questions soon gets their design juice’s flowing.
Consider how long your patio will take
When planning for your new patio take into consideration the time it will take. All patios need to be shire approved and then you also have time for install.
On average the shire approval will be 4 to 8 weeks and your installation will be a further 3 weeks. It is a common theme that we at Great Aussie patios have come across that the home owner has not planned for the time this will take and is suddenly rushing around trying to push it to be ready for a special event like a birthday or Christmas. Find out more about approximate shire approval & application times here.
Find the right patio design
Designs for patios are another thing for you to look at when planning your new patio. There a various designs available and even custom patio designs for you to consider.
Is the new patio to complement the home or is it a stand alone design separate to the home like next to a pool for example?
Not all homes are the same in shape or size, same goes for the location of the patio, with boundaries (fences), pools, gardens or sheds being things to take into account.
The easiest way to get an idea of the area and what could be a future issue to deal with is to draw up a quick mud map of the area you would like the new patio to be in.
If you are handy with the tools use a tape measure to get the approximate size you would like, if not just step it out to give you an idea of the size. You can even go to the lengths of marking out the area with stakes or as we have come across at times bricks or rocks even kids toys have been used to mark out the proposed patio.
Think about what will go under your patio
Include in your planning what you want to have under your patio. Outdoor settings, BBQ’s, fridges, TV’s or the ultimate outdoor kitchen. These all take up space, and if you haven’t taken these into account, once placed under the patio you may find you have very little room to move.
It’s not uncommon for us to quote for an extension to an existing patio or to quote for a new patio simply because it was too small once they had placed their new setting under it or BBQ etc.
Do your research and plan well
The idea here is to do some research, search our website, and visit our displays. Even look at friends patio’s to see what you like or don’t like on their patio. If you are putting a new outdoor setting under the patio etc look at the area this will take up and you may find you need to rethink the patio design suit.
When planning your new patio also consider the elements like the sun, wind and rain. Not every home has a backyard that is north facing so light is another important factor. Depending on you may have early morning sun and nothing in the afternoon or vice versa. Designing your patio around this and or the weather can make your patio enjoyable all year round rather than at certain times of the year or day.
The extra cover the patio provides can also have an effect on the light that enters your home naturally. This can make it darker inside in some circumstances, so planning for this is also needed.
Another step in the planning process is to look beyond the patio and what you want the whole area to look like once complete. Take into consideration paving, decking, landscaped gardens, a pool or the ultimate man cave.
It may seem like a lot to consider when planning for your new patio but these are just a few of the most common that we at Great Aussie Patio’s come across everyday.
We always endeavor to have the home owner involved in the design process from the first quote to follow up site visits if required. It certainly helps when you as the owner have a plan in mind and Great Aussie Patios can offer advice to make the patio you’re planning the best it can be.
If you're looking for a new patio or want to give your current patio a makeover, give us a call on 9493 7115 or contact us online for advice from Perth's patio experts!