Meet Steve and Jan

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Steve and Jan met us at the builders show last year. When we went out there for the initial consultation we discovered they had a very small yard, but big ideas.

THE WANTS

They want to entertain a lot. They wanted a very large patio with a countertop space to place an outdoor buffet and drinks of course. After some discussion & preliminary sketches we decided they might want a little bench seat, possibly built into the countertop. Chris specifically asked for a Char-Broil style grill where he could simply add charcoal and grill. They also wanted some shade because their yard basically had none.

THE PROBLEMS

Upon developing a design we discovered they would need to have the back deck redone. It was falling apart and not at all conducive to simple movement around the backyard. Complicating the issue was the fact that their backyard was very small. It is a typical old Ann Arbor backyard. There were also several issues with drainage and elevations as their home did not drain well and adding a large brick surface area was only going to aggravate the issue.

THE SOLUTIONS

A wonderful entertainment space designed to accommodate a large group of people but comfortable enough for every day use. We designed a 900 square foot patio that incorporated bench seating to take advantage of the limited space in the backyard. The small deck was eliminated & in place we installed an elevated paver step system made from Brussels Dimensional by Unilock of Michigan. We also incorporated a countertop space and custom built charcoal grill for the occasional Ocktoberfest!

THE CONSTRUCTION

The first problem we ran into was how exactly to deal with the uneven terrain in the backyard. The patio was originally designed to be all level with the proper pitch, however the initial measurements told a different story. To compensate, we decided to lower the main patio with the added benefit of having some elevation changes which created a separate dining space as well as additional interest to the space. As we started excavating we discovered that there was a lot more soil to come out than originally planned. We ended up removing over 50 yards of additional soil! During construction we also decided to modify the pattern of the patio & its elements. We decided to add a colorful border of Unilock's Courtstone & Copthorne pavers to go with the Brussels Block Desert Sand and Unigranite Pavers. The additions were incredible. The colors just popped when the new pavers were installed. Of course the changes didn't come without a price. Fortunately, we were able to relegate the firepit part of the design for a later date to keep within budget.

THE OUTCOME

Steve and Jan were elated with the outcome of the patio. They referred us to several friends who we also did work for. They have had several parties on the patio including the infamous Ocktoberfest on Northview. We also re-did the front step for them to match the patio in the backyard. Anticipated plans include a new paver driveway to tie the two systems together as well as finishing the landscape planting around the new pavers. From our standpoint, we liked the design and the paver selection so much, we decided to design a similar garden booth at the 2009 Ann Arbor Builders show in March of 2009!