GARDEN

Deck the Halls

A wonderful bridge between indoor and outdoor living can be a deck. Most Dallas decks are made of redwood and, with modest maintenance, last the lifetime of the house. The average deck of between 300 and 400 square feet can be built in two to four weeks in the spring months, and in six to eight weeks in the winter.

Deck builders offer options beyond a traditional deck that abuts the house. Free standing pavilions or gazebos can be attractive solariums for outdoor peace and quiet. Pavilions (see photo p. 94) cost about $4,000 and take only a week or two to build.

Deck construction is minimally messy; the work doesn’t invade your house, and you have enlarged your home by a room in a matter of weeks.

COST: $3,500 to $4,500

PAINLESSNESS QUOTIENT: Very good

TIME: Two to five hours to determine design.

A Shrub, A Bush or a Tree

What we see outside our windows can be as important to the look and feel of a home as anything inside it. Designers recommend starting with a master plan. Dallas landscapers offer this service for a variety of fees based on the size and complexity of the work. ’The dollars become more reasonable if seen as a year-by-year investment, and yet you get a wonderful lift whenever you plant.”

COST: $250 to $2000, depending on the scope of the project

PAINLESSNESS QUOTIENT: Very good

TIME: Two or three one-hour meetings with a landscaper

A Tree in Big D

A wonderful addition to most homes is a mature tree. If you aren’t ready for a full-blown landscaping plan, individual trees can be a wonderful addition. The best advice from the local firms is to get some advice. “Know as much as you can about the plants you are buying, or you may be throwing money away.” Some Dallas clients’ yards need more lift than others. One client wanted a “real tree.” It took a crane, a permit from the city and the permission of all the neighbors to block off the street for a day, but a 35’ live oak with a 11’ root ball was delivered to the client on schedule. Cost: $15,000. For the average mature tree:



COST: $4,000 to $7,000

PAINLESSNESS QUOTIENT: Excellent

TIME: Two to five hours

Waterworks

For those who want the relaxation and romance that being in the water inspires, a spa may be the answer. You can put an in ground spa into an existing deck or build one into a new deck for $4,000 to $5,000. Or you can add a portable spa, with siding that matches your deck, to almost any patio, backyard or deck for $3,000 to $7,500.

The installation requires a concrete pad and electrical hook-up.

COST: $3,000 to $7,000

PAINLESSNESS QUOTIENT: Good

TIME: Three to six hours

Coping with Coping



Pools, like people, sometimes need a make-over. Remodeling a pool can be fairly easy. Whether you are replacing the tile or the coping, refinishing the plaster or the decking, most jobs can be done in a matter of weeks. This kind of refinishing work is done by the foot based on the perimeter of the pool. For a pool with 100’ perimeter: a complete facelift: $6,000.

COST: Tile: $15-$20 per foot; Coping: $15-$20 per foot; Plaster work: $25-$30 per foot: Decking: $5-$8 per square foot

PAINLESSNESS QUOTIENT: Good

TIME: Two to four hours, unless you cannot decide on a tile

All Decked Out with No Place to Sit?



Furniture for the outdoors can be a quick and easy fix. You can either buy new outdoor furniture, restore existing furniture by replacing cushions or “slings,” or have your wicker or wrought . iron cleaned and painted. Chair cushions range from $25-$50 and chaise cushions. $75 -$100.

If you want to add to your existing furniture, two popular ideas for this year: a tall table with four barstools for about $1,000; or a teak bench, that ranges from $300 to $500.

Another new product in outdoor furniture is waterproof lamps. Standing, swag or tabletop, waterproof lights for the deck and terrace turn a patio into a moonlit, fresh air den or entertainment space. These lamps come in a variety of colors and textures. Cost: $100-$200 per lamp.

For the apartment dweller with a small terrace, “bistro” sets with a small table and two chairs are available for $200. Great for breakfast on the balcony.

COST: $200 to $2,000

PAINLESSNESS QUOTIENT: Very Good

TIME: One to three hours to choose color and style.

Battle of the Beds

Most of us love flower beds full of flowers. We know our bushes need pruning and our trees tending. But the truth is that few of us have the training, the talent or the time to devote to these jobs. As a result many of our yards don’t measure up to our visions. We dream of prolific flower beds, but most of us have carefully contained dirt.

Professional gardeners are available on weekly, monthly or quarterly basis, offering various degrees of advice and service. For instance, to hire a landscape designer for a quarterly horticultural consultation with seasonal suggestions for planting, pruning and a watering schedule, the cost is about $125 per visit.

For someone who wants a gardener to visit the property on a monthly or bimonthly basis, to prune, fertilize and work with whomever is mowing the lawn to ensure best grass growth, the cost is between $200 and $500 a visit. Or you can turn your outdoors over to a professionals for $400 to $1,000 a month, and they will do it all: – mow the lawn, plant seasonal color, manage the irrigation system, prune the trees, bushes and vines, plus pool service.

COST: From $125 quarterly to $1,000 monthly

PAINLESSNESS QUOTIENT: Excellent

TIME: Two to four hours to research and hire landscaper

Walk the Walk

Do friends approaching your house walk on a dull vanilla path of concrete? If so, your gift to yourself this spring might be to make your walk talk. “A finished walkway gives a home personality,” one landscaper noted. You can “top” it with Pennsylvania Bluestone, Leuders limestone or other types of flagstone, add a brick border or “paver” for S10 a square foot, or you can stain the concrete on your walkway, steps and front porch for about $2.50 a square foot.

Word of Caution’. Let the Buyer Be Aware

When you, the spring shopper, approach the stores and showrooms, be aware of today’s vernacular. Decorators are now “designers;” yards are “gardens;” and we the shoppers are no longer customers or consumers, but “end users.”

Just as you would check out the education and board certification of a physician or lawyer, experts encourage ￡>’s readers to take the time necessary to check the credentials of anyone working in their home or garden. If a designer is involved in a project, it is best if they are certified by the American Society of Interior Designers and licensed by the State of Texas, For a pool or spa company, check with the National Spa and Pool Institute. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is always a resource when checking on any firm The BBB’s 24-hour hotline number in Dallas is 214-740-0301.