The Houston Chronicle just released an article on how to have fun in your own backyard. These oldies but goodies will get the family away from electronic devices and outside for some fresh air!

Cornhole

Equipment: Two tilted cornhole boards, each with a single hole, set 40 to 45 feet apart and eight fabric bags filled with sand, beads, feed corn, etc.

Object: Score points by tossing bags at the opposite board and aiming for the hole. Bags that fall in the hole score three points, those that land on the board score one. Gameplay includes “cancellation scoring,” meaning one player’s three-point bag-in-the-hole cancels out another player’s, so only one player or team scores each round. First to reach a designated point total, usually 21, wins.

What makes it fun: With little skill or strategy involved (at least on the backyard level), it puts young players on par with older siblings.

More information: American Cornhole Association, click here.

Badminton

Equipment: Badminton racquets, a birdie (or shuttlecock) and a net 5 feet high on a court measuring 44 feet long and 17 feet wide for singles, 20 feet wide for doubles. A smaller court can be used for smaller players.

Object: Score points by hitting the shuttlecock over the net so it lands on the other team’s side of the court. One point is scored per winning volley, with the next serve awarded to the side that wins the point. First side to score 21 points wins.

What makes it fun: The cone-shaped shuttlecock is constructed so that it seems to float through the air, making it relatively easy for even beginning players to hit.

More information: USA Badminton, click here.

For more games and the full article from The Houston Chronicle, click here.

The Texas Association of Builders (TAB) was excited to announce 394 projects made the finals of the 2020 Star Awards. This year saw a record breaking 624 entries from 54 cities across the state of Texas. 

The out-of-state judges reviewed 187 categories and select the best in Texas. TAB launched the Star Awards program in 1992 and it remains the only statewide tribute to excellence in the residential homebuilding industry.

Winners were just revealed at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas during the Sunbelt Builders Show™.

This year’s entries showcased the outstanding work of builders, remodelers, architects, designers, sales professionals, marketing professionals, construction professionals and industry leaders in Texas and surrounding areas. With nearly 200 categories to choose from and hundreds of entries each year, it’s impressive to be recognized.

We are proud to announce that Texas Custom Patios was nominated in four different categories and we won all four! It’s an honor to be recognized among other elite builders. Here are the projects that impressed the judges!

This older home needed a backyard make-over. The family needed some shade, a nicer area to entertain, and a built-in kitchen. For details and pictures on this entire project, click here.

The homeowners wanted to add about 850 square feet of outdoor living space, so we added an expansive kitchen, living room and dining area. We worked through the existing drainage issues, and added Astro Turf. Now the home is complete and perfect for entertaining! For details and pictures on this entire project, click here.

The customer had an existing pergola with arches that were on its last leg. They wanted to remove the deteriorating pergola and add a space that could add the “wow” factor to the backyard when they looked out their living room window. They wanted a space that could blend with the architecture of the home along with the design of the pool. For details and pictures on this entire project, click here.

This project needed remodeling in both the front and the back of the home. This gorgeous patio was done in a contemporary style complete with an outdoor dining and living area. For details and pictures on this entire project, click here.

If you would like to see more of our work, click here. To see the 2020 award program in its entirety, click here.

You’re ready to fire up the grill for your summer sizzle session, but you need a tasty twist on some culinary classics. Below we have recipes perfect for the summer months, enjoy!

Overnight Fruit Salad

Watermelon and Tomato Salad

Pineapple Teriyaki Sliders

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Peach BBQ Sauce

Mango Chicken

Fish with Grilled Fruit Salsa

Easy Batter Fruit Cobbler

Mojito Perfecto

Watermelon Margaritas

White Peach Sangria

Lemon Berry Slushy

Just in time for dad’s day, we have a few grilling gadgets that will help heat things up! Summer is here and so are the social distancing patio parties! Check out these hot finds that will help your plans not go up in flames.

Wireless Bluetooth Grill Thermometer

Commercial Grade Food Probe Thermometer

Charcoal Electric Lighter and Firestarter

3-Sided Grill Brush

Ultimate BBQ Apron

Grilling Towel Set

Vegetable Grill Basket

Non-Stick BBQ Grill Mats

Himalayan Pink Salt Slab

3-in-1 Stuffed Burger Press

Click here to discover details on this gorgeous project in Frisco, Texas.

Get out and get grillin’… today we have several tried and true recipes that will be perfect for your Father’s Day get together! Fire up the grill and give these recipes a whirl; dad and the whole family are sure to melt!

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Chicken Pepper Sliders

Chive and Cheese Twice Baked Potato

St. Louis Style Babyback Ribs

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Bobby Flay’s Perfect Burger

Grilled Yukon Gold Steak Fries with Chili-Cheese Sauce

Grilled Pineapple Sundae

Grilled Donut Ice Cream Sandwich

Each month we highlight a beautiful completed project. This month we have compiled several of the featured patios that all have unique features. Click here for more!

What is a lot survey and why do I need one to build an outdoor living space? We get this question a lot and here’s why…

A lot or land survey is basically a graphic depiction of your property that outlines the legal boundaries and other features. You probably received one when you purchased your home. It is necessary for Texas Custom Patios to see your survey so we can determine what can legally be built on your property.

The lot survey will identify any easements, building setbacks, or other restrictions on your property. It will inform us if your home is in a flood plain or if there are any other special considerations we need to know in order to design and build your outdoor living space.

What if you can’t find your lot survey? There are several options – check with your local tax assessor’s office, they may have one on file. Another option is to get a survey done, there are several companies that specialize in surveying land and can get it done quickly. Surveys typically cost between $300-$500.

When Texas Custom Patios is building your outdoor living space, we will use the survey to file for permits through the city and to submit to your HOA for approval. This is done in order to make sure any new structures are built without crossing over into easements or setbacks on your property. We need this info to not only ensure we are not building inside easements, but also to draw your existing property in our software to allow for an accurate scale for the new drawings we present.

Once it’s all approved, then the fun begins and we can begin building!

Summer is quickly approaching and our tastebuds are ready to adapt! What’s cool, refreshing and ready for a patio party? Here are some yummy summer treats perfect to beat the heat!

Tiki Cooler Mocktail

Beer Margarita

Sunset Sangria

Avocado Cucumber Basil Bites

Annie’s Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

Raspberry Icebox Cake

Lemon Ice

Chocolate Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake

One of the first things that most people want to know, is how soon will they be lounging on their new patio? Use the handy guide below to know when your custom patio project needs to begin in order to be completed by these commonly requested dates. Factors such as material supplies and weather prevent us from guaranteeing completion dates, but we understand your excitement and work diligently to meet a desired date. The guide below was created to give you a ballpark look!

First, determine when you want your project completion to be, then discover what month you’ll need to contact our office to get started.

When you call our office, we’ll schedule an initial appointment. After the initial visit, we’ll follow up with a proposal. Once you’ve selected Texas Custom Patios as your outdoor design-builder, we’ll begin the permitting and homeowner association process. This can take up to 90 days depending on the particular rules of your community. When the design has met all requirements, a simpler concrete and cover takes about four weeks to complete. Including a kitchen adds a couple more weeks. Watch this video to discover more about our design-build process. More questions? Give one of our outdoor-living specialists a call at 281-265-1994 in Houston, or 972-915-2727 in Dallas/Fort Worth.