Each month we like to feature someone in our “Builder Spotlight” blog who plays a significant role within Texas Custom Patios!  This month we are featuring a very hardworking young man that often hears rave reviews when he has completed a project!  Meet German Cardenas …

How long have you been with TCP?  5 years.

How long have you been in the business?  15 years.

What’s your “specialty?” Plumbing and HVAC.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?  Contributing to making installations not only functional, but look great, too!

What’s inspiring in the construction/build world to you?  Automated and ecological houses.

Do you have a favorite project from the past?  These two homes were a challenge for me, therefore they are my favorite!  Always up for obstacles to overcome, because it makes you that much more proud of the completed product.

What trends have you seen in outdoor design in the last few years?  Stone coverings in different types.

What do you see to be popular in the future? Material with less environmental impact.

What’s the one think most clients HAVE to have?  Outdoor Kitchen (grill and side burner are super popular).

What’s the biggest obstacle you face during the design/build process?  Making sure it’s both functional and appealing to the eye.

What do you hear most often from clients when everything is completed?  They LOVE it!

What do you think an outdoor living space does for a home and person?  Adds space to the home where the homeowner can make it their own.

What do you hope to build/design in the future?  Build outdoor living space with the latest technology.

Each month we like to put a spotlight on someone or something that helps make Texas Custom Patios succeed.  We take into consideration not only the people that work with us, but the products we use in your home.  We would like to bring things to the surface and highlight a company that has been with us for over a decade!

Full Company Name: Texas Custom Granite

How long have you worked with TCP? 11 years

What’s your specialty? (we know, sounds obvious with granite in your name, but we want to know more)  Stone countertops are our specialty. We have invested millions of dollars in the latest fabrication technology in order to produce the highest quality countertop.

What do you enjoy most about what you do?  We love being able to produce countertops that any homeowner would be happy with. Stone counters are an investment and customers deserve countertops that match or exceed that investment. The fact that we can satisfy this demand by utilizing both the latest fabrication technology and a team of skilled employees dedicated to this end goal make us proud.

What’s inspiring in the construction/build world to you? The construction world is always changing and that is inspiring. With new designs and materials constantly coming to market, our job stays exciting and fresh. You never know what’s around the corner but having the ability to jump into the newest trends when they hit is a lot of fun.

Do you have a favorite project from the past?  One of our favorite TCP jobs would be the first job we installed for TCP. When switching to a new trade/vendor there is always a bit of uneasiness, it’s the beginning of a new relationship and regardless of all the due diligence you do, you don’t quite know how the job will go. The home owner was very concerned with the radius of the counter tops matching the radius of the cabinets and stone. With our laser templating system we were able to produce counter tops that not only met the home owner’s expectation but exceeded them.

What trends have you seen in outdoor design in the last few years? The porcelain slab is a new and exciting product that has recently began to pick up steam. Porcelain can endure the outdoor elements and is resistant to staining and scratching. We feel there is more work to do in this area. The fabrication requires special tooling and edgework is limited. Pricing can be much higher than natural stone, so that’s something to think about, too. Once this material becomes more mainstream, many suppliers will lower pricing and hopefully solve some of the fabrication difficulties.

What do you see to be popular in the future? We continue to see clean lines and solid colors gain in popularity. The modern or contemporary styles are being seen everywhere inside the home. We believe this will find its way to the outdoors as well.

Why is granite the best? GRANITES are undoubtedly the most popular stone type used in countertop applications today. These stones are some of the hardest of the common countertop stones, offering high levels of resistance to abrasion and scratching. The primary minerals in granite are resistant to almost all chemicals commonly found in a home. These characteristics still make granite the premier surface.

What’s the one thing that most clients say they HAVE to have? Most clients have to have a quality job. Granite counters are one of the main components people notice. The stone countertop surface often times becomes the talking point. It is exciting to hear the many compliments these countertops receive.

What is your biggest obstacle you face during the design/build process? The biggest obstacle we face as a fabricator in the outdoor world is probably just dealing with the outdoor elements. The heat in Texas can make the epoxies break down prematurely. We have overcome 90 percent of these issues by using 3cm granite where no laminating is necessary along the edges. We still have seams that are filled with epoxy. In most cases if the seams in the counters do not have direct sunlight they remain fairly stable. When counters are heated by the sun during the day and cool during the night movement in the materials can cause the epoxy in the seams to crack. This does not happen as often indoors as temperatures are regulated within a few degrees.

What do you hear most often from clients when everything is completed? What we hope to hear most often when the job is completed is how great the project turned out and that they already have their first party planned to show off their new project.

What do you think outdoor living space does for a home and person? Outdoor living spaces create an atmosphere to bring families together. It pulls us away from our electronics and allows us a time and place to make memories. These spaces are synonymous with entertaining and just having a good time. The great part is the fact that unlike having to take a vacation to relax you can walk right outside and live the vacation over and over.

What do you hope to build/design in the future? We will continue to build and design new applications for natural and engineered stone. To walls, floors and counters-stone continues to be a surface for the ages.

We are continuing our series of most popularly asked questions with a question nearly everyone asks. Everyone wants every thing now, now, now!  We often get calls requesting an immediate start date of “tomorrow.”  While we are just as excited as you, it takes just a little bit more time to  get things going.   So a popular question asked daily is, “can you start tomorrow?”  The answer is, we can get the ball rolling, but we won’t be installing the outdoor kitchen sink by tomorrow’s patio party.

We have a thorough process that includes really getting to know our customers.  When you choose to build with us, you get your own project developer who will get to know you, your goals, and your style!  Your new best friend will oversee your entire outdoor living project, from start to finish!

Schedule your free consultation today by calling our office or filling out our contact form. We will send one of our experienced project developers to your home to gather information about your project. If we can provide an outdoor living project that meets your budget, then we will create a proposal for you.

Not sure how to budget for your outdoor living project? Look at our dream patio budgeting guide for some ideas.

After your project developer visits your home, we will provide you with a proposal that includes an exact quote proposal for your project. On average, the proposal will be completed in about a week. This proposal will include a design drawing with specifications and dimensions and rendered views and elevations so you can see what the project will look like after completion.

Your project developer will schedule an in-person meeting with you to go over your proposal and answer any questions. Once we have signed a contract, you can visit our office showroom to view samples and make final selections for your project!

We are answering the most commonly asked question as part of a series we are doing each month.  So many want to know the answer to these questions, so we thought we would share it with all of you!  Last month we talked all about our specialty, and this month we are focusing on the big picture.  So here are some of the most commonly asked questions that all have, surprisingly, the same answer.

Can you put clear plastic over my pergola?

Can you add screens to my existing patio?

Can you just pour concrete?

As much as we would love to help you with all of that, we are a design build contractor who manages the project from start to finish scheduling multiple trades.  If your job requires only one trade, then it’s best to hire that trade directly!

If you are wanting to do more, we have the easiest process around … so easy that you’ll feel like it’s just one trade you are utilizing.

THE TCP DIFFERENCE

At Texas Custom Patios, we offer personalized service and flexible payment terms, and when you choose to work with us, you’ll work with the same project developer every step of the way (that’s the easy part we mentioned), from the preliminary design stage to project completion and clean-up.

We specialize in providing turnkey design solutions for outdoor living, including: patio covers, outdoor kitchens, screened porches, room additions, pergolas, fireplaces and so much more!  See our website for a complete gallery or on Houzz to see finished projects!

WE STAND BEHIND OUR WORK

At Texas Custom Patios, we’re confident in our work – and we want you to feel confident, too.

That’s why we offer a two-year warranty for materials and workmanship, and a five-year warranty for structural components of your home improvement project.

We also have $1 million in liability insurance to protect against accidents and injury.

NO SURPRISES: OUR EXACT QUOTE PROMISE

When you schedule a consultation with one of our experienced project developers, you’ll receive more than just a ballpark figure. We’ll tell you exactly how much your outdoor living project will cost – down to the penny.

But that’s not all. At Texas Custom Patios, every estimate includes a detailed drawing with specifications and dimensions, plus rendered views and elevations – so you can see a preview of your completed project.

So often you hear, which came first … The chicken?  Or the egg?   We are continuing our series of most popularly asked questions and today we are diving into a big one!  Which should we have done first? … The patio or the pool?

Here are some notes from our experts …

1)      Go after it with a “big picture” mentality

2)      Having a design/build contractor is necessary for this – make sure plumbing is only done once … have a total vision and then work backwards

3)      Pool first – have them pour all of the concrete – we will set our footing details while they are there – save the decorative finish of the concrete for after we have come in and done our part … we can do all of the decorative finish around the pool and to your patio (that way it’s cohesive and as simple as possible)

4)      Make sure the size and location of pool does not interfere with the space planning of the patio cover … or vice versa .. is the pool built far enough away from the home to create a covered area – or would you be good with a detached patio cover or something off the garage?

Think about your whole vision for the backyard, and unlike our chicken friends, we have an answer for you … pool first, patio second!

We are continuing our series of answering your most popular questions.   We have covered things like, “Will I lose my interior natural light with a covered patio?,”  and “Why is budget so important?”  A few to come are “Pool or patio first?,” and “Can you screen my existing patio?”  This week we are answering … “How long does your typical project take to build?”  Good one, eh?

So you want to know how soon you’ll be able to enjoy your new outdoor lifestyle?  Use this handy guide 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 desire for having projects completed for the important elements of your outdoor style. We created this guide to give us the best opportunity to serve you by getting started in a timely fashion for your desired completion date.

First, determine when you want your project completion to be, then discover what month you’ll need to contact our office to get started.  We look forward to building your dream, and it all starts here …

We are continuing to answer your most asked questions!  This week we’re talking about $$$!  Whether it be an expansive extended patio, a pergola or just a firepit … it’s important to know your budget so you get exactly what you want for a price in which you’re pleased.

We often get … but why is budget so important?

It’s so important for one main reason …

Start to finish you can expect open communication.  This helps us relay to you from the very beginning the potential costs of upgrades as we go through the details of your dream outdoor living space. Thus bringing you to a clear understanding of the overall expense of different levels of projects.  If what’s in your head falls outside the budget, we discuss the critical parts of the project to bring it back to focus.  Any personal touches to the project we can add that still keep the project in budget are a bonus!

Taking it a step further, we offer flexible payment terms, so no need to stress about paying for it all at once.   You can bet your pretty lil’ penny you will know where every single cent is spent.  We want to leave you with no doubts and a beautiful outdoor experience.

Afterall, no one likes to be left in the dark … we’ll just leave you in the shade!

If you would like to get a quote, click here.

For many homeowners just the thought of dealing with a Home Owners Association (HOA) for a remodeling project invokes fear. Homeowners worry that they’ll find difficulty or denials when they work with the associations. Many times it’s easier to just squash the dream than deal with the red tape.

In the majority of areas where we build outdoor living spaces, homeowners live in areas governed by an HOA. The associations serve to set standards in the neighborhood to keep property values high and provide common resources to the neighborhood.

No fear; no headaches.

When you choose Texas Custom Patios to remodel your outdoor living space, our Project Developers handle all the headache of submissions and approvals with your HOA. Our Project Developers work with your HOAs on a regular basis, so we’re familiar with the process, the standards and the wait times. We confidently navigate the process for you, so you can avoid the fear and any headache with your HOA.  So no “oh no” moments to deal with on your part, just a perfect new patio to enjoy!

Texas Custom Patios has been exceeding expectations by leading the way in design-build outdoor living in the Houston area since 2004. After building more than 1000 projects in Houston, we have decided to share our love for outdoor living with our I-45 neighbors to the north by opening a Dallas branch of Texas Custom Patios in January of 2015. Now Dallas area residents who have admired our work on Houzz or in magazines can finally have their own Texas Custom Patios outdoor living space. This is also a great opportunity for our customers who have left behind a beloved patio when they moved to the Dallas area to enjoy a new Texas Custom Patios project in their new home. If you live in or around Dallas and you would like to learn more about how we can design and build a great outdoor space for you, call our new office at 214-460-5934.

When Texas Custom Patios builds your outdoor living project, you can be confident that the work is completed by skilled tradesmen.

Why do we employ skilled tradesmen?

The reason is simple. Skilled tradesmen are experts in their trades. That expertise brings you, our customers, some major benefits as we build out your projects.

Quality

These tradesmen perform their craft day after day and week after week. The experience that a skilled tradesman has in his craft provides superior quality over a general handyman, who has to perform a multitude of skills.

Efficiency

Because these skilled tradesmen focus on one craft, they move swiftly through their aspect of the project. When they complete their portion, they move on to do the same skill at another project and the next trade comes in to do their craft. Texas Custom Patios has completed over 1,000 outdoor living projects. With so many projects under our belt, our skilled tradesmen are highly experienced which gives them an advantage in completing the work efficiently.

The expertise of our skilled tradesmen brings a better quality outdoor living space in less time to Texas Custom Patios customers.