2022… the year of no more Covid-19? … health and new beginnings? … possibly even a six-pack stomach, and not beer this year? Whatever it is, make sure your goals will bring you happiness! For our customers this last year, a new custom patio brought great joy and a new place to make memories. See gallery of featured projects here. If you love what you see and would like to get the ball rolling, there’s no time like the present.

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. For instance, if you would like to sizzle in style in your backyard for Father’s Day, pick up the phone and call now!

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).

Give one of our outdoor-living specialists a call at 281-265-1994 in Houston, or 972-915-2727 in Dallas/Fort Worth. Here’s to 2022 with a view!

In 2021, Texas Custom Patios completed 200 projects with each one having their own story to tell, all of them custom-designed and built to look as though it is original to the home. While it’s hard to pick a fav, here’s a look back at some top picks from 2021! Click the link below each image for full details.

Click here to discover details about this project perfect for relaxing in Katy, Texas.

Click here to discover details about this beautiful, modern project in Fulshear, TX.

We enjoy working hard to create your dream outdoor oasis from start to finish! It starts with a few ideas and then from there it gets mapped out on paper, tweaked, and eventually custom built to plan! So you can imagine we get so excited to hear when homeowners love their new outdoor living space!

“I highly recommend Texas Custom Patios for any remodel project and design!! Our experience with Collin Jarrell in the design phase was great, as he helped us decide on the perfect layout and details for our project. The construction was managed by Rob, who was extremely responsive, was in constant communication with us, and ensured that the entire process went smoothly. From start to finish, this company is focused on high quality work and a great experience for their clients. The end result exceeded our expectations and I would definitely use them for all outdoor projects in the future. Thank you Colin, Rob and Texas Custom Patios!” ~TCP Customer

“We are overwhelmingly satisfied with all the great work Texas Custom Patios (TCP) did to give us the patio of our dreams. We realize the building/construction industry has a bad reputation for not responding or showing up for jobs, but we experienced none of that with TCP. Everyone from TCP, including all the contractors working on our project, were responsive, professional, and highly skilled in their jobs. We have watched the frustration our next door neighbors have had, and still are experiencing, working with a different company.

We are giddy (can we say smug?) with our decision to go with TCP!! :) We were absolutely thrilled with Collin Jarrell’s design work! We had several initial meetings with Collin to design our patio, in which he was responsive, patient and professional. As part of the initial consultation and quote, Collin created our project using online 3D software that we could see via Zoom calls. Other companies we talked to would not provide an online visual until after we signed the contract. Collin made changes real time and provided explanations and suggestions to give us a gorgeous patio. Collin has a great eye for designing patios! Collin was the reason we decided to choose TCP as our contractor.

Our project manager, Rob Baird, is great at his job. He moved our project along smoothly, even when dealing with delays due to COVID. Rob was patient and responsive to our (ok…mostly my husband’s) many texts asking for updates and status. We were very impressed with how well Rob kept track of the many moving parts…and were happy with his willingness to make changes when we wanted upgrades, or when we had a few hiccups. Rob was always pleasant, responsive, and very easy to work with. We already miss seeing him in our back yard!

We are truly delighted with everyone at TCP for making our patio building experience painless and pleasant. We really enjoyed meeting everyone who worked on our patio, and are humbled by the expertise and professionalism. We will think of TCP fondly while enjoying our wonderful new space for years to come.” ~TCP Customer

To see more of this project, click here!

There’s more where that came from, too! Please peruse our gallery on Houzz, we have over 100 “5 star ratings” from happy customers spanning Houston to Dallas!

Halloween costumes are meant to be scary, not dreaming about your outdoor patio! If you find yourself thinking about building, but are held back by budget, let us help you relax and take a few thing into consideration!

An enjoyable outdoor living space is a must-have for most people here in Texas – we are able to spend just about every day outside without too much trouble.  Of course it does get a little toasty in the summer, but with the right design and ample shade even the summer heat can be beat.  For many, the singular thing that holds us back when making big decisions is something called … moolah.  But with the right budget, a good plan and the perfect builders, your outdoor oasis is actually within reach!

Budgeting for your outdoor living space is actually easier than you may think.  We have built outdoor living spaces with just about every single budget in mind.  We put together a quick guide that will you have you well on your way to building out your outdoor space.  So get ready to start planning, building and living (outside)!

How to budget for your outdoor living space …

How big of an area is considered ample?

Whether you are wanting a covered patio, a pergola, a sunroom or a screened in porch about 300 square feet is average. If you go much smaller than that, you will feel cramped and will not have enough room for both a dining area and a sitting area. The cost for something that size would start around 35K – Sunrooms would be more due to windows and inside wall finishes.

What are items that would affect this budget?

* Type and configuration of your home – 1 Story homes usually run more because the roof tie-in is more complicated.

* Do you have concrete already? Having an existing patio or other flat surface will lower your cost… unless you want something more than a standard brushed concrete surface. Upgraded surfaces – stamped concrete, tile, travertine, stone pavers means your cost will increase.

* Type of columns – do you have any existing columns on your home? If so, you may want to match them – are they brick or stone? That will be an added cost because a standard column is wrapped with hardie board and painted to match your home’s paint color.

*Ceiling finish – Like the columns a standard ceiling is just hardie plank painted to match your home’s soffit. If you want a different look, you can go with cedar or stained tongue and groove, you will need to add some to your budget.

* Electrical matters – a basic project does include running electricity for recessed lights and ceiling fans as well as wiring for a TV and sound system.

So, what does a 300 SF project with some of the upgraded options cost?

* With additional items such as those listed above, your 300 SF project would start around 40K – 45K.

What if I want to add an outdoor kitchen? Several things need to occur …

*Size of the space – to have adequate space to accommodate the added kitchen area, we suggest an area that is closer to 400 SF. So, that is an added cost to build your covered area.

*A basic kitchen – this is a tough question – you can have a small, very functional outdoor kitchen area that is in the 8 – 10 linear foot area. To get lots of prep and serving space, you may want to consider something that is closer to the 14-15 linear foot option. Our kitchens include a custom built counter area with granite, stacked stone, brick, or stucco, stainless steel appliances (grill, fridge, storage). The 8-10 linear foot kitchens would start around 15-20K, the larger kitchen would start around 20-25K.

Can it be bigger?

* Absolutely! We have built kitchens that are as large as 20-25 linear feet.

* What really affects the pricing of your outdoor kitchen?

Many things affect that – type and size of grill, choice of granite, propane or natural gas, raised bar top, type of side finishes, among other choices.

What about adding a fire feature?

*A fireplace – whether wood burning or natural gas – will generally add about 20-25K to your project. Your choice of stone, is there going to be a mantle, and how big will the hearth be all play key roles in the cost of the fireplace.

* A fire pit – again whether it is wood burning or natural gas – will add about 5-10K to your project. The size, shape and type of stone plays a part in the variance of the cost.

So as you can see … a lot goes into the prepping and planning when building something to any extent, but it CAN be done!  Take notes, let us know how we can help and we look forward to building something beautiful for you, but whatever you do… don’t be frightened, save that for Halloween!

In Texas, seasons blend together, not really ever knowing where one ends and the other begins. Lucky for us, it’s the perfect place to create a backyard oasis! Outdoor kitchens are heating up in popularity across the country, but for Texans it’s a great investment and something you can enjoy year round.

If you’re worried about space… don’t! An outdoor kitchen can be as simple as a small bbq pit with a tabletop counter surrounding for food prep, to a full-scale set-up with a sink, refrigerator, storage and multiple cooking appliances.

Everything from start to finish is fully customizable with Texas Custom Patios, it’s in our name and we stand behind that! We can lead you in the right direction to achieve exactly what you want with the space you have.

Grills and backyards in general aren’t what they used to be… now the world is your fire-grilled oyster, so have your cake and eat it too!

Our experienced personal project developers will work one-on-one with you to create a custom-designed outdoor kitchen that blends seamlessly with your home’s exterior.

You can choose stone, brick, or stucco finishes; and granite, tile, or concrete counters; but we’ll always use a high-quality framework underneath. We build all outdoor kitchens with tubular steel framing and fiber-cement sheathing to give you a durable, non-expansive, and heat-proof foundation.

What to consider…

For an outdoor kitchen space, there are a few key things:

• Built in propane or natural gas for a grill
• Work surface for prep.

If you want to take it up a notch:

• Sink
• Fridge
• Storage drawers
• Warming drawers
• Sideburner

Get fancy with it:

• Pizza oven
• Big Green Egg
• Kegerator
• Ice maker
• Built-in bar table / stools

Outdoor kitchens are meant to be fun and functional, to graze our outdoor kitchen gallery, click here!

Positioning is everything…

When it comes to picking out a spot for your outdoor kitchen, there are a few things to think about:

• Sunlight
• Wind
• Access to the indoor kitchen

Outdoor kitchens flow nicely when there is a solid straight wall to position the kitchen along and that can be easily covered by a roof extension or stand alone cover. Providing “shelter” for your kitchen will make for a more comfortable cooking experience and keep your appliances and materials nicer and for longer.

Just like the indoor kitchen is where everyone gathers, the outdoor kitchen is the same! So you want to make sure it’s as spacious as possible so that you get 5 stars when it comes to socializing in your backyard paradise. Many like the indoor/outdoor feel, so adding seamless folding doors will help achieve that open concept.

Spacing….

We will definitely help with this and can design something that looks great and works well with your space. We put these things into consideration:

• Prep area
• Cooking area
• Cleaning area
• Dining area

Whether it’s an intimate dinner with the family or a larger gathering with friends, we will want to maximize the space so that no one feels cramped. And just a reminder, smaller spaces can accommodate a kitchen, too.

Recommended materials….

• Stainless steel
• Carbon steel
• Brick
• Stone
• Composite for surfaces
• Cast iron
• Concrete

Just stay away from marble and other porous surfaces, they are hard to keep clean, sanitized and unstained.

Outdoor Kitchen Costs…

And last but not least (we know you were thinking it)! After your project developer visits with you, 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 10 days. 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 a meeting with you to go over your proposal and answer any questions. Once we have signed a contract, you and your project team will arrange to view samples and make final selections for your project. Your budget is top of mind because remember, we want you to have your cake and eat it too! Cheers!

Click here to discover details about this beautifully completed modern outdoor living project.

Click here to discover details about this beautiful modern/transitional outdoor living project.

Customizing your patio isn’t just a great way to enjoy your outdoor space, it’s also a terrific way to showcase your style. The three owners of Houston-based Texas Custom Patios, husband and wife Rob and Katherine Douglass and Steven Schell, have learned an array of techniques for maximizing any outdoor space. They’ve discovered that the best patio designs are a blend of a home’s architecture and the owners’ personal style.

Creating the market. In 2004, Rob Douglass saw an opportunity. Working for the YMCA and living in Fort Bend County, he noticed “a lot of rooftops going up,” he says. “Although the new homes were on decent-sized lots, the new backyards had a 10-by-10 slab and not much else.” Douglass realized he could create a specialized service designing and building outdoor living spaces, dining areas and kitchens. He brought his wife, Katherine, on as partner and then enlisted the help of YMCA co-worker Schell.

Your new favorite room. In the ensuing 15 years, the company has grown to include offices in Houston and now Dallas. The team has created an array of outdoor living rooms, customized kitchen spaces, dining and living rooms with outdoor entertainment centers, as well as customized pool houses. “We’ve learned from all the mistakes,” says Schell, who has a background in architectural drafting as well as his on-the-job experience. “We spend a lot of time designing and building each job and have gotten pretty good at it. We can give our customers a good assessment on how and what they should do.”

Ready to fully customize your patio? 

1. Extend Your Home’s Architecture

“A typical outdoor project gives people 500 square feet of shade and adds a dining space and a lounging space,” Douglass says. “We can also add kitchens and fire features, but our main goal is to match those outdoor rooms to the home’s original style.”

The patio of this Houston brick traditional home was created by extending the home’s wide overhanging roof line and then matching the trim detail of the original structure. The team added Craftsman-style columns and coffered ceilings with oversize beams to the roof’s interior. Two new French doors provide easier access to the outdoor space from inside. “The owners really liked the mix of the brick and the white wood,” Douglass says.

2. Make It Your Own

Designing a patio provides a great opportunity to design and build a new favorite room. “Most people really enjoy the opportunity to customize the space to reflect their style,” Schell says. This Houston pool house was originally designed to be an open porch with a contemporary flair. “It was partially enclosed,” Schell says. “However, the owners wanted both a fireplace and custom kitchen.”

Schell designed a waterfall island wrapped in white oak for the kitchen, then used large terrazzo tiles as a backsplash. He finished the floor with Pennsylvania bluestone. In the sitting area, a contemporary gas fireplace features ceramic fire balls. The owners liked the resulting space so much, they decided to transform it into a full pool house that could be used all year. Schell added glass windows and accordion-style glass doors.

3. Take Up Some Space

For comfort’s sake, don’t skimp on space. “In the initial planning stage, we ask in-depth questions,” Douglass says. “It’s important to consider exactly how someone plans to use a space.” By getting into the nitty-gritty of how many people will sit at a dining table, for example, or whether a family entertains a lot, the team can plan for the appropriate amount of square footage. “If you want an outdoor kitchen, you’ll need enough space to move around,” Douglass says. “You don’t want to be backing into the grill, for example.”

This 850-square-foot patio in Houston is ideal for entertaining. The natural stone work area includes a grill and a power burner for crawfish. Both the lounge and dining table can accommodate up to 10 guests. The white brick walls and tile floor are offset by a dark wood tongue-and-groove ceiling.

For more information or examples of Texas Custom Patios’ work, visit the Houzz profile.

This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.