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Updated: 10:17 p.m. Friday, June 8, 2012 | Posted: 6:16 p.m. Friday, June 8, 2012

10 simple ways to improve your patio

From cleanups to fire pits, changes come in a range of prices. ‘It’s all about living outside.’

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10 simple ways to improve your patio photo
This patio project was completed by Vogue Home Renovations in Middletown.
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10 simple ways to improve your patio photo
An outside fire area adds character to a patio and is a place to enjoy time with family and friends.

By Jacqui Boyle

Staff Writer

Summer is a perfect time to upgrade your outdoor patio, experts say.

National Homeownership Month is celebrated in June, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

The month highlights the role homeownership plays in improving lives, creating jobs and strengthening communities, according to the Ohio Housing Finance Agency.

NAHB conducts a quarterly survey of remodelers that serves as the basis for its Remodeling Market Index.

Asked about the most common remodeling jobs for their companies in 2011, respondants to the NAHB’s 2012 first-quarter survey said:

• 78 percent of remodelers said bathrooms.

• 69 percent of remodelers answered kitchens.

• 21 percent of remodelers surveyed answered decks.

• 19 percent responded enclosed/added porch.

Kent Sherry, executive director of the Building Industry Association of Clark County in Springfield, said that in the sluggish economy, many people locally are holding onto their homes and upgrading their outdoor features.

“Renovating areas like the patio and upgrading the recreational facilities at home, we’re seeing a lot of this happening,” Sherry said.

John Adams, president and owner of Vogue Home Renovations in Middletown, said outdoor patio upgrades improve the exterior visually and increase the house’s value.

“You will relax and enjoy and use your porch more with improvements,” he said.

Victor Rooney, a sales representative at Greater Dayton Building & Remodeling in Dayton, said outdoor living has taken on a “new persona.”

“It’s all about living outside, instead of just going outside,” Rooney said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2122 or Jacqueline.Boyle@coxinc.com.

THE TEN TIPS TO IMPROVE PATIO:

1 Clean and seal your patio. You can get sealers in a semigloss or high-gloss finish. This project may cost under $100.

2 Improve the landscaping around your patio. Plant flower beds and shrubbery, and add mulch, to separate the grass from the patio area. This project will make the patio feel larger, and will give texture and definition to the patio and lawn. This project may cost under $100.

3 Add colorful wind chimes to your patio for about $200.

4 Purchase large hanging baskets for your patio. These items are “a big fad” now, said Darren Hoelle, owner of Hoelle Construction in Hamilton. Buying four to six of these baskets should cost about $200.

5 Build a water fountain. Buy a water garden with a small pump, and add rocks, pebbles and wood. This project may cost about $500.

6 Build a fire pit. This is an inexpensive way to add character to your patio and to enjoy time outside throughout the year. A fire pit can be built using flagstone, boulders, brick or block for less than $500.

7 Build concrete seat walls. A series of cast concrete steps and low retaining walls designed at seat height provide both an appealing design and seating areas. This project may cost less than $500.

8 Illuminate your patio with outdoor solar lighting. This will add “personality and ambiance” to your outdoor area, said Dino Laventzis, owner of DHI Builders (Designer Homes Ind) in Springfield. This project may cost about $700.

9 Create a grill island for entertaining guests or enjoying a quiet dinner. A grill island is a stationary structure that provides space for a gas grill and counters. This project may cost $1,000 and up.

10 Build an open trellis roof to provide shade for your patio. This project may cost about $2,000.

Sources:

• Victor Rooney, sales representative, Greater Dayton Building & Remodeling, Dayton

• Dino Laventzis, owner, Designer Homes Ind Builders, Springfield

• Kent Sherry, executive director, Building Industry Association of Clark County, Springfield

• John Adams, president and owner, Vogue Home Renovations, Middletown

• Darren Hoelle, owner, Hoelle Construction, Hamilton

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