backyard patio - what would you do?
I would love to send some Franklins to whoever can help me sort out this project. First time doing something like this, and first post for me in this forum, but I am highly motivated. And, it shouldn't be too hard, I'd just like to do it correctly the first time!
I'd like to build a pavers stone patio off a cedar/trex porch (that is yet to be built) in our backyard, over the existing dirt, cut into the grass a bit, and possibly over an existing concrete patio that is roughly 10x26. The concrete meets up with the house foundation on one corner, and the slope of it away from the house is 1/8th inch every 4.3 feet. (not much slope huh?)
Please look over the yard photos and my loose sketch of where I'd like to place the patio. (notice I took out an old deck, and that is the old outline you see where the grass and dirt meet)
Some issues to consider/questions I'm wrestling with:
Sorry for the novel. I'll post progress photos as I go along with suggestions and figure this thing out. Oh if it helps the house is a colonial.
I would love to send some Franklins to whoever can help me sort out this project. First time doing something like this, and first post for me in this forum, but I am highly motivated. And, it shouldn't be too hard, I'd just like to do it correctly the first time!
I'd like to build a pavers stone patio off a cedar/trex porch (that is yet to be built) in our backyard, over the existing dirt, cut into the grass a bit, and possibly over an existing concrete patio that is roughly 10x26. The concrete meets up with the house foundation on one corner, and the slope of it away from the house is 1/8th inch every 4.3 feet. (not much slope huh?)
Please look over the yard photos and my loose sketch of where I'd like to place the patio. (notice I took out an old deck, and that is the old outline you see where the grass and dirt meet)
Some issues to consider/questions I'm wrestling with:
- concrete slope away from house is not quite where it should be, such as 1/4" to 1/8" per foot. It is 1/8th every 4+ ft. Can the slope of concrete be corrected?
- slope from house to grass is the same way. The middle of our backyard grass is only 2" shorter than the top of our foundation 30+ ft away. When the pavers meet the foundation, how high can they be placed? 2 inches from the top? I'd like them to be as high as possible so there is less digging as I go away from the house.
- Can the existing concrete be built onto it with a correct slope and also so that I can place pavers stone on top that leaves only about 2" to the foundation top, AND THEN extend the same pavers stone out the rest of the way using the preferred gravel/sand base method? Right now there is about 7 1/2" from top of foundation to the top of that stoooopid concrete patio.
- If not, can I at least make the pavers stone patio butt up against the existing concrete patio and stop, and then put a different material on top of the existing concrete patio? (slate, tile, more concrete?)
- Lastly, if you notice in my sketch, I'd like to build a wood pergola on top of the existing concrete patio, cover it, and put the hot tub and bbq underneath. It will be maybe 9ft x 25ft. Will building up the concrete with the correct slope and new top (slate/tile whatever) then be able to support the hot tub?
Sorry for the novel. I'll post progress photos as I go along with suggestions and figure this thing out. Oh if it helps the house is a colonial.