New Construction Backyard Planning: Why Your Patio Cover Should Come Before Concrete
New construction homes often come with a blank backyard. As they plan out their new yard, many homeowners rush into concrete or hardscaping first. While this may seem like the natural first step, planning your patio cover before concrete can save time, money, and frustration. Let’s dig into why this is and what steps to take to minimize stress and maximize enjoyment of your new construction backyard.
How a Patio Cover Impacts Your Backyard Layout
In Southern California, the year-round sun exposure and heat make shade essential, not optional. Aluminum patio covers offer a low-maintenance, long-term solution for consistent outdoor comfort. Additionally, patio covers are a value add to your home, with greater curb appeal and desirability when thoughtfully planned, rather than tacked on as an afterthought.
Your new patio cover will create a focal point for the backyard, so when planning a backyard layout, finalizing your patio cover design, size, and location is a crucial first step, as these elements will dictate how and where your outdoor space will be laid out. By creating an intentional design plan, secondary elements like concrete, lighting, and landscaping can feel more cohesive and complementary. By planning for shade first, you’ll get maximum usage out of your space by having a plan for furniture placement and flow that is ideal for your lifestyle.
Additionally, roofline, post placement, and size affect concrete layout. This is another reason that the patio cover should come before concrete, since designing concrete around the cover creates a cleaner, more intentional look.
Planning Tips for New Construction Homeowners
If you’re planning on installing a patio cover on your new construction home, coordinate with your team early in the process. Carefully consider the size, style, and finish early on, so your outdoor space can truly be an extension of your home.
At the end of the day, while a patio cover can be added after concrete, or even years down the line, planning a patio cover as one of the first steps of your new yard can save you time, money, and headaches in the long run.
Ready to Start Your Patio Plan?
Schedule a commitment free consultation to connect with our team of patio cover specialists and see how we can help you transform your outdoor space into one that will be enjoyed for years to come!