On those warm summer mornings, the temptation, always, is to take coffee outside to the porch. You can enjoy that little bit of peace and quiet before the day starts in earnest. Then, later on, once the kids are back from school, you know they’ll head back outside, and you’re certainly glad they do. But, of course, this is only possible when you have a porch that supports this kind of outdoor living. As Roanoke outdoor living builders, we have learned that the porches people love start with planning long before they start with lumber.
But porches are big projects, and they have to be designed with care. To design without a long-term plan is to invite trouble down the line. It’s not uncommon for porches to be made too small or with the wrong materials. Lighting and electrical are easy to overlook. And layouts that look good on paper don’t always pan out in reality.
In this article, we’ll talk about the ways homeowners can avoid making common mistakes in porch building.
The Design Mistakes Roanoke Outdoor Living Builders Plan Around
Perhaps the most common of mistakes when it comes to porch planning is to plan only for today. A porch designed for this summer can feel wrong by the next, especially once the kids are older or the furniture you pictured gives way to the furniture you later buy. We start at the kitchen table by asking what the next five years hold, so the porch will still suit you well after the first season is over.
Undersizing the footprint is a close second when it comes to common mistakes. Keeping a porch small is no doubt a fair way to hold down cost, and we certainly respect a budget. The trouble starts, however, when the planned furniture takes up the whole floor space and leaves no room to walk. This is why we size around how the space will be used, with a chair pulled out, a table in the middle, and room to pass behind.
The third big mistake is to forget about how people move about the porch. A porch where the path to the steps cuts straight through seating means no one can truly relax. We map traffic first, then we arrange furniture zones around it.
Where Roanoke Porch Construction Goes Sideways
The costliest mistakes when it comes to porch building come down to structural engineering. Porches tie right to the existing roof of the home, and that connection is going to determine whether the interior stays dry for the next twenty winters. A roof tie-in that isn’t properly handled can lead to leaks and sagging over time, both of which can be tremendously expensive to fix. Sound Roanoke porch construction lives in the flashing, the load path, and the footings set for our Indiana freeze and thaw.
This is why hiring a licensed and insured builder will outrank nearly any other choice you make. A DIY layout drawn over a weekend tends to ignore the slope of the yard and the easements on the lot, along with the lines of the house it attaches to. We work all of that into the plan before the first post goes into the ground. And if something goes wrong, that’s where the licensing and insurance come in, as they put the risk on us and not you.
Curious to learn more about what porch construction looks like in practice? You can see the range of what we build on our porches page, and we do this work for homeowners throughout Roanoke.
The Finishing Mistakes Roanoke Porch Builders Fix Early
Two more common missteps tend to show up near the end, and both are quite easy to avoid. The first is rushing material choice. A bargain board that warps or grays after a few seasons costs more in the long run than the right decking, posts, and ceiling chosen for our climate. This is why we’ll walk you through the options that match how you live and how much you want to spend.
The last is leaving lighting and electrical off the plan. Wiring added after the build becomes an expensive afterthought, so the Roanoke porch builders worth hiring rough it in early. It’s always prudent to plan for the fan you’ll want in August or the sconces you’ll use to light late dinners. Even outlets need to be placed with care, because it’s incredibly annoying to not be able to reach one when you need one.
If you want a place to gather ideas before we talk, our complementary design guide is a good place to start.
Let's Build Something Beautiful, Together
It would be our distinct pleasure to meet with you for a no-obligation complimentary design consultation. Call Craig Whitman, and his team, at 855-931-4746; or click this link right here to connect with us.
