Patio and Pool Project Planning Resources
Before getting started, it’s important to prepare for the journey you are about to embark on. We hope these resources will help as you begin to plan your project.
Budgeting for Your Swimming Pool Project: A Detailed Breakdown
Budgeting for Your Swimming Pool Project: A Detailed Breakdown
In this guide, we’ll break down the various elements that contribute to the total cost of a pool project—from structural engineering to landscaping—so you can see how each part contributes to creating a stunning, long-lasting pool environment.
10 Tips for Keeping Your Pool Project on Budget
10 Tips for Keeping Your Pool Project on Budget
Gunite and Fiberglass swimming pools are the most expensive feature you can include in your outdoor living space. Because of this, outdoor renovation projects that include a pool have escalating costs and a tendency to go over budget. If you're like most homeowners, staying on budget is essential. In this guide, we provide 10 tips for keeping your pool project on budget.
Estimating Third-Party Designs
Estimating Third-Party Designs
At Outdoor Dreams, we occasionally receive inquiries from homeowners or designers asking if we can provide an estimate based on plans that have already been developed by another architect, landscape architect, or designer. While the answer is yes, it’s important to understand that our approach is different from a traditional contractor's—and it comes with a $1,500 fee. Here's why...
due Diligence Items
Gather These Before You Start
Inspiration photos. Spend some time gathering photos of outdoor projects you like (or dislike). These will help you visually communicate ideas to your designer. Pinterest, Instagram, and Houzz are great places to browse, along with our project gallery.
Property plat. Your plat is the legal drawing of your property that shows your property lines, easements, setbacks, and other property constraints. This information may affect the design of your project and will likely be required for most HOA and building permit applications.
Home Owner Association (HOA) documents. If you have an HOA, review its design guidelines to see how they will impact your project. Make sure you understand how to apply for approval and how long it may take to complete the process.
Architectural drawings. Gather any architectural drawings for your house. This information will help your designer match or complement your home's existing materials and architectural details.
Get Started
No matter where you are in the process, we’d love to talk
