I want a patio in my backyard. How hard is it to DIY? Should I get it professionally done?
Question:If getting it profesionally done, what is a good price? If doing it myself, what do I need to know that the instructions on the bag won't tell you?
Answers:
We just did this and it was costly, but it wasn't even 1/5 of the cost if a professional had done it. So DIY would would be much cheaper and done just as nice. We made a 15X30 brick patio...but you mention BAG instructions. Are you only making a cement patio or a brick patio?
A cement patio needs expansion gaps cause it will expand in the winter and contract in the summer which causes cracks in the cement, if you don't add the gaps.
A brick patio is much better looking...and not very costly. But be more specific cause it would have to be in great detail on advising you on this. So I won't continue unless you can expand your question...That would help, thank you.
depends on what your trying to do but ither way ask at homedepot or lowes they have free class all the time on things like that i did a concrete pad it was easy and i built a wood deck ground level a peace of cake just ask them it was easy an fun to. Good Luck
With all due respect since you don't detail your preferences, sizes, materials, etc. I'd suggest a slab; certainly if your desire is to stay at or near ground level.
Instructions on a bag? Hmmm. You won't be "Pouring" a slab very effectively using bagged product, unless you have a patio building party with a few people assigned to the different tasks through the various stages.
You also might need to pull permits? You should no the frost line in your zone, and codes for slab or Timber construction.
As a DIY certainly the job can be done. I can't know your commitment to making it happen as a DIY but I never discourage anyone from the attempt.
Consider this in the BAG thing you mention. A Home store like HD or Lowes sells premix, which is my choice, and specific to your needs. Usually in 65 pound bags. It also defines the coverage area that bag will allow, depending on thickness of a job (Patio, no less than 4 inches). Doing the math you can determine (by your choice of size, how many bags it might take, how rapid the mix/set time can be/how many people you'd need mixing, delivering, pouring screeding, floating, etc.
HD and Lowes also RENT mixers for large projects.
The Prep is most important as well. Grading/ leveling/ framing the site.
Good Price is subjective and relative to what you want, and the company that does it, as licensed, bonded, insured, with some decent warrantee after the fact.
What's also relative is the design you have in mind. Raised, lumber patios can be multiple levels. A slab still offers the ability to add raised decking sections, and might be the way to begin rather than post holes, concrete footers, pier blocks, and 4 x 4 post supports.
Steven Wolf
Patio in a bag? you mean concrete? Simple. you have to be ready for the concrete. Get "How to build your own patio" books for the pictures and ideas.
Need more information, size, type of materials you wish to use, amount of existing ground to be dug out or removed ar amount to be added. Will extra drainage be needed to keep are surrounding patio dry. I would suggest having about 3 landscape contractors give you bids for the type and size of patio you wish. A basic concrete patio of 8x8 would cost approx 1000 to have done. If you wish something bigger with a paver type of material you could run into the several thousands.
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