Yard structure project — weighing options

April 23, 2017 10:41 AM

We have a wooden patio cover structure in our back yard that will need to be replaced soon (details within). We were hoping to do it as part of an overall yard renovation, but it looks like the timelines might not align very well. I'm trying to think through my options, and I'd love some advice.

This is one of those situations in which I think I know my options, but I don't really like any of them. So I'm asking the crowd for some wisdom, either in choosing the "least worst" option, or finding options I hadn't thought of. If you've been through similar projects, I'm especially interested in hearing your thoughts on this.

Our house came with a wooden patio cover structure (not quite sure that's the right term, but hopefully you get the idea) as a major feature of the back yard. It's on a concrete slab and our outdoor table and chairs are under it, so it's where we spend a lot of time when we're outside. To the best of our knowledge, the structure is about 20-25 years old, and it's beginning to show its age. When we bought the house we had some minor repairs done, and had it painted, and it looked pretty good. But now it's showing a lot of damage from dryrot, maybe some past termite activity, woodpeckers, and who knows what else. As far as I can tell the major structural pieces are sound, but a number of other pieces are visibly compromised, and a couple have even fallen off. It's starting to become an eyesore in an otherwise beautiful yard. And our yard is visible from a common area, so it's not just an eyesore to us (this also means that we have to comply with association rules in whatever we end up doing here).

So here's the dilemma. We have long been planning to replace the structure, but we want to do it as part of a major yard renovation, which could potentially include moving and changing the size and/or style of the structure. But that will be a large and expensive project, and we don't really feel ready to do it yet. For one thing, we try to limit ourselves to one major project per year, and we're already in the middle of one for this year. We don't want to replace the structure before doing the project, because we'll be forced to make decisions that will limit our options for the rest of the (not huge) yard. But leaving it as it is means that it will continue to look worse, and potentially become a safety hazard (or association complaint) at some point.

Here are the options as I see them.

1. Bite the bullet, break the bank, and do the yard project now, a year or two ahead of schedule. Pro: We get the yard we want, even sooner than expected. Con: I'm typically far too financially conservative to feel comfortable with spending this much on an unplanned non-emergency project.
2. Replace just the structure now. Pro: We can stop worrying about the structure and enjoy our yard. Con: We'll potentially be limiting our freedom and creativity for the larger renovation.
3. Leave it alone. Pro: Zero cost now, complete freedom to re-do the yard the way we want when we're ready. Con: It's going to continue to look worse and worse, and may become unsafe at some point.
4. Try to find someone who would be willing to attempt some bandaid repairs. Pro: We might get a few more years out of it, at much lower cost than replacing. Con: The process of repairing might destroy it, forcing our hand. Also I doubt that any major contractor would want this job, so we could have the work quality risk that comes with using a handyman who will take any job.
5. Tear it down now and live without a patio cover until we're ready to do the larger project. Pro: We can stop worrying about it, and still have freedom to re-do the yard the way we want. Con: Living without a patio cover for a year or two would suck, and I'm not sure the HOA would approve of this.

I really dislike all of these options. So I default to the "leave it alone" option, but I really worry about it suddenly getting worse at an inconvenient time.

Are there options I'm not thinking of? If you were in my shoes which choice would you make?

P.S. I'm pro-HOA, and happy with what our association does to keep the area looking nice, so no need for HOA bashing here. I want to work within their processes and rules.

posted by primethyme to Home & Garden (9 answers total)

Pictures would probably help. However, my advice is to check if the HOA would allow you to a) remove the structure and b) replace it with a temporary umbrella for shade, if that's what the structure is providing that you want.

Then make a comprehensive plan for a complete backyard renovation and start that when you're good and ready.
posted by lydhre at 11:04 AM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

What about getting aggressive with wood hardener and epoxy fillers, and then leave it for later?
posted by aramaic at 11:28 AM on April 23, 2017

Make the renovation plan now, rebuild the structure as appropriate, do the rest when you can afford it.

Since it's on a concrete slab, doesn't that limit your options anyway, or are you considering removing the slab?
posted by metasarah at 11:28 AM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Since it's on a concrete slab, doesn't that limit your options anyway, or are you considering removing the slab?

Sorry, I should have mentioned this. Yes, we are considering removing all concrete from the yard and starting over when we do the renovation. Ideally we'd like to have the yard be completely blank canvas when we renovate.
posted by primethyme at 12:04 PM on April 23, 2017

I think Metasarah's plan of making the plan and just doing the structure part of it is a win.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 12:35 PM on April 23, 2017

Of course, it is very hard to tell without looking at your structure, but if the structural parts are sound and you are just dealing with replacing some rotted or otherwise damaged pieces, this shouldn't be a big deal to repair so that it will last for another five years or so. Epoxy is an option too, for parts that are hard to replace.

You are right in that you probably don't want a big contractor to do this and you don't just want a general handyman. The person you want is a carpenter. A competent carpenter might cost you a little more, but not too much (say $250-$350 per day). I'd at least find a couple carpenters to come have a look at it and give you an idea on the cost to get it sorted out for a few more years.
posted by ssg at 1:40 PM on April 23, 2017

The word you are looking for is "pergola." I would say to get on a ladder and poke the major bits with a screwdriver. If the major structural parts are indeed fine, just ignore it for another year or two.
posted by rockindata at 3:40 PM on April 23, 2017 [1 favorite]

You could tear it down and use a fabric gazebo for shade until you redo the yard. Probably a structure that will stay up all summer will run you $500.
posted by crazycanuck at 4:42 PM on April 23, 2017

It sounds to me like maybe the purlins are rotting through and/or the fasteners have loosened. In that case, you might be able to put in some nails or tighten some screws. Any boards that are split should probably be removed. Is the structure wobbly? Are the footings still sound? I think if you were to remove it, if the footings are in the concrete or if there's a metal support at the base in the concrete, you might have trouble making that smooth and that would be a tripping hazard. So I wouldn't remove the structure without a plan to smooth or remove the footing and make a replacement. If you can entirely remove the footings and fill in or somehow smooth the area so it's not a trip hazard then I like the idea of a table umbrella as a near-term solution.
posted by amanda at 8:39 PM on April 23, 2017