Deck the Halls! Making the Most of Your Outdoor Space

Annemarie Diaz • December 20, 2023

Many of the homeowners we meet with are looking for insights and ideas to make better use of their outdoor space, from a simple deck to indoor/outdoor areas like screened in porches and functioning outdoor kitchens with sinks, cooktops, wet bars and pizza ovens, so many options to enjoy our beautiful Central Texas weather while adding value to your home!

The Great Outdoors

It is always a good time to refresh the outdoor space and make full use of everything a property has to offer. This can be done in various ways, whether it be by creating a strictly functional space, a personal oasis, a social hub, or bringing the indoors outside.


While December may seem like an odd time to be thinking about your new deck or patio - it actually is the perfect time to get started with design and permitting so that your new outdoor space will be ready for spring. Check out a few of our finished projects below for ideas and inspiration of what could be possible for your own home!

Functional Spaces

Functional outdoor spaces are becoming more and more popular, especially in our post-pandemic era, the most common example being your basic family-friendly deck. These can be one-level or multi-level spaces that provide comfortable seating for the whole family plus guests, and can also incorporate storage space, and outdoor dining.


Outdoor kitchens are increasing in popularity as well. The kitchen as indoor social hub can also apply to the outdoors. Outdoor kitchens almost always feature a grill with built-in drawers or cabinets for storing cooking utensils and dishware. Higher budget outdoor kitchens may also include plumbed sinks for cleanup and drinking water access, a refrigerator, and maybe adding on a smoker or pizza oven.


Aside the kitchen one may want a covered outdoor living room with cozy seating around a firepit or outdoor coffee table. We love the tables with built-in fireplaces, perfect for setting a favorite beverage down while roasting one’s marshmallow!  Another popular option for these spaces is to install a wall mounted television for watching the game or holding family movie nights.

The Big Sliding Door

They are trendy and they are not cheap, but everyone loves a big door! The bigger the better, with bold bronze or black finishes, sometimes replacing entire exterior walls to create a breathtaking view to the outdoors (preferably visible when guests enter the home). Pricing for these large doors varies greatly depending on the configuration of the door (the number of operable panels). Think about how the space will be used and accessed, and consider whether you really need a full multipaneled sliding door, or if a door with sidelights (picture windows) can provide the views you desire at a more economical price point.

Backyard Oasis

The privacy of a backyard setting is the perfect foundation for building a personal and family oasis. Every homeowner can reimagine their backyard space in a different way, and that is an essential part of the magic. Some people choose to create a wide open, sunny space with an in-ground pool; garden lovers can create extensive networks of edible and decorative plants that will keep their hands dirty all season; and less outdoorsy folks may be looking for a covered patio with full bar and a large screen TV with sports on 24-7. 


Another wonderful idea is to have an intimate and tranquil space for reading and recuperating. Low-maintenance shrubbery, small trees, maybe a serene water feature, can transform any backyard space into the perfect relaxation zone. 

To Cover or not to Cover

“Is it better to cover the deck or leave uncovered?” Both! Covered space is of course going to be much more usable in the Texas summer, add a ceiling fan and a few lights and a covered patio can be used in most seasons. That said, some of us love the sun and also want a portion of space allocated to catching some Vitamin D when it isn’t 105 degrees out! Balancing priorities is a key need when thinking of how to best use that space. Also consider the position of the sun at different times of the day when thinking about what areas you may want to leave uncovered.

Convert to Conditioned Space

Families can grow for a number of reasons: a new baby being born, adult children may need to come back home or simply visit, and aging parents may move in if they need assistance during retirement and beyond. Many homeowners also reach out to us to provide consultation on options to covert outdoor spaces like covered patios into an additional room, creating a relatively inexpensive way to add interior square footage and functionality to the home. 

Final Thoughts

We love a well curated outdoor or indoor-outdoor space! The options are nearly limitless: with the right design plan and the right crew to bring it to life, every homeowner will fall in love with their space all over again. One does need to be aware of restrictions that may exist in different cities as well as restrictions or approvals needed by Homeowner Associations, and also to be aware of appropriate materials selections for safe use of the outdoor area. Many jurisdictions will require engineering design as part of their approval process, and even if not in a City jurisdiction it is wise to have formal structural plans to ensure the safety and longevity of your outdoor investment. 


Contact us to learn more about how you can better take advantage of outdoor spaces!

Stability and Durability Start with a Solid Foundation: The TRS Build Approach

By Annemarie Diaz • March 10, 2025
The home foundation - one of the unsung heroes of new construction! It lacks the natural beauty of a hardwood ceiling, the refined finish of fine tile, the sparkle of a new quartz counter. It has its brief but fabulous moment as the star of the show when first breaking ground, then is soon covered by beautiful things that will carry all of the attention and applause. A good foundation's raison d'etre is to be forgotten below the beauty and never thought of again. But as builders we know, that massive block of cement (or collection of piers and beams) is one of the most crucial components of a new home or home addition, and deserves consideration as well for a major home remodel. When embarking on any home project, a key player in the final product that cannot be overlooked is the foundation. At TRS Build , we understand that a strong foundation is, literally ... the cornerstone of every successful new build and home addition. Whether you’re adding a room to your home, undertaking a complete remodel, or building from the ground up, the foundation ensures the long-term stability and durability of your entire project. In this blog post, we’ll explain why stability and durability begin with a solid foundation, and how we make sure the foundation of every TRS Build project is done right.

Why is it important to hire a NARI contractor?

By Annemarie Diaz, UDCP • February 3, 2025
My husband (who is also my business partner, apparently we truly can’t get enough of each other!) frequently says that we will become like the five people we spend the most time with, that we are shaped by the environment we choose to immerse ourselves in, and more importantly, the people in that environment. I think the same is true of our companies. That is why at TRS Build we choose to surround ourselves with fellow members of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) . I was reminded of that this month during our Austin NARI Builder and Developer Roundtable meeting where I had the opportunity to engage with like-minded business owners, exchange ideas on what is working best to deliver to our clients, employees, and tradespeople, and I could personally share from our SERVICE value focus and the importance of trust and remaining trustworthy to our clients and team. We choose to spend time with other NARI members because they run reputable businesses, provide amazing results, and like ourselves, invest in knowing other reputable contractors and finding opportunities for us to learn from one another. Each of our companies is different in our value proposition and project focus, but we are all the same in our drive to raise the bar on customer experience and affirm the trust we have established over years or even decades of delivering to homeowners in and around Austin.

Can We Add a Second Floor? Of Course!

By Annemarie Diaz, UDCP • November 20, 2024
Many homeowners come to us with the question: “Can we add a second floor onto our one story home?” Our answer? "Of Course!"... though there are some important considerations to keep in mind from the start.
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