If you are like many people in the Vancouver area you may have noticed you have slowly outgrown your home over the years. Selling your home and finding a new one is not only a hassle but can be extremely costly for you too. Even putting on an addition can take a big bite out of your budget. So what is a person supposed to do? The answer to that may be increasing your living space by adding an affordable custom decking option to your home.

Most people are not aware of all the ways that creative deck design can add to the usable space outside your home. Fortunately, your options in most cases are only limited by your imagination. Custom decking options are built to last, look great and much more affordable than many people think. A custom deck design will get you that extra space you crave without having to move or tear down walls.

Here are some great looking decking ideas that will add to the functional and usable space around your home:

Platform Deck

Believe it or not, even something as simple as a plain wood or synthetic deck can increase the living space around your home. It is an extremely cost effective option for adding space. It will provide you with an area to set up your portable grill, an area to add chairs for sitting and even give you a place where you can put down a blanket and catch some sun.

Platform decks are usually built in one of two main ways:

Attached
This is by far the most popular choice in custom decking. These are usually built coming off a main access point on the back of your house such as a patio door or sliding glass doors off a family room. The advantage of these is they can be built fully enclosed so if the access point is shut off it restricts entry. Platform decks are not restricted to ground level either as they can easily be attached to upper stories of your home.

Free standing/Floating/Detached Deck
These are just a few of the terms that are associated with a deck that is not attached to your home in any way. They are much more practical than you might think and they add a lot of flexibility to your deck building choices. They can be set near your house and incorporated into such things as a fire pit or than can be built further away from your house to give you a more peaceful and serene setting to unwind.

Living Room Extension

This is a great idea for adding extra living space if you have an entrance off of your living room or want to add one. You can really do a lot with this type of extra space that will make it a good looking extension of your living room. Examples of things that can be done with a living room extensions are adding in custom seating and built-in tables or you can even add lighting and sound systems too.

Master Bedroom Extension

Over the years the size of the furniture in your bedroom has probably grown but the size of the room itself has not. That can be a big problem for you and your significant other. If this statement describes the current status of your bedroom then you should consider adding an affordable deck extension off of it. You can make this a sitting and reading area or take it a step further and use your deck extension as romantic setting to install a new hot tub.

Wraparound Porch

These have been used to extend living spaces in homes for hundreds of years now across North America. They essentially are a covered deck that adds a few meters of room all the way along one or more walls of your home. This additional spaced can be used for sitting, hanging a hammock, installing a swing and many other things too. It can also be a great place to cool off on a hot summer night or pass the time talking with family and friends.

Hot tub Entertainment Area

Do you own a portable spa or are thinking about buying one? Then why settle for having just a spa when you can make it a part of an outdoor entertainment area. You can sink the hot tub into a deck or build a tiered platform up around it. Once you do this you can use the surrounding area for sitting, entertaining or as your own private place to relax. Your spa will no longer be something you just get in and out of but it will become a part of an area outside of your home where it is fun to hangout.

Garden Sitting Area

This can be a great idea for a detached deck. If you are into plants and gardening you can have a detached deck or island designed for you that will give you the peaceful and tranquil setting you have always craved. You can add benches or other seating where you can sit an unwind reading or just enjoy the stress free feeling of being among nature.

Outdoor Kitchen/Barbeque

Many people have small deck or concrete patio areas where they have a barbeque grill set up but why limit yourself to just that. With a nice expanded deck area for grilling you will have space to sit, eat and entertain. You can even be as elaborate as having other appliances built in besides just your grill too. This is a great idea if you have a swimming pool nearby or like to spend time outdoors no matter what season it is.

Lanai

These are essentially decks that have a screen house built over them. They are very popular in homes that have a swimming pool in the backyard. Lanai are great for helping you to enjoy your extended outdoor living space without having to worry about being constantly bothered by bugs.

How we can help

Our outstanding deck design team at XMT Construction has for a number of years been helping people in the Greater Vancouver area build beautiful decks that greatly expand their living. Best of all, with our experience and creativity we can help you design a deck that not only looks great but fits your budget too. There is no longer a good reason for you to stay feeling cramped and limited by the lack of space in your own home.

So give us a call at 604-329-6561 or use our convenient form to request a free quote see how we can help you get that extra living space you need without having to go through a whole lot of trouble and expense to do it.