Stamped Concrete vs Pavers for a Patio: What I’d Tell My Past Self

Stamped Concrete vs Pavers for a Patio: What I'd Tell My Past Self

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Three years ago, I made a $6,800 mistake in my backyard. I was deep in the research rabbit hole on the stamped concrete vs pavers patio debate, I had gotten three contractor quotes, and I made a rushed decision because my … Read more

My Deck Inspection Nightmare and the Rebuild That Made Everything Right

My Deck Inspection Nightmare and the Rebuild That Made Everything Right

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I still get a little knot in my stomach when I think about that Tuesday morning last spring. A home inspector was crouched under my deck, flashlight in hand, and every few seconds I could hear him muttering something I couldn’t … Read more

How I Added 400 Square Feet of Patio for Under $2,000 Using Concrete Pavers

How I Added 400 Square Feet of Patio for Under $2,000 Using Concrete Pavers

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Let me tell you about the day I accidentally ordered enough concrete pavers to build a modest airport runway. I was deep in research mode on a DIY concrete paver patio budget project — coffee in hand, spreadsheet open, feeling extremely … Read more

Composite vs Wood Decking: 5 Years Later, I Finally Know Which Was Right

Composite vs Wood Decking: 5 Years Later, I Finally Know Which Was Right

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Five years ago, I almost ruined my marriage over a deck. I know how that sounds, but hear me out. My husband Kevin and I had saved up $14,000 to build our dream backyard deck, and we could not agree on … Read more

Building My First Deck: What YouTube Didn’t Tell Me (But You Should Know)

Building My First Deck: What YouTube Didn't Tell Me (But You Should Know)

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Let me paint you a picture: it’s a Saturday morning in June, I’m standing in my backyard surrounded by $1,400 worth of pressure-treated lumber, I’ve watched approximately 47 YouTube tutorials, and I am absolutely, completely, catastrophically lost. I had gone into … Read more