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1412 West 6th Street, Austin, Texas 78703Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.Registered limited liability company · TX SOS file no. 000000Lead-Safe Certified Firm (RRP) · US Cert. no. 000000VerifyGeneral liability insurance
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Hilliard & Doshi Design-BuildAustin, Texas
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Outdoor living

Outdoor rooms, built for a long summer

A covered patio or a screened porch is used most of the year in Austin, and it is built like a room: a footing, a frame, a roof and a plan for the water.

We draw the roof, the fans, the lighting and the outdoor kitchen together, and where possible tie them to the house so they look original.

Included in the scope

  • Footings and framing, designed for the soil

  • Roof, ceiling, fans and lighting

  • Screens, doors and railings

  • Outdoor kitchens, gas and electric

  • Stone, tile and wood decks and floors

  • Permits and final inspection

Start with the binder
Covered outdoor kitchen and patio beside a modern pool

What changes the price

What moves the cost on this kind of job

No figure here, because the same room costs very different amounts in different houses. The binder puts a number on yours.

  • Covered or open

    A solid roof costs more than a pergola, and it carries a permit, but it's the one you'll use in July.

  • Screens and sun

    Orientation decides where the sun and the rain come from, and which side needs the screen or the shade.

  • Outdoor kitchens

    Gas, water and power run to the spot, so the kitchen's location is a plumbing decision as much as a design one.

  • The ground

    Clay soil moves. Footings and slabs are designed for it, and drainage is drawn so water leaves the structure.

How it goes

The order the work happens in

  1. 01

    Step 1: The binder

    Plan, roof, utilities, selections, schedule and the maximum price.

  2. 02

    Step 2: Permits

    Covered structures need a permit, and we apply.

  3. 03

    Step 3: Footings and frame

    The foundation, posts and roof framing.

  4. 04

    Step 4: Roof, screens and utilities

    Roofing, then the gas, water and electrical runs.

  5. 05

    Step 5: Finishes

    Ceilings, floors, fans, lights, screens and doors.

  6. 06

    Step 6: The walk-through

    The whole space, with fans and lights on.

Permits and rules

Permits and rules for outdoor structures

A roofed porch or patio generally needs a building permit, and it counts toward the lot's impervious-cover limit. Gas and electric runs need their own permits.

We check setbacks and cover on the survey before the design is drawn, since they decide how large the structure can be.

Examples

Sample work of this kind

Sunroom with patterned tile floor, dining set and sliding glass doors
Sunroom with a patterned tile floor
Sunroom addition with ceiling fan, tile floor, dining table and sitting area
Sunroom addition tied to the house
Screened porch with carpet, white paneling and lounge chairs
Screened porch with white paneling

Sample photos.

Questions

Questions about this kind of project

Does a screened porch need a permit?

Usually, when it has a roof. We check the lot's rules in the binder phase.

Can an outdoor kitchen use gas?

Yes, with a permit and a licensed plumber. Electric is the other option, and we draw whichever you prefer.

Will the porch match the house?

That is a design decision. We draw the roof and the trim to the existing house.

What about the heat?

Ceiling fans, a high ceiling and good shade do most of the work. We draw them in at the start.

Want to build a room outside?

Tell us about the yard, and what you'd like to do in it. We'll tell you what it takes.

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