Usually, yes — unless the site needs retaining walls or significant grading. A ground-level patio needs no railing and no elevated framing, and railing and decking are two of the most expensive parts of a deck. Most homeowners assume the opposite.
Usually, yes. It's one of the most common things homeowners get wrong before they call us.
A deck needs footings, framing, decking, and railing, and decking and railing are two of the most expensive line items in outdoor construction. A patio at ground level needs none of the railing and none of the elevated structure.
The exception is site work. If the yard slopes enough to need retaining walls, or the area needs significant grading before anything can be built, a patio can catch up to a deck or pass it. That's something we can only judge by walking the property, and it's one of the first things we look at.
It mostly comes down to how the house sits on the lot. If the back door is close to grade, a patio is the natural choice. If the main floor sits well above the yard, or the house has a walkout basement, a deck gets you outside at the level you actually live on.
On a lot of properties the answer is both — a deck off the kitchen door that steps down to a patio, with the cooking and dining on one level and the gathering space on the other. Designing them together is what makes them read as one space rather than two projects.
Usually, yes — unless the site needs retaining walls or significant grading. A ground-level patio needs no railing and no elevated framing, and railing and decking are two of the most expensive parts of a deck. Most homeowners assume the opposite.
It depends on how the house sits on the lot. If the back door is close to grade, a patio is the natural choice; if the main floor sits well above the yard, a deck usually makes more sense. On many properties Whitmer Decks designs both together, with a deck stepping down to a patio.
There's no honest single number, because site work — grading, drainage, and retaining walls — changes the cost more than size does. Whitmer Decks designs to your budget during a consultation at the property rather than publishing ranges.
Yes, and it's often simpler than putting one on a deck. The slab carries the weight without structural work, and utilities can be trenched. Whitmer Decks frequently builds kitchens on a patio beside a deck.
Yes. Whitmer Decks builds pavilions and installs Pergolux pergolas and StruXure Cabana X louvered systems over patios.
Yes. Whitmer Decks builds year-round.
Call (703) 425-DECK or request a consultation through the website. A Whitmer Decks designer visits the property, talks through how you plan to use the space, and designs to your budget.
