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From Plans to Parties

It’s always great when your work pays off in earning more business – especially when you’re a local business owner that creates outdoor retreats for customers. So, when homeowner Meredith Shorkey noticed the customer profile that Duane Johns and his team at Advanced Renovations showcased in Urban Home Magazine, she knew they were the right people for the job to turn her dream of an outdoor living space into a reality.

It’s always great when your work pays off in earning more business – especially when you’re a local business owner that creates outdoor retreats for customers. So, when homeowner Meredith Shorkey noticed the customer profile that Duane Johns and his team at Advanced Renovations showcased in Urban Home Magazine, she knew they were the right people for the job to turn her dream of an outdoor living space into a reality.

Meredith reached out to architect Karen Barton and explained her vision of transforming the outdated and rarely used brick patio in her backyard into an outdoor sanctuary she and her husband could enjoy with their three boys. Karen put Meredith's vision onto paper and laid out plans that included demolishing theold patio and building a new space in its place. A breezeway would lead from the back door to a covered brick masonry structure that would include an outdoor fireplace with mounted TV and a grill, ample seating and room for entertaining family and friends.

After seeing Advanced Renovations work and hearing recommendations from several friends, she couldn’t wait to begin work with them. “I was very comfortable choosing Duane and his team at Advanced Renovations,” she adds. Seventeen years in the business means that Advanced Renovations has honed the turnkey service they’re known for. “It was during those first few years that we learned the importance of spending time on the front end of the project,” says Duane. “Time spent setting expectations of what the client wants in the space, alongside a proper budget is crucial.” Teamwork and collaboration between the client, architect and builder makes for a much smoother process and Duane knows this from experience. “It makes it much easier to manage expectations and keep a project on track and within budget when we all work closely with each other.”

The team made a few tweaks to the plans, including more cost effective options that everyone could agree on. Instead of the brick and stone masonry flooring, Duane opted for a Brazilian hardwood floor known for being naturally resistant to bugs, and a wood-burning fireplace instead of gas. A seating wall wraps around the open patio and barbeque grill and the covered space is flanked with a pine panel ceiling. A wrought iron table is perfect for eating the grill master’s menu and the flat screen television sits perfectly above the brick and slate accented fireplace. Plenty of seating creates a relaxing and comfortable lounge area that can be enjoyed year-round – an ideal spot for their annual Father/Son Oyster Roast that Steven and his sons host every Christmas. The project took just four short months to complete and the Shorkey family had exactly what they’d hoped for in an outdoor living area.

by Lil Springer

 View all photos for the Forest Drive Covered Porch 

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