Home Improvement

 Something we've had a hard time with since buying our house 15 years ago is the fact that there was no place outside with shade. There were no trees that were large enough to give any. And, on many of the houses built after ours, they did add a covered back patio or porch. So they must have recognized that it was an issue later on.

Unfortunately, though, not on ours. The last few years, it has actually become a bigger issue because  the weather has been coming in our back door some. Initially after moving in, we installed a screen/glass door on the back so I could keep it open while little Rugrat was playing outside and I was working inside. 

The wind in Oklahoma is not kind though. And that poor screen door took a beating every year.  So much so that a few years ago we finally took it off. 

Then we realized that it had been doing something besides get beat up by the wind and rain. It had been keeping the rain (and all the other weather) out of our house. We began to notice water damage to the door frame and trim. That is going to be an issue.

So, a couple of months ago, we decided to look into getting a patio cover. It would be a chunk of change but sooooooo loved and appreciated by both us and the dogs. And now we knew it might save our back door some damage too. Sounds like a good investment.

We were initially told (in August) that it would be November before they could install it due to their work load.  But at the beginning of October, we got the call for them to dig the footings.  They had hoped to get the concrete poured that Friday before the weekend, leaving several days for it to set and cure but the inspector didn't come by to approve it until nearly the end of the next week. So, we had a week there where we skirted around holes that would have definitely resulted in a broken bone if we had stumbled into them. Then, suddenly this week, in a matter of two days we had a cover.

I thought the dogs might be a little freaked at first but they don't even seem to have noticed it. And now we're Oklahoma weather ready -- at least somewhat. My eldest daughter mentioned that if we have to run for the shelter, it will be nice not getting soaked right as we step out the door. So, one more plus.

I'm thinking it will be well worth the expense of adding it.