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Create the outdoor living space you’ll love coming home to!

If we need to stay closer to home this summer, there are few better places to do it than here. The trick is making your outdoor space one that is both functional and beautiful!
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While Greater Victoria’s mild temperatures allow for enjoyment of outdoor spaces virtually year-round, choosing the right materials and products is essential, says MAC Renovations’ Ed McDonald.

If we need to stay closer to home this summer, there are few better places to do it than here. The trick is making your outdoor space one that is both functional and beautiful!

“With our early stretch of warm weather, people got outside and started seeing where things might need to be spruced up, especially as we’ll be spending more time around home this summer,” explains Ed McDonald, from MAC Renovations.

The good news is that if outdoor living is part of your lifestyle, Greater Victoria provides three seasons of possibilities – four if you include those die-hard grillers!

A spring walk-about: “I always encourage people to walk around their property in the spring, to look for any issues left over from winter,” McDonald says.

Look at the roof, gutters and siding for signs of wear and tear. How about your windows and doors? If you’re still sporting those aluminum frames and 1980s sliders, it might be time to bring your home a little 2020 curb appeal – and energy efficiency. From classic French doors to full-width accordion windows, seamlessly bridging indoors and out has never been easier!

Now that you’re outside, examine your deck and patio for rotten wood, vinyl tears or cracking in the concrete. Problems caught early are a much easier and more affordable fix than ones left to grow over a season or two! “If you see something rotting, don’t just paint over it,” McDonald advises.

Consider how you use the space: Do you move easily around your deck and patio? How is the transition from inside to outside? Do you need more shade or sitting areas? Maybe a sunroom or outdoor kitchen to really get grilling?

Decks, patios or other hardscaping can create an inviting outdoor living space that really is an extension of your home.

And today, planning your project has never been easier. With clients across Canada and even farther afield, the MAC Renovations crews are the pros at working remotely. From video conferencing to safely distanced site meetings to on-site sanitation stations, the safety of clients and employees is paramount, McDonald notes.

Build for longevity: While our mild temperatures mean we can enjoy our outdoor spaces virtually year-round, rain, wind and saltwater make choosing the right products essential. “We need to look at what kind of materials and products we’re going to use that will give you longevity,” McDonald says.

Cedar, for example, is popular as a natural, West Coast product that can be more affordable up front than some alternatives, like composite decking or aluminum railings, but must be maintained annually and replaced more often.

“I’m a big fan of very low maintenance, so you may pay more up front, but it’s balanced out with how many times you’re going to scrape, sand and paint,” McDonald says, adding that getting started now may also help beat increased material costs he believes may come in response to the pandemic.

Ready to start planning your outdoor oasis? Visit macreno.com.

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Adding more usable outdoor space can increase enjoyment of your home.