That was me, but yesterday we abandoned the idea after setting up the truly ginormous hammock.
2 Likes
I’m so glad Marmalade finally got his hammock up!!
1 Like
OMG it looks AMAZING!!!
1 Like
Thank you!! 
1 Like
I just want to report that we’re really enjoying our patio and backyard now. The changes weren’t huge, but they were enough. Now we like being out there more and we are being out there more and we feel the work was worth it. We’ve been in the hot tub every day, we’ve been eating dinner out there, and I’ve even had people over! So yea!
The only problem is, I sometimes sit in the hot tub and look at the patio and yard and begin having thoughts. Thoughts about other cool things we can do. Thoughts are bad; I just want to enjoy and do no more work. But these ideas come… Perhaps I should relax in the hot tub with my eyes closed.
22 Likes
Make a list and tell yourself these are tasks for next season, if you stay! Super glad you are loving the space 
6 Likes
@bracken_joy posted about toddlers and “heavy work” so maybe do the heavy work next time you feel like figuratively strangling your spouse.
Then you get a cool project and no jail.
That’s my strategy.
2 Likes
More fun to make him suffer along with me, though. 
2 Likes
I hope you are enjoying your amazing patio, frecks
3 Likes
Thanks, Meow. We are! Mostly in the evenings because it’s been too damn hot.
7 Likes
I just found and enjoyed this whole thread, a little late. I’m curious how you like your hot tub and how much it costs for electricity to run it? I’d sit in a hot tub every night before bed if we had one, but I feel bad running a bath every night and it’s not even as comfortable as a hot tub anyway.
2 Likes
I really don’t know how much it adds to our bill, sorry. I’m not really a good financial forum forumer. But I guess it’s not so much that I notice, so that’s something. And yes, I pay the bills in my house. I just… don’t pay attention to them. I pay what’s due and don’t have a spreadsheet to enter it into or a budget to update because I actually hate all things financial. I know, I’m the worst, sorry. 
But I love love love my hot tub and think it’s absolutely worth whatever it is costing me! I’d definitely encourage you to get one if you love relaxing in hot water the way I do. It’s such a treat. And nighttime dips are my favorite, too.
7 Likes
Lies
4 Likes
Thanks, friend. 
2 Likes
@noitsbecky that’s super helpful actually. I think as long as it’s not like “omg that’s startlingly high” we are seriously considering. Does the inflatable tub work year round for you? We are also in the PNW and I definitely want to use in the winter but I read some of them have pipe freezing problems at low temps.
4 Likes
Yes, it works year-round. The cool thing about the inflatable tub is that there are no pipes. It’s pretty genius how it works, actually. It’s just the tub, its cover, a couple of screw-on filters, and the little machine that serves as the inflator/deflator, the water heater, the water recycler, and the air to make the bubbles. It’s pretty great. You have to buy chemicals to keep the water clean, replacement filters, and I bought a pool skimmer thing to clean out leaves and stuff that get in. It’s been pretty inexpensive to own, and it’s a heck of lot less expensive to buy than a built-in hot tub. It’s very easy to adjust the temperature and during the summer, we turn the heater down and use it as a (small) pool during the hot day and then crank the heater up and it becomes a hot tub again at night. My son is in it pretty much every day as a pool. Here’s the one I have: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-SaluSpa-4-Person-Square-Portable-Inflatable-Outdoor-Hot-Tub-Spa-Blue/956293275?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1187&&adid=22222222227339975103&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=430149465594&wl4=aud-1308651922056:pla-925073129244&wl5=9032862&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=112549749&wl11=online&wl12=956293275&veh=sem&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpf2IBhDkARIsAGVo0D0Cs-pBag_s3oF4pZSFUHTsOwzxKJpHxK-J7FClkrLYeWSXmzNR1GgaArm9EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds Although I bought mine from Target last summer and it was about $200 more!
Hi, I love doing energy cost calculations so I googled up this:
The calculation is your energy cost($/kwh) * hours used * either 1.25kw or 0.625kw = cost
So I don’t know how much you run the heater or just the jets. Obviously you’ll need to run it more in winter to keep it hot?
But say 3 hours a day * $0.21 (my energy cost) * 1.25kw = $0.80
7 Likes
Reviving this thread as we will soon be at the stage of actually having our porch improved and y’all were so helpful to Frecks. The footprint will remain the same - I would have loved to expand it but financially it made no sense. Le sigh. That does make planning easier though I suppose. Pictures to come shortly.
Current thoughts: two chairs with bistro table, one or two footstools with storage within. We already have a coffee table shoved in a corner for Kiddo to do experiments at and generally make a mess and I was thinking of putting a laundry basket underneath for storage (laundry basket because it’ll have ventilation to hopefully let stuff dry out). The hammock goes diagonally across the whole space and is awkward but there’s not really any great alternatives even if I go out in the yard where the bugs live.
I like these rocking-ish type chairs but not the table that comes with them, I don’t like glass top tables.
Maybe this? But the dark grey is very similar to the wall color we’re going with.
They keep saying “Comes with cushion” then it’s some sad flat thing. I want a cushion like this. Will probably have to be separate purchase.
How does one determine if a rug online will feel okay on your feet? I think sisal rugs are what I’m thinking of that need to be avoided?
To do in the future: Phase 2. I want to do something with pavers to create a buffer between the long diagonal wall and the grass, then where the plants are I might create a little patio space (basically to smother the grass there under all the containers) and maybe extend it to create a spot where we can do grilling or a fire pit. This is low priority cause grilling/fire pit happens maybe ten times a year total if I’m being really generous.
4 Likes
Ok so I find pavers to be pretty dank. Especially if they get growth on them and grass or weeds grows up between them.
Do you guys have composite decking material you can lay? Might be called a floating deck?
I have no idea or complexity or cost to do this. But it’d be nice.
I also dislike the concrete flooring inside the enclosed bit too.
Inside hammocks make me feel funny. Like flying a kite at night it just isn’t right.
2 Likes
Oh and I think a better nice raised veggie bed would do wonders against that wall. Your current assortment of mismatched degrading pots is nice, but you could improve it.
I like and have this style. This is an Australian product but that guy has US distribution rights.
1 Like