A solid foundation for beautiful results

Diane and Adiy and their family moved into their new Avalon area home in Orleans two years ago. “It was a blank canvas,” said Adiy. “It was grass and a small wooden deck made by the builder.”

“We had a good notion of what we wanted to do in the back,” said Diane. “It’s not a huge yard, but we wanted to make the most of it. We wanted to maximise the living space and include a pool as well.” 

Diane and Adiy are experienced homeowners. “This is our fourth house, and we’ve always lived in new builds. We’ve dealt with landscapers and contractors a lot,” explained Adiy. While they’ve had positive experiences, they also know some of the challenges of finding the right partner to execute a project. “Finding someone with good communication skills can be difficult. We understand that life happens, especially during COVID, but when a contractor cancels two minutes before he’s scheduled to arrive for a quote, it can be really frustrating,” said Adiy. “That’s where David shined,” said Diane. “There was constant communication throughout the project. If David said he was going to show up or respond, he was always true to his word.”

David worked closely with Diane and Adiy to prepare their backyard plans and be ready to execute when the weather turned in their favour. “We met David for the first time in February and signed him on the spot to work with us,” said Adiy. “We had already ordered the pool, but the rest of the planning began with that meeting. One of the many reasons we felt comfortable with David was that he made sure we had acquired all the proper permits for the work. By April we had all the materials and supplies on-site and ready to go. It was a bit of a challenge to have some materials around before we were ready to work, but it meant we were able to avoid any supplier delays when David got started.” 

The project centered around the new pool. Footings were placed to support extensive deck framing and the deck was finished with Timbertech Sea Salt Gray for maximum durability. The pergola was built with Western Red Cedar. An elegant curve was cut on the end of each rafter tail that topped the pergola to provide visual balance with the strong 6x6 posts. 'New deck' doesn’t do justice to the transformation of this yard-turned-oasis.

“Any renovation can be stressful, but David helped us navigate those stressful moments,” said Diane. “He was flexible when we made some changes along the way, including building a larger slab to incorporate the fire table. We also realised, while sweating in the summer sun, that we would want some shade, so we added a pergola to the project as well. It’s so easy to talk about how smoothly the project was executed, but we also have to mention what an amazing, creative builder David is. He sourced high quality materials and constructed the deck beautifully.”

Diane and Adiy feel fantastic about their new backyard. “David indulged us when we moved the deck chairs out a little bit early,” laughed Adiy. The couple, and their two teens, now have a wonderful space to enjoy all summer long. 

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We can't do everything alone. Upland Builds is proud to work with great tradespeople and suppliers to bring this project to completion.
 

The Wood Source - We love working with The Wood Source; they are very helpful and always seem to have stock and up-to-date pricing.

Techno Metal Post - This floating deck isn't floating on hopes and dreams. Alain and his team installed 25 helical piers to support the deck and pergola.