Start with Phase 1: Inspiration & Budget Planning

Special Note: This is the first blog of a five-blog series to help you get started on planning your project. From this first phase, “Inspiration and Budget Planning” to the last phase of “After Installation,” these blogs will help guide you every step of the way.

Let’s get started! To kick off your project, we have outlined five milestones that you’ll want to complete before you select a contractor. Plan for this inspiration and budget planning phase to take 4-6 Weeks.

1. Consider how you will use the space.

Explore all planning possibilities! Think of everything you enjoy doing outdoors. For example, do you enjoy evenings by a fire feature or perhaps by the pool? Do you grill and enjoy entertaining? Do you exercise outdoors? What type of space will accommodate these activities and benefit your family the most? To help you develop ideas and bring them to life, check out Belgard Rooms.

2. Identify styles that work with your house and landscape.

It’s important that your project and its products complement the architecture and landscaping of your home. This is your opportunity to research the trends in format, shape, color and texture. Explore and collect ideas of what will jive with your home and property.

3. Gather inspiration online.

This is a perfect time to go online and browse inspiration for the project type you have in mind. Sources like Belgard’s Inspiration Gallery will help spark ideas to pursue. Look for ideas that will encourage more time spent outside and bring greater value and functionality to your outdoor living space.

4. Set a budget.

As a part of your project kickoff, be sure to take your budget into consideration. Research project costs in your area. This includes determining product costs, comparing products, and reaching out to neighbors who may have completed similar projects. In this phase, learn about specific construction or engineering requirements.

5. Research approval requirements with your municipality or HOA.

You need to make sure that you will be within your HOA and municipality’s guidelines. Contact your HOA to follow their rules and regulations for your development. Check with your municipality to determine if you need permits to break ground on the project.

For more information on planning your project, visit our outdoor planning page.

No matter how beautiful the construction materials, an outdoor living design can look dull and lifeless without pops of color or dimensional design elements. A built-in planter constructed with retaining wall block will provide a permanent receptacle for adding color, texture and dimension to your spaces and can coordinate with your pavers and landscape walls to tie the overall look together.

Add Curb Appeal

Make a statement as soon as visitors arrive with planters along the driveway or a sidewalk in front of your home.

Create a Grand Entrance

Planters along walkways and near doorways create a welcoming effect and add architectural interest to the front of your home.

Edge a Terrace

Soften the look of an angular wall or add a buffer zone along the terrace edge with planters of various shapes and sizes.

Dress Up a Retaining Wall

Large retaining walls are often necessary, but can be visually boring. Add dimension and visual interest to a large retaining wall with planters at the base or at higher points along the wall.

Create a Focal Point

Add drama to a patio, walkway or driveway with a large planter that can create a visual focal point for the design.

Flank a Fire Feature

Add pops of color and foliage to soften the look of larger structures and help coordinate the space with the surrounding landscape.

Flank Stairs or Steps

Stair or step planters can take a variety of shapes and styles. Options can include symmetrical tiers, terraced landings, or a singular accent planter.

Emphasize a Tree

A tree planter box or wall can add design elements to larger open spaces or provide an area for installing a flower garden.

Add Dimension to a Patio

Planter gardens are a great way to add dimension and visual interest to an open patio. In addition, locating a planter near an outdoor kitchen can provide an outdoor chef with a space to grow fresh herbs.

Soften the Look of a Column

Incorporating a planter into the top of a column or pillar softens the look and adds a natural textural design element to your outdoor living structures.

Everyone wants beautiful, thriving plants to enhance their outdoor space. To achieve the garden of your dreams, you need to lay the groundwork, and we mean that literally. Good, nutrient-rich soil is the first step to providing the proper environment for plants to grow and thrive. With thriving plants in your garden, you and your family can enjoy fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers. Sure, you can visit the local nursery to buy soil and fertilizers, but what if you are able to save money by using waste items from your own home?

What is compost?

Compost is created with organic matter such as food scraps and yard waste that you’re most likely throwing away. By composting these items, you’re keeping these materials out of landfills, where they take up space and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas that adds to the warming of the earth’s surface. Composting encourages the production of beneficial bacteria and fungi that break down organic matter to create humus, a rich nutrient-filled material. This process helps the soil to retain its moisture and suppresses plant diseases and pests. Plus, it reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. Ultimately, you’re capturing a beneficial, natural additive from your trash to enhance your garden.

How do I set up a composting bin?

Assuming you have outdoor space for a composting bin, your first step is to find one. There are a variety of sizes and types to choose from. To meet your needs, judge how much waste you produce, the amount of compost you may need, and your price range. Some choices will allow you to manually or automatically spin and rotate the bin to aerate the materials. Once you have your bin, the next step is to select a dry, shady spot near a water source to set it up. Depending how often you want to make the trip to the backyard to empty your organic waste, you can choose to store your compost in a container on the counter or in the freezer. Like the outdoor bin, there are a variety of storage options on the market.    

Let the composting begin.

With the compost bin set up, start gathering your compostable materials. These include a combination of dry, carbon-based “browns” like cardboard, paper, sawdust, or wood chips, as well as wet nitrogen-rich “greens” like food scraps such as apple cores, coffee grounds or banana peels. Add these materials as they are collected, making sure that larger pieces are chopped or shredded. Moisten dry materials as you add them. After your compost gets established, mix grass clippings and green waste into the pile and bury fruit and vegetable waste under about 10 inches of compost material, or rotate your bin if you purchased one that turns.

Is it ready yet?

Your composting environment has a lot to do with how long it takes to mature. If the weather’s hot, the process could take only a couple of months. If it’s cooler, it could take six months or even up to a year for every component to break down. Don’t rush it. Using compost before it’s ready can attract pests, damage garden plants, and use up nutrients in your soil, making them unavailable to your garden plants. To make sure that your compost is ready to use, grab a handful and have a look. Mature compost should be crumbly and smooth, have a smell that’s sweetly fragrant and loamy (like the forest on a wet day) and be a dark, rich color.

It’s ready. Now what?

There are a variety of ways to use your compost. Let us count just a few.

1. Use it as a mulch to boost your garden’s harvest. Apply the compost in a three- to six-inch layer and rake until even.

2. Make your own potting soil. Combine equal parts compost, vermiculite and topsoil, both of which should be available at your local gardening center.

3. Feed fall perennials or spring bulbs by adding two to four cups of compost to the hole where you plant them, which will help extend their bloom time.

4. Spread on your new or established lawn by adding a one- to two-inch layer of compost on top of your lawn.

5. Add to the top of your garden beds and let the rains wash the nutrients down to root level. Worms do the rest of the work, pulling the organic matter into the soil.

6. Add as a fertilizer to fruit trees in early spring before buds open.

7. Feed container plants by adding compost to the soil around your outdoor potted plants or when you’re transferring them to bigger pots.

8. Melons, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, and squash need lots of nitrogen to produce, so add compost to the planting holes or top dress a few times during the growing season to boost your yield.

Want to do More? Belgard Can Help.

In addition to composting, you can easily include sustainability in your decision-making process when installing pavers. Belgard has the right pavers for the job. By using permeable concrete pavers and permeable grass pavers for your patio, walkway or driveway, any rain that falls seeps back into the ground through an aquifer system below. This process reduces the burden on storm drains and helps eliminate stormwater runoff that carries pollution into nearby waterways. A permeable paver system can even be designed to harvest and recycle rainwater for a double dose of environmentalism.

Member Price: $250
Non-Member Price: $300
Breakfast & Lunch will be provided.

You’re dreaming of a backyard renovation so you can enjoy time outdoors this summer. But for many people, they often aren’t sure where to start. Another item they are unsure of — the cost.

“The cost of an outdoor area can vary based on several factors,” says Joe Raboine, our Vice President of Design at Oldcastle APG. “Your terrain, product selection, features included, like a patio, outdoor kitchen or fire feature, and labor costs for your area all determine your final price tag.”

To get started on some ideas for building the backyard of your dreams, explore Belgard’s affordable Backyard + packages. With the many options available, discover what you can get within certain budget ranges.

Option 1: Budget-Friendly Patio

If you are looking to build your backyard on a budget, a simple but stylish patio is a great place to start. You can design and build a patio made from concrete pavers starting at around $7,800. Product choices, prep work and labor will determine the final price.

Option 2: Patio + Built-In Grill

If you are working within a bigger budget, you can consider a patio with a built-in grill. In addition to the hardscape patio, you’ll add in a grilling island.

You can make this using a product like Belgard Artforms, with a grill from the Belgard Elements Collection. The cost for a project like this starts at around $15,500. Again, several factors come into play when determining the final cost.

Option 3: Patio + Built-In Grill & Fire Pit

Add a fire pit! In addition to a patio with a built-in grill, why not include a warm, inviting place where everyone can gather on cool evenings?

A warm glow from a fire pit creates ambiance and enhances the beauty of your outdoor space. Plus, everyone can now roast marshmallows and make smores under a starry sky. A patio with a grill and fire pit can cost approximately $23,800. The price may vary depending on your location, the materials used, and other site-specific factors.

Option 4: Patio + Built-In Grill With Blue Diamond Kamado & Fire Pit

Do you want to increase your outdoor cooking options? Put on an outdoor chef’s hat and step up to a built-in Blue Diamond Kamado in your grilling area. This versatile addition allows you to smoke, bake, or grill delicious meals to enjoy on the patio, opening up many possibilities. Plus, with its eye-catching blue hue and gemstone pattern, it is sure to become the centerpiece of your patio.

Having an extra culinary option like this makes hosting large get-togethers a cinch. The cost of a patio that includes a built-in grill with Blue Diamond Kamado and a fire pit starts at around $29,000 and can vary depending on region, product and site considerations.     

Option 5: Patio + Built-In Grill with Blue Diamond Kamado, Fire Pit, Pergola & Lighting

Do you want to provide a unique setting for dining or entertaining on the patio? A pergola brings a modern twist of beauty with form and function for all to enjoy. Customize with decorative screen panels for roofs and sidewalls to provide shade and privacy.

Along with the pergola, be sure everyone sees at night! A well-lit patio makes all the difference. Consider additions, such as LED pillar lights, pathway lights, and accent lights.

LED pillar lights in classic or modern styles are usually mounted on columns and beautifully offer great illumination. Install pathway lights on your patio’s edges to provide lighting that is low to the ground.

Consider accent lights, especially for your home’s exterior walls. These will bring light into areas where you will need it.

The cost for a well-lit patio with a built-in grill and Blue Diamond Kamado, fire pit, and pergola starts at around $34,250 and can vary depending on region, product, and site considerations. You can always add or remove features to bring your full outdoor vision to life according to budget.

More About Backyard +

Backyard + from Belgard allows you to find the best option for your outdoor space and budget. Here’s how it works:

Step 1

Start by choosing a style that speaks to you, such as the natural look of the Origins™ pavers or the modern feel of the Dimensions™ pavers for your paver patio. Then, you can add features like a fire pit to personalize your backyard.

Step 2

A foundation of an outdoor living space is a paver patio. From there, you can add and budget from Belgard’s carefully curated selection of choices and features such as a built-in grill, fire pit, Blue Diamond smoker, or all of the above with a pergola and lighting to extend the usability of your space.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to a backyard renovation. Backyard + offers you a great starting point for considering designs that are best for your well-being.

See this year’s top outdoor living trends for more inspiration.

Belgard is a proud sponsor of the 2024 Philadelphia Flower Show. We are celebrating our ninth consecutive year as the exclusive hardscape sponsor and are excited to be a participant at the Pennsylvania Convention Center March 2-10, 2024.

Since this year’s theme is “United by Flowers,” and the focus is on a “shared love and appreciation of gardening,” we are presenting a showcase of outdoor building products ideal for creating outdoor spaces where flowers and gardens can be displayed. Our booth offers numerous ideas incorporating a perfect blend of Belgard, EP Henry, and the Oldcastle APG family of products that make any backyard come to life.

Explore the BELGARD Booth

Explore our booth to find an inspirational sampling of outdoor living design ideas. When it comes to paving the way for beauty in your own backyard, Belgard offers many solutions from pavers and walls to fire pits and outdoor planters. We’re here to help you visualize the unlimited potential for your gardening area. Check out four inspirational outdoor living areas packed full of ideas:

• Fire Pit Living Room – complete with EP Henry® Cast Stone Wall Round Fire Pit Kit and Barrette Outdoor Living® Decorative Screens.
• Outdoor Kitchen – complete with Elements Blue Diamond Smoker, Pro 32” Grill & Outdoor Farmhouse Sink, and Artforms™ Modular Panel System.
• Garden Room – complete with Barrette Outdoor Living® Pergola and planter created with Artforms™ Modular Panel System.  
• Outdoor Fireplace Living Room – complete with Melville™ Fireplace, Barrette Vinyl Fencing, and Papyrus™ 18 Pavers.

Discover Our Family of Brands

From inspiration to installation, tap into a family of related brands that work together to transform your backyard and the way you live outdoors.

BELGARD & EP HENRY

Looking for pavers and wall products? Discover a complete selection for your outdoor living space.

BARRETTE OUTDOOR LIVING®

Need decking, railing, fencing, or decorative accents? Complete your project with a wide range of product ideas that will transform your outdoor space.

MOISTURESHIELD®

Consider decking that so durable, it can be installed on the ground, in the ground or even under water! The most technologically advanced wood composite decking awaits to be discovered. MoistureShield® with CoolDeck® Technology is the first of its kind to deliver surface heat absorption solutions.

ELEMENTS HOME™

Do you want to create a focal point or need to add a finishing touch? Welcome fun and function to your backyard project with a curated assortment of accessories and features for your outdoor kitchen or living area.

. . .

ENTER TO WIN!

Our appearance at the Philly Flower Show 2024 wouldn’t be complete without a giveaway! Enter for your chance to win a Barrette® Pergola from Elements Home here.

A nice touch for your patio – this aluminum pergola with a premium matte black powder coat finish delivers a modern twist on traditional wood pergolas. It is low maintenance and perfect for creating a unique outdoor living space where you can entertain, dine, and watch a favorite movie.

Expert Guest Presenters
Industry Partner Tradeshow
Breakfast, Lunch, Happy Hour
Raffle Prizes

Reach out to your Belgard Representative if you are interested in attending or use the registration button below.

Check out how our new modular pavers combine textures, colors, and shapes.
Modular pavers are all sized to work together to make designing, ordering, and installing easier than ever.
Come see these new products in person and learn how we are redefining simplicity!
Dinner included!

Reach out to your Belgard Representative if you are interested in attending or use the registration button below.

Check out how our new modular pavers combine textures, colors, and shapes.
Modular pavers are all sized to work together to make designing, ordering, and installing easier than ever.
Come see these new products in person and learn how we are redefining simplicity!
Dinner included!

Reach out to your Belgard Representative if you are interested in attending or use the registration button below.

Check out how our new modular pavers combine textures, colors, and shapes.
Modular pavers are all sized to work together to make designing, ordering, and installing easier than ever.
Come see these new products in person and learn how we are redefining simplicity!
Dinner included!

Reach out to your Belgard Representative if you are interested in attending or use the registration button below.