Sam Hickey, Author at Creekstone Outdoors

01 Nov

When is the Best Time to Build a Pool? It Depends

It’s finally time to upgrade your backyard with a new swimming pool! Once you know the design and type you’d prefer, the next question is when to build this pool. Eager homeowners may be tempted to get their pool installed as soon as possible so they can start enjoying it sooner. However, there may be very good reasons to delay construction.

When’s the best time to build a pool? There’s no definite answer to this question. Some contractors offer different prices at different times of the year, meaning that waiting for an off-season may save you some money. On the other hand, you may have other work in progress that could hinder swimming pool construction. Consider these variables before you schedule dig day.

Ready to install that new pool? When? Here’s what you need to consider before you make your decision! Share on X

Seasonal Pricing

Especially in Houston, summer is considered the peak month for swimming pool shopping and usage. However, the weather may have other consequences. With an increase in demand, you can expect pool prices to increase during the busy season. Additionally, waiting till summer to schedule your pool installation could mean you’re competing against hundreds of other homeowners who also wanted a summer pool. Not only does this mean you’ll end up waiting longer, but you also run the risk of busy contractors being distracted and not spending as much time on your pool as you’d prefer. Talk to your pool builder about off-season construction for a less hectic option.

Additional Renovations

What’s next on your backyard plan after a swimming pool? If you’re planning to add multiple other large features, like an outdoor kitchen or pergola, you’ll need to consult your pool contractor about the order of events. All the underground pipes and wires needed for an outdoor kitchen could clash with your pool’s drainage system, for instance. To keep your project simpler and less likely to cause problems, you may want to opt to install your additional features first and wait on the pool.

Pro Tip: Your contractor can probably have an outdoor kitchen and swimming pool project running simultaneously in your backyard. See if they can help you speed up the process a little more.

Wait Time

As mentioned earlier, summer is generally considered a peak swimming pool season. Consequently, pool contractors will be busy with hundreds of clients and you may find yourself waiting a long time for construction to finish. Worse, you may not be able to get your project scheduled in the summer at all. Why not start earlier? If you hire a contractor in the off-season of fall or even winter, when Houston temperatures are milder, you can rest assured your pool will be in proper working order long before summer comes.

Planning Your New Pool

Building a swimming pool is a major project for any homeowner. Since this is ultimately an addition to your house that you and your family will use for the foreseeable future, make sure the installation timing and plan work for you. Get your dream pool during the best time of year for construction!

Join the conversation and stay up-to-date with the latest pool tips, tricks, and trends.

25 Oct

5 Ideas for the Ultimate Kid-Friendly Backyard

As Houston experiences gorgeous fall weather, it’s a good time for kids to enjoy outside. Kids of all ages love to spend time in the backyard! But is your yard up to the task? Have you created a paradise for little ones to enjoy?

Turn your backyard into the perfect kid-friendly play space with these 5 design ideas! Share on X

Kid-Friendly Backyard Design

Even if your backyard isn’t designed specifically for children, you can still choose features that kids of all ages are sure to love. Whether you add new structures to your backyard or just revise what’s already there, tailor the experience to what your children will enjoy. Get started with these ideas:

Outdoor Kitchen
Custom Pool
Playhouse
Garden
Patio Cover

1) Outdoor Kitchen

With cooler weather on its way and holidays around the corner, bring the party outside by installing an outdoor kitchen. This backyard idea is great for the whole family, especially parents who might want to spend time with their kids outside. From grilling dinner on a weekend to making hot cocoa on a cool fall night, an outdoor kitchen provides families of all ages a great space to enjoy.

2) Custom Pool

You might love going to the neighborhood pool. However, it’s a whole other level of fun for your kid to have a swimming pool in their own backyard. From water slides to rock waterfalls, your new pool can be customized for your family and friends to cool off from the hot southern sun. This is a huge advantage, especially in Houston where the summer weather has a habit of lingering through the fall months.

3) Playhouse/Treehouse

Even if it’s just a swing set, children can spend hours in the backyard with toys! Playhouses or play equipment are great for sparking kids’ imagination and creating spaces where they can enjoy playing outside. From climbing walls to sand pits, the number of options available to upgrade your playhouse is endless.

And don’t forget about treehouses! Depending on the size of your backyard and availability of trees, a treehouse can create a great imaginative space for your kids. With treehouse plans ranging in size and material, your backyard will become the prime hangout spot.

4) Garden

Create a space that is kid-friendly by adding features that make your backyard inviting and fun to enjoy. That being said, think about adding flowers or an herb garden to enhance your backyard. Your kids might even want to help keep the plants alive by helping water them throughout the year, which is a help to both parents and boredom!

5) Patio Cover

If your backyard doesn’t have any trees for shade, add a patio cover or pergola to your space. This is an important feature to have, especially for families with younger children who might need a way to take a break from the heat of the sun.

Pro Tip: Is your backyard shaded? With a wide arrange of design options, a patio cover could be customized to match the style of your home or backyard space.

Give Your Kids Their Dream Space

Let your kids have fun and get some fresh air without leaving your backyard! With a few new features or a revision of what you already have, you could give your kids the perfect play area in your own space.

Connect with us to learn more about building a kid-friendly backyard with custom features.

18 Oct

How to Increase Your Home’s Value

Whether you’re planning to ultimately sell your home, upgrade a rental property, or just give yourself a nicer place to live, you may be looking for ways to increase your home’s value. You’re not alone! A surprising number of homeowners work on upgrading their houses for their own benefit and for better value when they eventually sell the house.

Boosting your home’s value rarely, if ever, consists of the same step-by-step process every time. Each home is different, and different buyers will look for different features. But there are a few particular additions that are all but guaranteed to help. As you plan your home’s upgrade project, keep these especially popular additions in mind.

Is it time for home renovations? These strategies are sure to increase your home’s value and appeal to potential buyers! Share on X

Swimming Pool

Plenty of interested buyers would love a home with a brand new swimming pool! What better way to beat the Houston heat? Advertise that custom pool in your backyard to drum up interest and get a better value out of the final selling price.

Pro Tip: Pools with custom features will get particular interest from potential home buyers. Make your pool as unique as your family!

Bathroom & Kitchen Upgrades

Since families will spend a good amount of time in the kitchen or bathrooms of their new house, one especially appealing form of home renovation is to upgrade one or both areas. Few people will be excited about buying a home just to do time-consuming, expensive renovations on it in such crucial areas as the bathrooms and kitchen. Why not save them the time and earn a little extra for yourself in the meantime? Enjoy your newly renovated downstairs and make sure to advertise it when the time comes to sell!

Outdoor Living Area

For a truly unique backyard asset to advertise, add an outdoor kitchen or patio cover. Not only will this allow you and any future homeowners to enjoy the outdoors in comfort, but it will also feature as a less common addition to the backyard that buyers will be interested in. Backyard party space is always a plus.

Ready to Sell Your Home?

Increasing your home’s value may seem like a daunting task, but you don’t have to tackle all these projects at once. And remember that in the meantime, you’re still living there! Pick upgrades that will both provide a return on investment and prove useful to your family in the meantime. Take full advantage of that new pool or newly upgraded kitchen while you’re still there!

Join the conversation to learn more about increasing your home’s value and getting potential buyers interested.

11 Oct

Saltwater vs. Freshwater Pools: Comparison & Contrast

Freshwater chlorine pools have been the gold standard of swimming pools for multiple decades. However, the trend of saltwater pools is beginning to challenge the notion that chlorine is automatically the superior choice. Is a saltwater swimming pool ever equal to or even better than a traditional chlorine pool?

In the debate of saltwater vs. freshwater pools, neither option is strictly “better” than the other. The answer depends on the price you’re willing to pay, your commitment to ongoing maintenance, and the effect both pools will have on you when you go swimming. Before you make your choice, educate yourself on both types of pools and their pros and cons.

Have you ever considered a saltwater swimming pool? Compare it against a standard chlorine pool for a more detailed picture. #outdoorliving Share on X

Saltwater vs. Freshwater Pools, Creekstone Outdoor Living, Spring, TX

Chlorine Content

Contrary to popular belief, saltwater pools are not chlorine-free. Instead, the drastically lower levels of chlorine are produced through electrolysis, where the water passes through mild electrical currents to produce just enough chlorine to disinfect the pool. This is in contrast to a typical pool where the chlorine must be manually added and maintained at a higher level. For the most part, the level of chlorine in a saltwater pool is low enough that swimmers won’t notice any dry skin or bleaching on their clothes.

Pro Tip: Are you considering a saltwater pool to get around a chlorine allergy? Saltwater pools still contain some chlorine! Make sure the levels are safe for yourself and your family.

Costs

It’s difficult to estimate the exact costs of both kinds of pool and contrast the two. However, there’s no question that a saltwater pool is a more expensive investment initially. The chlorine generator and its power usage can also add up quickly. Additionally, any custom features or pool additions will need to be salt-proofed in order to be used without damage. Because of the complex system, any repairs or extensive maintenance will need to be performed by an expert rather than the homeowner.

Maintenance & Damages

Speaking of maintenance, saltwater pools require slightly less ongoing work than conventional chlorine pools. Because of the electrolysis process, a saltwater pool does a pretty good job balancing its own pH and chemicals without intervention. Chlorine pools require periodic chemical checks and rebalancing.

However, if something in your pool breaks or needs extensive work, the job is far more straightforward and affordable in a chlorine pool. Saltwater pools’ specialized fixtures cost far more than their conventional counterparts and should only be handled by experts. A leaky pool or broken pipe will cost far less time and money for the owner of a chlorine pool.

A Different Swimming Experience

It’s impossible to say that a chlorine pool is better than a saltwater pool, and vice versa. However, different homeowners may have different preferences or requirements that make one the clearly superior choice. Don’t make this decision lightly. Consider the initial and ongoing commitments both types of pools will require before you decide.

Connect with us to learn more about the debate of saltwater vs. freshwater pools.

04 Oct

Keep Bugs Out of the Swimming Pool This Fall

Autumn brings with it the perfect weather to go swimming in your own backyard pool. After all, when else can Houstonians expect such lovely weather in the middle of the day? You might as well take advantage of it!

Unfortunately, the nice weather attracts more than just people looking to spend time outside. Bugs will use this opportunity to move into your backyard and, in some cases, start breeding in your swimming pool. An infestation can make your pool unpleasant and unsafe to use. Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to keep your pool bug-free this fall.

Keep bugs out of the swimming pool this fall with these proven techniques for the most common pests. Share on X

Repelling Wasps

Even the most hardcore bug lovers will admit that wasps are difficult to admire. This is particularly true when they’re swarming in your backyard and infesting your swimming pool. Try one of these strategies to keep them away from your water:

Hang up a chunk of cheap raw meat far away from your pool to attract the wasps to the snack. Be sure to check on the bait periodically though so it doesn’t rot and leave you with maggots.
Hang up fake wasp nests to fool the wasps into thinking other wasps have already set up shop in your yard. The territorial insects can’t stand living near each other and will leave.

Repelling Bees

Bees, while they actually serve a positive purpose in the natural ecosystem, are still stinging insects and unpleasant to have around your pool. Here’s how to get rid of bees:

Put drier sheets around your pool, whether weighed down with a rock or in a decorative basket. Bees hate the smell and will avoid your yard.
Set up a small fountain away from your pool to give the bees a chance to get a drink somewhere other than your swimming pool. Put a rock in the water so the bees can climb out safely if they fall in.

Repelling Mosquitoes

It’s no secret to Houston homeowners that mosquitos love water. Wherever they can find it, even in a tiny bucket with rainwater, they’ll breed and cause havoc when the eggs hatch. Here’s how you can curb the tide of mosquitos in your own yard:

Cover your pool when it’s not in use. Aside from a safety measure, this also discourages mosquitos from exploring your pool.
Balance your pool’s pH regularly. Clean water full of cleansing chemicals repels mosquitos.
Install a mosquito mister or bug-repellent candles or lamps to keep the bugs from coming into your backyard in the first place. Just check your local regulations first to make sure the misting chemicals are allowed.

Pro Tip: If all else fails, call an exterminator to get rid of your bug problem. The professionals can handle this.

Keep Bugs Out of Your Swimming Pool

Don’t let bugs take over your swimming pool and ruin your autumn! Stay on top of pest control and pool maintenance to keep infestations at bay. Not only will this ensure you have a clean pool, but you’ll also prevent your family from getting sick from mosquito bites or insect stings. Keep bugs out of your swimming pool and enjoy the fall!

Connect with us to learn more about pool maintenance and backyard pest control.

Previous page 1 … 11 12 13 14 15 … 39 Next page

Author Archives: Sam Hickey