WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:04.080 KFI AM six forty. You're listening to Dean Sharp the 2 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:10.119 house Whisper on demand of the iHeart Radio app, live 3 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:15.119 streaming in HD everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. Did you 4 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:18.239 know that this very program is also what's known as 5 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:22.120 the house Whisper Podcast that you can listen to anytime, 6 00:00:22.359 --> 00:00:27.239 anywhere on demand, hundreds of episodes, all searchable by topic. 7 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:32.079 It is your very own home improvement reference library. And 8 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:35.240 one more thing. If you're thinking that's all great, Dean, 9 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:37.439 but what we really need is Dean and Tina standing 10 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:40.560 in our house trying to figure out that problem right there, 11 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:43.359 Well you can do that too. You can book an 12 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:46.079 in home design consult with me and Tea. You just 13 00:00:46.119 --> 00:00:50.320 go to house Whisper dot Design, and you also get 14 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:54.159 to while you're there read some really cool quotes things 15 00:00:54.200 --> 00:00:58.119 that have been the theme of our design careers together. 16 00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:01.840 It's a good little website to check out house Whisper 17 00:01:02.200 --> 00:01:08.359 dot Design. All right, back to the subject of making 18 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:12.079 more space for yourself for the least amount of money. 19 00:01:12.200 --> 00:01:16.840 Yesterday we talked garages. Today I am talking about getting outdoors, 20 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:19.959 but I'm approaching it from this perspective. What's it going 21 00:01:20.040 --> 00:01:23.599 to take to get you outside, you land lubber you. 22 00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:30.239 And basically the angle that I'm approaching this from is 23 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:34.159 the opposite of the ultra luxurious stuff that you hear 24 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:37.359 and see all of the time. But that doesn't mean 25 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:41.239 it isn't pleasant and beautiful and lovely and enough. That's 26 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:43.359 what we're talking about. What is enough to get you 27 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:47.879 outside and really start enjoying the space around your home. 28 00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:52.079 We've already discussed the idea that the first and foremost 29 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:55.079 thing is a comfortable place to sit, and that is 30 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:57.680 the right kind of furniture. And it doesn't have to be, 31 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:02.760 you know, crazy expensive patio furniture. What it has to 32 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:06.000 be is for you to take the time and find 33 00:02:06.200 --> 00:02:10.840 the right kind of chair or chairs that are going 34 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:14.680 to allow you to relax comfortably without all the maintenance 35 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:17.400 and the upkeep and all of that kind of stuff. 36 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:20.680 I know this, and I had referenced the the you know, 37 00:02:20.759 --> 00:02:23.719 I'm prone to thinking this way because I'd referenced the 38 00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:26.840 fact that, you know, spent most of my life as 39 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:30.280 an avid backpacker and doing mountaineering and all of that 40 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:33.520 kind of stuff. My idea of camping is not folding 41 00:02:33.560 --> 00:02:36.719 down the tailgate of the truck and putting the tent 42 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:40.599 ten feet away from the car. Nothing against that, super fun. 43 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:45.599 But my idea is like getting out, getting away miles 44 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:49.000 and miles and miles away from the nearest road, the 45 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:52.599 nearest car, the nearest anything. And so that means you're 46 00:02:52.639 --> 00:02:56.000 carrying it all on your backpack, everything in and when 47 00:02:56.039 --> 00:02:57.879 I get there, you know what, I'm not planning on 48 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:01.360 just sleeping on the hard, cold ground. We've got tents, 49 00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:05.080 and we've got bedpads, and we've got camp chairs, all 50 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:10.639 ultra light. But that provide comfort and make setting up 51 00:03:10.680 --> 00:03:14.840 camp pleasant. Okay, so that's not what I'm suggesting for you. 52 00:03:14.919 --> 00:03:19.000 But in the spirit of that, the fact that even 53 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:23.479 when I am surrounded by nothing but hundreds of miles 54 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:28.919 of wilderness in every direction, the spirit of being able 55 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:34.039 to sit comfortably, to stay warm, to stay dry, or 56 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:37.879 to stay cool from the heat of the sun, all 57 00:03:37.960 --> 00:03:40.360 of these things are things to take into consideration in 58 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:43.560 that kind of extreme environment. You would think, if we 59 00:03:43.639 --> 00:03:46.240 can figure out how to do that, all we need 60 00:03:46.280 --> 00:03:50.000 to do is get you outside on your patio to 61 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:53.039 spend a little bit more time outside of the house 62 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:55.560 and enjoy a little bit more space. Can that be 63 00:03:55.599 --> 00:04:00.280 done inexpensively, Yes it can. So First before I talk 64 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:07.319 about shade and warmth, okay, because those are factors, absolutely factors. 65 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:11.120 Let's just talk about the floor beneath your feet. Okay, 66 00:04:11.439 --> 00:04:13.479 what is it going to take to get you outside? 67 00:04:13.960 --> 00:04:16.800 What it takes most people to get outside is to 68 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:19.800 be able to walk outside and not get their feet wet, 69 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:23.600 not get their feet muddy if it's been raining or 70 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:25.959 anything like that, or dirty. In other words, you want 71 00:04:25.959 --> 00:04:31.480 to clean safe surface to walk out on. And for 72 00:04:31.560 --> 00:04:34.480 a lot of people, they imagine that's a concrete patio, 73 00:04:34.920 --> 00:04:39.319 or it's a you know, a paved of some kind 74 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:44.240 of paved patio with stones and flagstones and mortar, or 75 00:04:44.279 --> 00:04:47.920 maybe it's a wood deck or a composite deck. All 76 00:04:47.959 --> 00:04:51.959 of these things are wonderful, but what would be the 77 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:57.680 bare minimum. The bare minimum is, in my opinion, one 78 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:00.920 of the most beautiful elements that can go oh into 79 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:05.879 a backyard setting, by the way, and that is pea gravel. Now, 80 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:08.879 stop those of you who are saying, well, listen, you 81 00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:11.639 know you can't walk into pea gravel in high heels. 82 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:15.279 I'm like, I'm not inviting you to, you know, wear 83 00:05:15.319 --> 00:05:18.360 your stilettos in the backyard. It's time to you know, 84 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:21.560 relax a little bit, you know, put on your slips, 85 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:25.600 put on your tennies, or just put on your flip flops. 86 00:05:25.959 --> 00:05:29.319 And no, it is a misnomer from a lot of 87 00:05:29.319 --> 00:05:34.560 people that a pea gravel area is unsafe or difficult 88 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:37.839 to walk in. I can understand there are certain, you know, 89 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:41.240 extreme conditions in which you know you'd rather be walking 90 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:43.560 on a hard surface, which, by the way, is when 91 00:05:43.639 --> 00:05:48.759 you simply set paving step stones within the pea gravel 92 00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:52.040 in order to ensure that somebody who needs to get 93 00:05:52.040 --> 00:05:53.680 out there, who has a little bit of trouble with that, 94 00:05:54.680 --> 00:05:57.639 can walk on the stepping stones with the pea gravel 95 00:05:57.639 --> 00:06:00.199 around you. But the fact of the matter is a 96 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:05.879 beautiful pea gravel area for chairs, for a fire pit, 97 00:06:06.040 --> 00:06:10.399 for who knows what a dining set and table is. 98 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:13.079 It has a very zen feel to it. It has 99 00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:17.120 a very natural, organic feel to it. And the cost, well, 100 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:20.639 what do you think the cost is of that? 101 00:06:20.920 --> 00:06:24.199 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on Demand from 102 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:25.759 KFI AM six forty. 103 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:30.120 We're talking about getting more elbow space for your home 104 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:35.000 today by spending more time outside, but I'm specifically talking 105 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:40.680 about spending more time outside inexpensively as possible save in 106 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:44.199 the budget. So now we've entered into this area of 107 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:48.519 simply creating patio space for you to walk on, clean, 108 00:06:49.319 --> 00:06:55.120 dry patio space to extend the comfort level of your home. 109 00:06:55.680 --> 00:07:00.279 And yes, of all surfaces possible to put out there, 110 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:03.560 the least expensive and in my opinion, one of the 111 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:10.759 most gorgeous and most organic and most enjoyable is simply 112 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:16.240 using pea gravel. Now, gravel comes in all different sizes. 113 00:07:16.279 --> 00:07:19.480 For those of you who are curious and wondering big 114 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:21.759 road based gravel and the kind of gravel that we 115 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:25.560 put into main concrete, you know, structural concrete structures can 116 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:27.639 be you know, three quarters of an inch to an 117 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:33.800 inch big, big, big particulate rocks. Pea gravel is exactly 118 00:07:34.199 --> 00:07:37.360 what it is describing. We're talking about smooth, the little 119 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:40.160 pieces of gravel at the most about three eighths of 120 00:07:40.199 --> 00:07:43.920 an inch in diameter that are about the size of peas, 121 00:07:44.079 --> 00:07:49.959 you know, peas like frozen peas. So pea gravel is 122 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:53.759 comfortable to walk on, even in bare feet. If it's 123 00:07:53.800 --> 00:07:58.519 the right kind of soft, smooth gravel it is, it compresses, 124 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:02.439 it stays in place, It does not blow around with 125 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:06.000 the wind. Because it is rocks, by the way, and 126 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:10.160 heavy enough to stay in place. It is easy to maintain. Here. 127 00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:12.079 Can I get a little nature boy on you? At 128 00:08:12.079 --> 00:08:15.040 the same time, one of the things that you've heard 129 00:08:15.079 --> 00:08:18.519 me talk about when it comes to hardscape on our 130 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:22.800 properties is that almost everybody's house in southern California has 131 00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:27.600 too much hardscape, too much stuff, and then water hits 132 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:32.080 this non permeable hardscape that means concrete and stone and 133 00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:34.320 all of that, and it has to run somewhere. So 134 00:08:34.360 --> 00:08:36.679 we have to add to that a whole layer of 135 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:39.480 drainage considerations, and we've got to get all that water 136 00:08:39.559 --> 00:08:43.080 conveyed into drains, and then that drain system has to 137 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:45.639 take it out to the curb. And then water falling 138 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:49.679 on our property, a large amount of it gets conveyed 139 00:08:49.799 --> 00:08:52.679 off of our property into the storm drain system, which 140 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:55.480 then just gets flushed out to the ocean. And the 141 00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:59.440 whatever rain we do get in southern California doesn't end 142 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:04.120 up stick with us. And that starts at the home owner, 143 00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:11.639 individual lot level. I am a huge proponent of allowing 144 00:09:11.720 --> 00:09:14.799 as much water that falls on your property to stay 145 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:18.519 on or I should say, underneath your property, to feed 146 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:22.039 your plants, to become part of the water table, to 147 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:25.759 become part of the aquifer that feeds the entire region. 148 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:28.039 And one of the ways we do that is by 149 00:09:28.080 --> 00:09:36.320 creating pathways and entertainment and spaces that are permeable hardscape. 150 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:41.240 Permeable hardscape in other words, hardscape that allows water to 151 00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:44.960 fall through it and still soak into the ground below 152 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:49.879 without having to convey it out into the street. Pea 153 00:09:49.919 --> 00:09:53.600 gravel is the ultimate example of that, because a two 154 00:09:53.639 --> 00:09:57.159 inch thick layer, and that's usually what I recommend, is 155 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:02.120 about two inches thick layer of pea gravel allows water, 156 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:05.320 even in the most torrential of rains, to fall right 157 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:08.200 through it and soak into the ground below. And yet 158 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:11.679 you go walking across it and you are dry. I mean, 159 00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:14.200 your feed are as dry as when you're walking on 160 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:19.600 cement during the rain, except cement can get slippery. Pea gravel. 161 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:22.879 Never does you get better traction in inclement weather with 162 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:27.039 pea gravel than you do with cement. Now, it's not 163 00:10:27.159 --> 00:10:32.120 the universal answer for everybody, and so again universalists out 164 00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:34.639 there who take everything I say, and say, well, I 165 00:10:34.679 --> 00:10:37.879 can think of three situations where pea gravel isn't the 166 00:10:37.879 --> 00:10:40.879 best thing, Dean, well, good for you. I can think 167 00:10:40.919 --> 00:10:43.679 of eighty situations where pea gravel isn't the best thing. 168 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:46.519 But that doesn't change the fact that in a lot 169 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:51.879 of applications it should be used far more than it 170 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:57.519 is getting used. And it is without question, if we're 171 00:10:57.519 --> 00:11:05.360 talking about a hard serve, safe, clean, dry environment, it 172 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:11.279 is the least expensive of all the paving scenarios for you, 173 00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:15.600 and the most attractive and the easiest to maintain. How 174 00:11:15.639 --> 00:11:19.240 inexpensive is it, Well, it depends on where you live. 175 00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:22.120 You know, prices vary by region. But I will tell 176 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:27.799 you nationally right now, the average cost of a scoop 177 00:11:28.039 --> 00:11:31.679 or a cubic yard or a ton of pea gravel 178 00:11:32.919 --> 00:11:36.519 is the average cost is hovering somewhere in about the 179 00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:40.039 fifty dollars range. So here in southern California, I can 180 00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:45.559 tell you this. Let's say we want to spread two 181 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:51.320 inches of pea gravel over an area of maybe one 182 00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:55.600 hundred and twenty square feet, a ten by twelve rectangle, 183 00:11:55.759 --> 00:12:00.679 ten feet deep, twelve feet across. What's that going to 184 00:12:00.759 --> 00:12:04.600 run you. It's going to run you about sixty dollars. 185 00:12:05.960 --> 00:12:09.159 Are you kidding me? Yeah, it's gonna it's gonna run 186 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:12.240 you about sixty bucks for a ten by twelve area 187 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:15.679 one hundred and twenty square feet of pea gravel two 188 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:22.919 inches deep. That is not a lot of money, now, 189 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:26.200 Is that the only consideration when you're putting together a 190 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:29.960 pea gravel area? No, you know, it's it's good idea 191 00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:33.120 to put some borders on it to contain it, you know, 192 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:36.519 especially if you're gonna make a little patio area. So 193 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:39.240 there's the cost of a little bit of bordering material 194 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:41.919 which could be made out of wood or other materials, 195 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:44.639 and some staking into the ground. Or you could build 196 00:12:44.679 --> 00:12:47.799 a concrete curb and contain it that way. They're all 197 00:12:47.840 --> 00:12:50.480 different ways to approach this problem. But the fact of 198 00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:53.720 the matter is, I'm just going to tell you my experience. 199 00:12:54.519 --> 00:12:58.080 As I told you, I don't have a big, grand home. 200 00:12:58.200 --> 00:13:00.519 I have a little home. But we are sitting on 201 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:02.480 about a third of an acre. And if you think 202 00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:05.360 that I'm going to pave all the pathways to get 203 00:13:05.440 --> 00:13:08.320 everywhere I want to go on my third of an 204 00:13:08.360 --> 00:13:11.840 acre in concrete and spend that kind of money. Then 205 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:15.080 you got another thought coming. It is pea gravel paths, 206 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:19.039 garden paths and areas all over the place here, And 207 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:21.200 I love it when I got up this morning to 208 00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:23.799 walk out to the hen house to let the chickens 209 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:26.240 out and give them their mourning meal worms and all 210 00:13:26.279 --> 00:13:28.799 of that. You know, in the quiet of the morning, 211 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:32.759 here's my feet crunch and crunching, crunch, crunch, crunch across 212 00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:36.360 the pea gravel. Sometimes I'm barefoot. Sometimes you know, I've 213 00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:39.519 got my flip flops on or slippers or shit, it 214 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:44.919 doesn't matter. It's just a lovely experience. And the point 215 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:48.080 being not for those of you who are looking for 216 00:13:48.200 --> 00:13:51.879 ultimate luxury, but those of you who are looking for 217 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:56.559 a beautiful way of getting outside. What's it going to 218 00:13:56.600 --> 00:13:59.279 take you to get outside? What's it going to take 219 00:13:59.320 --> 00:14:01.519 you to get out on to the patio to spend 220 00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:04.960 some more time outside. Well, one of those preconditions is 221 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:06.919 I don't want to get messy. I don't want to 222 00:14:06.919 --> 00:14:08.720 get dirty. I want to be able to walk in 223 00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:12.000 and out of the house without dragging in you know, 224 00:14:12.440 --> 00:14:16.840 mud and clay and stuff on my feet. The least 225 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:21.360 expensive way to go to do that here is pea gravel, 226 00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:25.639 and pea gravel is beautiful, it's what zen gardens are 227 00:14:25.679 --> 00:14:30.879 made out of. And pea gravel is in expensive and 228 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:34.960 so so flexible, And talk about the ultimate DIY. If 229 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:37.720 you build the borders and get a rake and a shovel, 230 00:14:38.759 --> 00:14:44.000 you can do your own garden pathways and patio areas 231 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:48.519 all by yourself, and you can get it done. And 232 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:50.399 it's a beautiful thing. And by the way, it is 233 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:56.080 not just an economic or it's not just a product 234 00:14:56.399 --> 00:14:59.039 for people who don't have a lot of money. I 235 00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:04.919 design pea gravel pathways into multi million dollar landscape jobs 236 00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:09.240 because it's such a beautiful material. It also happens to 237 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:13.600 be incredibly inexpensive at the same time, and those are 238 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:17.240 projects in which cost is not even a part of 239 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:21.240 the consideration. We simply do it because it's gorgeous and 240 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:25.879 it's wonderful and it's zen and it's natural and it works. 241 00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:29.360 And so I say to you, the second condition, other 242 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:32.320 than a comfortable place to sit, is going to be 243 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:36.080 a comfortable surface to walk on. Consider it. And if 244 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:38.320 you need to put some stepping stones in it in 245 00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:40.960 order to make it easier to walk on, for somebody 246 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:45.480 who's older or somebody who's not quite as stable on 247 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:49.200 their feet. Then there you go. You can mix pee 248 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:52.279 gravel with decking, you can mix it with hard scape, 249 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:54.320 you can mix it with concrete, you can mix it 250 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:59.120 with stepping stones. It's just a beautiful approach to it, 251 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:02.600 all right. So where do we go from here? Now? Well, 252 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:06.200 what's it going to take to get you outside? A 253 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:10.840 comfortable place to sit and enjoy yourself, A comfortable surface, 254 00:16:11.559 --> 00:16:14.799 a clean surface so you can move in and outside freely. 255 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:18.919 We got those two covered. How about now? Temperature, Yeah, 256 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:22.600 the environment itself. We need to stay dry, we need 257 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:26.080 to stay warm, and sometimes we need to stay cool. 258 00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:29.320 All of those we will address right on the other 259 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:29.840 side of. 260 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:34.039 You're listening to Home with Dean Sharp on demand from 261 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:35.840 KFI AM six forty. 262 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:41.960 Live streaming in HD everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. You 263 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:45.240 are Home with Dean Sharp, the house whisper. That's me. 264 00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:49.799 I design custom homes, and I am here on the 265 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:53.039 weekend to help you understand how to take your home 266 00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:57.759 to the next level. And I understand that we're in 267 00:16:57.840 --> 00:17:00.159 a time right now where a lot of budgets are 268 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:03.039 very tight. Inflation has not left a lot of room 269 00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:06.200 funds are tight, but so is the house as far 270 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:08.839 as elbow room, and we're looking for a little bit 271 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:12.680 more space without having to engage in the full on 272 00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:16.680 remodel or room edition or all of that kind of thing. 273 00:17:16.839 --> 00:17:19.720 And so just an approach this weekend for those of 274 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:23.319 you who happen to benefit from this kind of thinking 275 00:17:23.799 --> 00:17:26.680 that there are two off overlooked spaces where we can 276 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:29.319 get the biggest bang for the smallest buck. One of 277 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:33.440 them is looking to the garage and which is already 278 00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:37.279 an interior room structure. That's about three quarters of the 279 00:17:37.319 --> 00:17:39.839 way there. We just need to take it over the top. 280 00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:42.799 That's what yesterday's program, or the previous episode of our 281 00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:45.960 podcast was all about, So go back and check that out. 282 00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:51.079 On the podcast today, we're talking about outdoors, spending more 283 00:17:51.240 --> 00:17:54.880 time outdoors. Now. This is true anywhere you live in 284 00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:59.839 the country, truly, anywhere you live obviously right now, certain 285 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:05.960 seasons not outdoor living for everybody, obviously. But the fact 286 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:09.440 of the matter is spring is right around the corner here. 287 00:18:09.559 --> 00:18:14.400 The thaws are beginning everywhere soon enough, and before you 288 00:18:14.519 --> 00:18:16.920 know it, we're going to be in that time where 289 00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:20.599 being outdoors is going to be an option for everybody, 290 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:23.960 and how do we do that as inexpensively as possible. Well, 291 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:26.160 we have to answer this question, what's it going to 292 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:29.960 take to get us outside. We've talked about comfortable seating, 293 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:35.039 We've talked about hardscape areas that are inexpensive, like utilizing 294 00:18:35.400 --> 00:18:39.799 materials like pea gravel instead of concrete and paving and 295 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:43.799 specialized stone and decking materials and everything that goes into that. 296 00:18:43.839 --> 00:18:46.240 And there's absolutely nothing wrong with those things. But if 297 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:52.559 we're talking budget mindedness, then pathways, even patio areas in 298 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:57.359 pea gravel is inexpensive as a beautiful and safe and 299 00:18:57.480 --> 00:19:02.680 clean area can get your home. And yes, the question 300 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:06.000 came up, what about decomposed granite, Dean, I've heard that 301 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:10.680 that can also be inexpensive. It can be decomposed, granted, 302 00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:13.519 has its own set of challenges though, just know that, 303 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:16.680 and it's a little bit more involved. And so the 304 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:20.039 reason it didn't make the very very first item on 305 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:24.200 my list is that decomposed granite is almost i mean 306 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:29.960 practically speaking, in most cases installed by contractors who know 307 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:31.799 exactly what to do with it. Because it has to 308 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:34.839 be laid down just right. It has to be compacted 309 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:39.519 just right for it to last, and it also degrades 310 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:43.839 faster than just pea gravel. Pea gravel is literally you know, 311 00:19:43.880 --> 00:19:46.279 you dump it out, you rake it out, and pretty 312 00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:50.200 much you're done. And that's why it falls at the 313 00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:52.680 very very top of that list. All right, But there 314 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:55.559 are other considerations, as I mentioned before the break, when 315 00:19:55.559 --> 00:19:58.240 it comes to spending time outside, what's it going to 316 00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:00.799 take to get you outside? Well, I need to comfeeding, 317 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:03.599 not only in my seat and in my walking space, 318 00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:07.200 but also I need to be warm enough, I need 319 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:10.440 to be cool enough, and I need to stay dry. Okay, 320 00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:15.759 so where do we go there, Well, we could talk 321 00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:21.440 about patio covers, we could talk about shade structures. When 322 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:24.400 it comes to shade, by the way, I'm all in 323 00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:28.559 favor of a nice, big, old, beautiful tree. I've got 324 00:20:28.599 --> 00:20:33.160 an ash tree, which here in southern California, by the way, 325 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:37.680 is one of our native trees that grows unbelievably fast. 326 00:20:37.799 --> 00:20:40.960 So you can buy an inexpensive, smaller ash tree and 327 00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:43.920 in just a handful of seasons have a big, beautiful 328 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:46.720 shade tree in your yard. I've got an ash tree 329 00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:49.400 sitting sort of right smack dab in the middle of 330 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:55.599 my yard that now provides shade for our outdoor dining 331 00:20:55.759 --> 00:21:00.559 deck because we love eating outside whenever we can. And 332 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:04.480 how is it that it provides shade, Well, you know, 333 00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:06.720 it's big, and we built the deck in the right 334 00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:10.400 place relative to the tree, which brings up this one thing. 335 00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:16.440 The most invaluable tool for outside living planning that a 336 00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:18.920 lot of you have just not really thought about is 337 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:22.720 a compass. A compass which you can just dial up 338 00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:25.119 on your phone, by the way, these days, that's the 339 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:27.240 one I use every time we go to a console, 340 00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:31.039 and every console we go on, inevitably people will see 341 00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:33.480 me take my phone out and I let them know 342 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:36.319 I'm paying attention to you. I'm not taking a call. 343 00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:39.240 I'm pulling up the compass because I always want to 344 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:42.839 see for myself exactly how a house is situated on 345 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:46.240 a property. That's one of the troubles with tracked housing, 346 00:21:46.359 --> 00:21:50.480 by the way, is that the you know, the four 347 00:21:50.680 --> 00:21:54.359 or so model floor plan models that went into your 348 00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:57.559 housing tract that you're living in one of them. Your 349 00:21:57.640 --> 00:22:01.839 house has been you know, rep heated multiple times throughout 350 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:06.359 the neighborhood. Sometimes it's facing north, sometimes it's facing east 351 00:22:06.519 --> 00:22:09.079 west south. I mean, who knows it's the end of 352 00:22:09.079 --> 00:22:11.680 a cul de sac or it's sandwiched in between other 353 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:15.480 houses kind of soldiered along the orientation of the house. 354 00:22:15.519 --> 00:22:17.920 I was just having this conversation with a young architectural 355 00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:20.920 student this week. The orientation of a tract home is 356 00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:25.720 one of its biggest deficiencies. Now, maybe your house lucked 357 00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:30.359 out and your house got positioned just perfectly in regards 358 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:32.920 to where the sun rises and sets and how it 359 00:22:33.000 --> 00:22:37.000 travels through the sky during the day. But the point 360 00:22:37.079 --> 00:22:40.799 is every other house that's oriented differently handles it differently, 361 00:22:40.839 --> 00:22:44.440 and yet the windows and door locations aren't moving because 362 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:48.640 they weren't designed with any consideration about whether it's going 363 00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:51.680 to maximize its view or take in the sunlight the 364 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:54.720 right way. That's just one of the things about tracked housing. 365 00:22:55.240 --> 00:23:00.400 So the point is when we go to customize a house, 366 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:04.000 a tract home, and we're starting to make changes to it, 367 00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:07.440 I always want to know where is the sun midday, 368 00:23:07.799 --> 00:23:09.640 where is it in the morning, where will it be 369 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:13.359 in the evening in regards to this room, or for 370 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:17.799 today's discussion, in regards to this yard, this outdoor space. 371 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:21.839 So knowing that my house is oriented the way that 372 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:24.920 it is, and knowing that the space I had on 373 00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:30.400 the north side of my ash tree was the perfect 374 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:34.319 place to build our little dining deck and put our 375 00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:37.480 outside dining table. Why because I live in the Northern 376 00:23:37.519 --> 00:23:43.440 Hemisphere and the sun is always always traveling across the 377 00:23:43.559 --> 00:23:47.160 southern sky. Even at the peak of summer, when it 378 00:23:47.279 --> 00:23:51.200 almost seems like the sun is directly overhead, it's not. 379 00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:55.039 It's just a few degrees still to the south. So 380 00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:58.880 the point is the north side of your home, the 381 00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:03.960 north side of a big, beautiful feature tree, always shady, 382 00:24:04.440 --> 00:24:07.559 always in the shade for the most part of the day. 383 00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:10.640 And as it is true, the only time our dining 384 00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:15.519 deck gets direct sunlight is in the early morning hours, 385 00:24:15.640 --> 00:24:18.599 when number one, we're not out there, and number two, 386 00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:22.640 when even during the summer, that direct sunlight is not 387 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:27.680 burning hot sun. By the time that the sun gets 388 00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:30.480 to it's kind of a well, right about now in 389 00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:34.079 the eleven ish hour, the dining deck is already in 390 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:36.759 the shade and it will stay in the shade well 391 00:24:36.839 --> 00:24:40.720 into the late afternoon, which is the perfect time for 392 00:24:40.839 --> 00:24:43.240 it to be in the shade and to be completely cool. 393 00:24:43.319 --> 00:24:48.720 So when you are planning coolness for your outdoor experience. 394 00:24:49.240 --> 00:24:54.279 You know what it Get the compass out on your phone, 395 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:57.799 the Compass app, and start taking into account where the 396 00:24:57.839 --> 00:25:01.759 sun travels across the sky. It it amazes me that 397 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:05.519 I still regularly run into homeowners where I say, well, 398 00:25:05.559 --> 00:25:08.079 you know, the sun is always traveling on that side 399 00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:09.480 of the house and this side of the house is 400 00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:12.319 always in the shade, and they think, well, I guess 401 00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:15.440