Stacy Paulson Design + Build

🔨 Behind the Build / Outdoor Living
25 years of doing this has taught me a lot.
Most of it applies indoors and out. But some of the hardest lessons I've learned came specifically from outdoor builds.

Here are 6 things I wish every homeowner knew before starting an outdoor renovation:

Drainage before everything else. You need to know where water goes across your whole property before a single square foot of hardscape goes in. Water always wins, and it's expensive to fix after the fact.

Outdoor kitchens need permits. The moment you add gas, electrical, or any permanent structure to your backyard, you're in permit territory. Most homeowners find this out too late.

Design for July, not April. The best outdoor spaces in Austin aren't the biggest ones. They're the most shaded ones. A beautiful patio that sits in direct sun all afternoon is a patio nobody uses in the summer.

The outdoor furniture budget is always an afterthought. It shouldn't be. Texas sun will destroy the wrong fabrics in a single season. Check lightfastness ratings before you buy anything.

Swipe through all six. Save this. Share it with anyone who's planning a patio, outdoor kitchen, or backyard transformation.

Which one surprised you most? Drop the number in the comments.

If you're planning an outdoor project, email me directly - [email protected]

Stacy Paulson Design + Build

Most outdoor contractors do the hardscape. Or the furniture. Or the planting. Almost never all three.

That's the part nobody warns you about when you start planning an outdoor project.

Here's how I do it differently:

→ Design renderings before anything gets built → Full estimate before we break ground — no surprises mid-project → Construction managed by me, on site → Furnishings, shade, lighting, and styling installed at the end

One process. One point of contact. Indoors or out.

If you've ever tried to coordinate a patio build across three different vendors, you already know why this matters.

Save this. Send it to someone planning an outdoor space this summer.

Email me — [email protected]