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March 2007:
The wood patio and upper deck are aged and worn. We will be ripping it all down and out, to be replaced by a larger upper deck and a stone patio below. The current state (click thumbnails for larger images):
The current deck is 6' deep, to be expanded to 8' deep and continue to the left corner of the house.
The leftmost 8' will also come out 12' to accommodate a future 3-season room.
The stairs will most likely be relocated to descend directly from the right end of the deck, perpendicular to the house.
Current patio is 32 feet wide, c.27 feet deep.
July 2nd, and the deck is demolished.
Meanwhile, by digging holes for the new deck's support pillars, we seem to have struck water. But from where?
At first glance, it was decided that water was coming out from beneath the foundation, now that it had a place to go. The new hole filled up quickly and stayed filled up. I was happy with the ground water explanation and thought no more of it.
On the second visit, the plumbers decided that the main line between the wellhead (about 12' out) and the foundation wall was leaking. We decided to lay in a new pipe through the foundation.
Things are really moving now (August 1). The deck is up and the flooring is in place. The patio surface is levelled and prepped. The pipe has been dug out, along with a new access route between the wellhead and foundation.
August 2nd...
Cloth barrier is laid and the first layer of gravel is being put down and tamped. Plumbers are finishing up repairs to the well line, and that area cannot be processed until they are done and the gaping hole is filled in.
August 3rd...
Like a deck of cards, each move is dependent upon the one before. Until the water leak was fixed, the patio foundation could not be laid. Until the patio is laid, the deck stairs have to wait. We are now in a mini-holding-pattern until the pavers arrive on the 7th. Still, it's beginning to look very much like this is actually happening.
Week of August 6th...
Work proceeds at full pace now. Sand is laid atop the prepped patio area, then pavers are laid in place. Each and every perimeter stone is cut to follow the curving outline of the patio. More stones are cut to fill in around the base of each support post, and a circular area is cut around the wellhead.
I felt so bad... The stationery stone cutter kept blowing my electrical circuits, so they had to resort to a handheld stone cutter. This must have been brutal in the August heat and humidity, but never a complaint or negative comment was heard.
August 17th...
Nearing completion. Deck is finished and "this close" to being certified. Patio is still awaiting a couple of lights
in the wall on the left, but is otherwise all but finished. Let's take a walk around the yard.
There is no question that the look of the house has been improved dramatically. From what it was to what it is... simply an amazing transformation.

But the truly important part - the deck - turned out exactly as we had hoped. This is where we live, where we take our morning coffee and where we wind down "of an evening." Jean's choice of white railing was perfect, and the greatly expanded deck will see a lot of use.

The patio is a beautiful E.P.Henry job, and the stone will be appreciated for many years (over the splintery wood that was there before, certainly).
What's left now is some cleanup and some needed attention to the lawn, but I trust that all will be ship-shape come next Spring. Our Project Patio & Deck has come to a beautiful conclusion, and we now look forward to enjoying the hell out of the results! For a quick look back - here's a side-by-side comparison, before and after.
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