Browse Forums General Discussion Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 21Jan 29, 2011 9:55 pm If you had a boat or a trailer or something like that, then I would say yes, but it seems like you are using as a large shed anyway so I wouldn't worry about vehicle access personally, particularly with the double garage........but everyone is different. Do what suits you, its your home not a "renovate to sell" project with prospective buyers in mind. Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 22Jan 29, 2011 9:56 pm dons80 I reckon your lawn needs more attention then the access to the backyard I planted the wrong grass; it is cool climate stuff which obviously does not suit southern Victoria. It grows and looks much better in winter. Regardless, like I said it is particularly difficult to grow against the existing deck because of the shelter it receives from above. Where are you from again? Geoff - Decophile. Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 23Jan 29, 2011 10:04 pm dons80 I reckon your lawn needs more attention then the access to the backyard Are you for real? Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 24Jan 29, 2011 10:05 pm Eager dons80 I reckon your lawn needs more attention then the access to the backyard I planted the wrong grass; it is cool climate stuff which obviously does not suit southern Victoria. It grows and looks much better in winter. Regardless, like I said it is particularly difficult to grow against the existing deck because of the shelter it receives from above. Where are you from again? I wouldn't worry too much about the lawn if you are considering building a deck over the top of it anyway. "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 25Jan 29, 2011 10:08 pm Hi Eager, I personally think a great entertaining area out weighs external access to a backyard. In my opinion a large entertaining area would add a lot more value to the home! So go for it build the outdoor area of your dreams!! Then share the photos with us Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 26Jan 30, 2011 12:36 pm Eager I think I'll contact an estate agent on Monday as well, to get his opinion. I've got no idea how long we will live here for but I would imagine at least 5 years so any changes I do now would not be temporary. trustno1, I understand completely about a garage becoming an oversized shed. This says it all for me here. 5 or so years is a long time, id be extending the alfresco area for sure if thats how long you intend on living there for as a minimum. Like you said, you have lock up garage already, established gardens, and no need for a second garage for vehicles. If you intend on selling in 5 years time and a real estate agent says the rear access would be a big big seller, then it would only take you a week to rip up the extended decking area if they recommended it gone. or, just build a wooden step down, that then blends into a paved area there, under a shade sail like others have said, with potted plants and BBQ on wheels, and you have the best of both worlds. TOUGHEN UP PRINCESS Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 27Jan 30, 2011 1:19 pm Eager Our shed is very useful but I'm hearin' ya - Have Space, Will Fill It With Junk! Incorrect..."stuff" accumulates to the square of the space available... For what it's worth I think the garage at the front + extended outdoor area + double "shed"/mancave will make it an attractive proposition for a potential buyer. The rear access for trailer I wouldn't see as an issue if you already have an established backyard...I consider my backyard finished and haven't needed access for about 12 months...so much so that once the trailer is back from the old's it's going on fleabay...er...the trailer...not the old's...although I will take offers on both. mmm....donuts Homer Simpson 1956- Links: Site Costs Ready Reckoner | H1 Addiction Medical Advice | Château TDL: The Backyard Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 28Jan 30, 2011 2:52 pm When we designed our house- one of the factors we kept in mind was access for a car down the side of the house. The plan was to have a roller door at the back of the double garage so you could drive straight through the garage and down the back (to the backyard shed) All the little mock ups we drew seemed to fit it in but when it came to crunch time and we had our plans drawn up properly (including the more precise measurements which take into account the width of hallways and allowing for the space between wall and the pillars of the garage structure, etc) we found that the space we had allowed for a car got smaller and smaller. We considered playing with the measurements to make more space for a car down the side but then we reflected on the likelihood of needing to drive a car/ or caravan down the side and in our case we realised that it really wasn't that important to us. So the house has been built and we've concreted down the side and although you can't fit a car down the side- there is definitely ample space for push bikes, wheelbarrows, small trailers, bobcats and that kind of thing...which is more than enough for us! So basically we initially thought it would be important but for us it isn't! If you want to add more features to your garden- then go for it- As someone else has mentioned- If you sell down the track and people want that side access back then it wouldn't be a big deal to just move everything back to how it is. Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 29Jan 30, 2011 8:30 pm It's really a personal thing. We paid for a single garage door at the back of our garage and plan to concrete the area behind this, for vehicle access. But everyone's needs are different. Follow your instinct Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 30Jan 30, 2011 9:26 pm Eager dons80 I reckon your lawn needs more attention then the access to the backyard I planted the wrong grass; it is cool climate stuff which obviously does not suit southern Victoria. It grows and looks much better in winter. Regardless, like I said it is particularly difficult to grow against the existing deck because of the shelter it receives from above. Where are you from again? a good gardner never blames his tools Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 32Jan 31, 2011 7:24 am dons80 Eager dons80 I reckon your lawn needs more attention then the access to the backyard I planted the wrong grass; it is cool climate stuff which obviously does not suit southern Victoria. It grows and looks much better in winter. Regardless, like I said it is particularly difficult to grow against the existing deck because of the shelter it receives from above. Where are you from again? a good gardner never blames his tools Therer's only one tool here sunshine. Geoff - Decophile. Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 33Jan 31, 2011 8:40 am The deck we plan to use at the rear of our place will be a concrete slab with the joists dyna-bolted into the concrete and then the decking over the top. Use screws and you can pull it all apart. Practical in the short-term and adjustable in the long term. Also in our council area you don't need a permit for this type of deck Second Time 'Round Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 34Jan 31, 2011 1:19 pm Good idea with using screws Ray, but it won't match my existing deck unless I re-do it as well. The only thing I have made my mind up on so far is to keep any extension of this outdoor area at the same level, which means it will be a deck extension if I go through with it, and not a stepped down deck or paved area. Had a chat to an agent this morning that we've known for years and I'm becoming more comfortable with the idea of going ahead with a deck extension. I still have to make up my mind on how to finish it all off though, not just the deck, but the surrounding area. Large water feature? Big buddha statue or wall (fence) hanging? Fire pit? Hot tub? Time will tell. Thanks for all your feedback guys, MOST of you have been very helpful. Geoff - Decophile. Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 35Jan 31, 2011 1:23 pm Hot tub gets my vote! hehe Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 36Jan 31, 2011 1:44 pm hahaha! Trouble is, I'd never get DS and his (boozy) mates out of it. Geoff - Decophile. Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 37Jan 31, 2011 1:50 pm I was thinking hot tub instead of shed actually "Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions." — Elizabeth Gilbert Living in our new house. Currently scaping the land. Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 38Jan 31, 2011 3:07 pm donuts I was thinking hot tub instead of shed actually Nooooooooooooo!!!! Geoff - Decophile. Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 39Jan 31, 2011 8:40 pm The concept has gathered a bit of momentum today and I've started to bash some ideas around. I intend to extend the deck to the fenceline flush with the outer edge of the brick columns. Our big blue pots will move to the fence side of the brick columns or to the fenceline. On the near side (referring to the pic) will be a short rendered blueboard wall. The entire fence will be covered in that reed or bamboo or brushwood stuff. We have a small water feature at the moment that can go front and centre against the fence, and hanging over it will be some sort of outdoorsy art, maybe also on a rendered wall. Either that or put a large water feature there instead. Either side of that to the corners of the deck will be a garden if we leave room for it, maybe raised, or planter boxes. If it is a raised garden we might steal the idea of continuing the decking boards up the face of it. In the corner behind the second column MAYBE will be a hot tub but I'm undecided yet. If so, the deck will also extend around it. If not, I might put a rocky pond there or something. The ends of my existing deck will be ramped to the paths to facilitate easy movement of lawnmower/wheelbarrow etc. Longer term we might get retractable awnings across the deck extension and the sides of the existing one (to cover the hot tub, see?). It sounds like a plan, but it is early days yet, and I will be sticking to a bit of a budget. Any construction won't be happening until at least mid-March though. Thanks again guys for all your input! Oh, the bonus from today was getting the realtor around here for a look. We were always going to get this place valued after we moved in but never got around to it until today. Let's just say we're happy. Geoff - Decophile. Re: How important is car access to the back yard/shed? 40May 15, 2011 12:24 pm Construction has started! It will be a simple rectangular deck extension flush with the inside of the brick columns with framework for screening off the fence and hanging a feature on it at the end of the deck. The spaces either side of the extension from the columns to the fenceline will be taken up by strip gardens, with plants that will grow tall enough to provide a natural screening of the deck. Maybe bamboo! We were going to have raised merbau clad gardens/planter boxes there instead, but went against that idea due to a number of factors. Yes, the dog likes to drag his blanky's out of the kennel. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Geoff - Decophile. 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