Hi Thanks for the suggestions. There will be lawn but not actually in the "corner" because eventually that triangular area will be filled in with an alpine bed. The home is fairly modern, with square windows, but a curving batten above the window. The yard is square. I will try to figure out how to post photos if it helps. The person who drew the plan for us doesn't do it anymore, unfortunately and previous attempts to contact regarding questions about the plan have been unfruitful. I may have to get out there with some string or a garden hose I guess. If it makes any difference the patio will be fairly large, 560 sq ft.

I use those 4' orange electic fence stakes from home depot (about $1 a piece)for lots of things in the yard & gardens. Pound it in the ground and then slide the PVC pipe over it and into the soil a bit. Set out several of these with holes drilled in the PVC pipe and string wire through them to make a fairly sturdy, portable & cheap trellis. I use these stakes to build easy fencing. I use plastic cable ties to secure wire or plastic mesh fencing to them. Because I dislike the orange and it stands out like a sore thumb, I paint my stakes black. Pound 2 rows of these stakes in the ground about 4' apart and slide each end of a flexible PVC pipe over them, making an arch. Cover this with garden cloth or plastic to protect plants. I "sew" the fabric to the pvc with fishing line. If you are using plastic, cut some flaps in it, to keep it from blowing away in a big wind. I use them to brace non secured retaining walls. At my old house I built a raised bed using them to hold the lumber together. I drilled holes in the timbers and slid them over the stakes, then I lined the interior side with heavy plastic.

I am a concrete contractor in Houston, TX. (www.conspecinc.com) After reading these treads I am amazed at how little people really know about concrete placement. First, the smaller the job = the more it costs because we are charged a "short load fee" for orders under 6 yards. This fee can be up to $175 "plus" the cost of the concrete. Also - for slab on grade applications wire mesh is much better than rebar (contrary to popular opinion). It has to do with the fact that reinforcement on "slab on grade" applications is based upon the strength of the GRADE not necessarily the reinforcement. The reinforcement just prevents the crack from developing and wire mesh does a better job. I address this on my website. Finally, concrete costs have gone up as the economy (gas prices), drive costs. I charge $6 to $7 PSF for stamped colored concrete and $3.50 to $4 for standard. In Houston, contractors have a habit of putting wood for control joints which ultimately rots out. Not a good idea. I don't use wood for control joints unless requested. Also concrete can be ordered in MANY WAYS! A contractor can order substandard concrete (but the owner does not know the difference), cheap.... but GOOD concrete costs about $80 per yard. In short a concrete patio "should" cost $3.50 to $4 PSF in Houston that is - if you seek quality. Concrete can have "fillers" which after 28 days "will" give you 3000 PSI but "after" this period it will slowly diminish. Good concrete however, increases its strength with age. Good concrete takes 50 years to totally cure. My website gives you the truth about concrete placement.

The area is close enough to grade that concrete seems more appropriate as the solution. I wouldn't let present lack of knowledge keep you from finding out about it. The basics about concrete placement are fairly simple and straightforward. The process of placing a slab there would be simpler than building a deck. Yet it still requires that you do the right things at the right times. You can find about the basics by watching a few YouTube videos. You'll probably need one step down from the door. I'd make is spacious ... at least 24" depth x 5' width, centered with the door. Instead of looking at the 3 rectangles as separate areas, I'd view them as parts of a whole, and try to integrate whatever finish/technique you choose throughout the whole project ... rather than have it look like different pieces were added on at different times. One thing I'd caution you about with stamped concrete is that some patterns have too much texture for comfort. While they look great, they may be irritating to walk on for some people with certain shoes. Some nice, simple effects can be obtained with careful scoring patterns. I've seen slabs with 12" edge bands scored all around their border that looked quite handsome for very little added cost. There's a wide range of cost, depending on what you want. It would be easier to place the concrete, while the fence is not in the way, and then add the fence and gate afterward. Be sure to get the concrete level where the gate will cross it.