I had a problem with spotted spurge several weeks ago, so I applied some 2-4D to the lawn using my garden hose. Although I was careful not to over-apply, it's tricky to figure out just how much is being applied through those bottles that attach to a hose. The spotted spurge has all but disappeared, but now I am faced with a new issue: the lawn just doesn't seem healthy, and in some spots it seems either dormant or dead. OK I know what the problem is, and I know where Round Rock TX is just north of Austin. I have relatives just to the West of you in Marble Falls. I also know a thing or two about the Bible and Bermuda grass. It has been a early and hot spring in TX, especially from Dallas and points south. In your area it has also been dry and hot right? What is going on is your Bermuda Grass is stunned from 2,4-D application in too warm of weather. It also sounds like you might of applied too much using a hose end sprayer which compounded your problem. Post-emergence herbicides like 2,4-D should not be used when daytime temps hit 85+ degrees or else it will burn the grass and/or even make it go dormant. If extreme temps above 90 and over application you can do some real damage to it. Fear not my friend. Ease up on the fertilizer for a while and keep it watered. It will come back. Is it Tan or straw colored? Or is it dark like gray or charcoal colored? Tan/Straw colored is stunned dormant grass. Dark and crunchy is dead. Even if it is dead the surrounding grass will fill it back in with proper care. Good Luck TW

Active dogs and a lush, healthy lawn are incompatible :-) If you wish to have a decent lawn immediately surrounding your patio area, then you must keep the dogs off of it. You could designate a dedicated (and fenced) play area for the dogs elsewhere that is surfaced in wood chips that will resist mud and destruction. Unless you need an enlarged patio, I would not recommend increasing the size or adding on to the existing one. You could also treat the disturbed area next to the patio with wood chips as well, but the aesthetics of that solution leave much to be desired.

To me, it looks like you need a patio AND deck. The puzzle is to figure out what will happen on each one and gauge their sizes accordingly. Where's the kitchen? That usually makes a difference. More often then not, one would want the outdoor grilling area close to the kitchen and outdoor dining table also not far away. Whereas farther away might be more of a lounging area, fire pit or that sort of thing.

I would get a quote from a contractor to see how much they would charge for a deck constructed like this. If they suggest a different method, they'll tell you why. Then you'll have a point of comparison for your cost of materials including delivery, purchase or rental of power tools etc. I would only consider a floating deck on level ground. The cement footers will have more soil pressure from the slope on the house side - could this could gradually shift them downhill towards the iron rail fence? Might cost a lot to fix a moving deck and a damaged fence. Your HOA board will probably take a good long look at your construction method, which is a hassle you don't need. I hope some people more familiar with construction methods will chime in.