I had the same problem and It was so challenging. It always looked unfinished and I felt like people would fall off of the edge of the deck. Plus our dog insisted it was a dog run which was kind of gross. We found a work around. We bought a fence screen from an online store that offers next day delivery (website to remain unnamed. :-) They come in different lengths, height and colours. (Forgive the mess. We were prepping the spot in front of the equipment to extend the concrete pad and address the gap) The fence screen we are fast an easy install and this fabric doesn't fade or rip. It allows air to flow through but keeps dirt from going through the fence. After I dug a trent for the trees, I ran the landscape fabric over stones that we placed along the bottom of the fenceto create a basin. then back filled with soil. Fence fabric https://www.amazon.ca/Windscreen4less-Privacy-Grommets-Warranty-Customized/dp/B001OJXVKW/ref=sr_1_7?crid=LGXTY2DJMA7U&keywords=fence%2Bscreen&qid=1652055342&sprefix=fence%2Bscreen%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-7&th=1 The chainlink acts like the retaining structure, the fence screen helped to keep everything on myside and the landscape fabric, wood and stone helped with drainage. We have a 20" drop from deck height so we didnt' have to dig down too far to plant cedars and we could fill up the gap with soil. To break up the green we had cedar privacy screens, strategically placed to be over drainage, and grounding wires for the pool. I plan to plant hydrangea bushes at the base of the cedar screens but my husband wants hicks yews (no maintenance required and all around greenery for those of use who have cold weather 8 months our of the year).

Hi, Dana! Like I said before, I'm glad we're working on our projects together, however long it takes to get to completion! What you saw in the picture is just part of one rod. We still haven't completely installed either rod. Both rods still need the end brackets, but I was waiting to get the rings. I want one ring on the 'outside' of the bracket and the rest of the rings on the 'inside'. I think I have it figured out. Now it's just finding the time for DH and I to get to it. So, to answer your questions. So far, I'm very satisfied with the rods. Since I need to alter my panels (they are 96"), we went ahead and placed the rods at the height we want (8" above the window) and I will alter the panels to work with that height. I plan to hang the rings on the rod and then measure from the bottom of the ring to the floor to get my overall length of each panel. Yesterday, I test hung one panel just to get an idea of the look. I used the clips and the look was OK, but I think I'll like it better to eliminate the clips, if I can. I also had the entire length of the panel, so there was a lot of puddling of the drapes on the floor and again, I was kinda surprised to NOT hate the look. I think, tho, that I will have them just barely touching the floor. Hey, if I just use the clips and have the drapes puddle on the floor, I could be done! HA! I understand your frustration in determining the placement of the rod and the length of the panels. I recently made some panels for our bedroom and did just what you described. I held the rod with the panel on it to determine the right height and it kinda worked. They ended up about an inch too long and some day I hope to change that, but for now, at least they're up. So, to make a long answer even longer, I think if you measure the entire panel and then hang the rod and rings so that the height from the bottom of the ring to the floor is the same as your panel, you should be at the right height. You may want to add about a 1/2" to the rod height, so that the panels are just a little above the floor. Does any of this make sense? Good luck with your project. I'm looking forward to seeing pictures when it's completed. I'm also anxious to share pictures of my project, too, but at the rate we're working, who knows when that will be! Are you planning to use the Universal Tempo Tape?

Thanks for these comments - some good things to think about. Several of you have mentioned visually lowering the ceiling or doing other things that make the rooms more aligned with a human scale rather than adding transoms. I guess this would make the rooms seem more comfortable? I suppose I thought I had hit the jackpot when we discovered three extra feet of ceiling space during demo! But most of the comments make me think I should do things to reduce the visual height. I really love this row house ( Montague Terrace and Montague Terrace ) and somewhat aspire for ours to resemble it. Of course, it has even higher ceilings than ours, but we'll have a similar paneled opening between the living and dining rooms that will be about 9'6" tall. So to some degree, I suppose that 9'6" opening dictates the scale for the room.Anyhow, thanks for these responses. I've asked my architect to try a design with transoms above the doors, which will mean dropping the crown in the 10' section of the house.

It depends also upon what that particular property is worth to you. I've seen people let $5000 keep them from purchasing a home they really wanted, and end up paying the price it could have been purchased for a few months later, for a house they liked less. Market values fluctuate. There are the comps of what a house is worth on the market at this moment, and what it is worth to you. If you pay $5000 over market value today, but get the house, maybe that purchase price is the market value in six months. Does that matter in the larger picture for what is often a30 year mortgage, and the "value" bouncing up and down? Sure, you don't want to pay more than you have to. But increasing the odds of actually being able to purchase the house you want has a value, too. How badly do you want this particular property? If low-balling increases the odds that someone else will purchase the property instead, how much does that matter to you? That is a question only you can answer. Offering an amount closer to what you said you expect to have to pay, increases the odds of your being able to purchase the property. Not all offers must be made with negotiating in mind. We offered less than market for our house, but that was what we were willing to pay with consideration to the work needed. The owner wanted more, but it was easy to decline increasing our offer, because we had already established what we were willing to pay. Don't forget that most properties get appraised, and that can affect how much price wiggling is done during the negotiations for inspection repairs, closing costs, etc. Even if they accept your lower offer, if the house appraises much higher, they will then probably not going to concede additional money. If your offer is above the appraisal, you can renegotiate (per contract) and are more likely to get a roof replacement, or whatever. In the end, it could be a wash when it comes to the final price.