M.E Contracting

Outdoor Kitchen Location: 6 Hacks to Get it Right

December 20, 2016 By M.E Contracting

The beautiful long summer days in Toronto make the perfect setting to spend your entire day in the sun. Why bother heading inside to make lunch or dinner when you can have all you need to cook up a feast right in your own backyard? An outdoor kitchen is the perfect way to soak it all in before the chilly winter days approach.

Choosing the Best Location for Your New Outdoor Kitchen

Use these 6 hacks to figure out the best spot for your new favourite place to make dinner!

Convenience: Are you a master chef that needs all sorts of utensils and gadgets to cook up your masterpiece? If you are, a location closer to the house may be a good idea. This gives you easy access to anything you may need from inside without worrying about your steak turning to charcoal before you return with a clean plate for serving.

Space:Obviously to choose the right location for your outdoor kitchen you need to assess the amount of space available. Maybe your space only permits an island with a drop in grill and some counter space on either side. For someone with a more spacious property things can get a bit more elaborate. More counter space, cupboard space and perhaps a fridge to keep a few cold ones?

License and Permits:The less exciting, but surely important thing to think about is where you’re actually permitted to build this dream kitchen of yours. Check in with your municipality to figure out how close or far your outdoor kitchen needs to be to comply with city regulations.

Safety: Another very important thing to consider is safety. When installing your outdoor kitchen, you must be sure to include some safety measures so you don’t incinerate yours and potentially your neighbour’s backyard. Having a fire extinguisher nearby is always a great idea just in case things get a little too heated. Be sure that you don’t place anything like a grill or other sorts of cooking equipment under trees or things like phone lines. Something else to consider is the clear path you should have out of your house in case of a fire evacuation. These are all precautions that will most likely save you time and money in the long run!

Electric and Hydro: Now to avoid pipes and power lines littering your backyard, it’s probably in your best interest to keep your outdoor kitchennear the power sources it will be using. This will make the whole process easier and helps you avoid having a massive underground system throughout your precious oasis along with decreasing the costs of running power through your yard!

Aesthetic:Finally, the best part is making sure it’s aesthetically pleasing! You want your outdoor kitchen to be in a spot that works perfectly with the layout of your whole space. Whether you’ve got a slick, modern set up or a rustic refuge you need an easily accessible kitchen. You don’t want to go rock climbing just to get to your new spot. Make sure it’s not obstructing any walk ways or that the grill is so close to a window that your home becomes a smokehouse. Give yourself some shelter so the rain doesn’t ruin your fun. Choose materials that will withstand the elements and most importantly make sure it all coordinates well with your already beautiful backyard.

Location for a new kitchen will vary from place to place based on so many factors. Using this guide you will surely find the perfect place for your outdoor kitchen and be throwing the best dinner parties in Toronto in no time!

Custom Decks and Why Local Climate Should Influence Your Choices

December 12, 2016 By M.E Contracting

Custom decks can be a great outdoor feature: something that every member of the family can enjoy in the summer months and a fixture that can do a great deal to improve the overall look and feel of your backyard. However, before you hire a local contractor to design and build a new deck for your home, there are a few things you need to consider, mostly relating to the local climate. The type of weather you are likely to experience in the summertime may influence both the design and material choices for your new deck so it is worth spending a few minutes looking through this short guide before you approach any local firms.

Designing and Specifying Custom Decks for the Local Climate

For the purposes of this article, we are going to assume that, like us, you reside in the city of Toronto, or the surrounding suburbs. If you live elsewhere in Canada, your choices may differ in some respects.

Positioning – One of the first factors to consider when planning a new deck is where to put it. Bearing in mind the hot and sticky weather that often prevails in the GTA during the summer months, you will want to pick somewhere with natural shade if at all possible. If this is not possible, you can ask your contractor to include an awning or canopy in the design, so that at least part of it is in shade for most of the day. Such a feature will also enable you to enjoy sitting outside even when it is raining.

Material – Although the summers in Toronto are normally fine as far as the weather is concerned, the spring and autumn months bring plenty of rain with them. For this reason, custom decks should be built with a material that is able to withstand moist conditions without any adverse effects. Composite decks are probably the best choice as far as wet weather performance is concerned but they are a little more expensive than their natural timber counterparts. What you should bear in mind though, is that composite materials will remain in good condition for longer than natural wood, thereby reducing maintenance costs over the years. When you factor this into your calculations, you will see that overall, composite custom decks are no more expensive than wooden decks and may actually work out to be cheaper in the long run.

If you simply prefer the look and feel of natural timber, cedar is a good choice. The natural oils that it contains make it moisture resistant as well as less susceptible to attacks from insects and decay than other woods. If you don’t mind spending around 30% more, ipe could be the perfect choice for your new deck. Harder and more durable than any other type of hardwood used to build custom decks, ipe, in common with cedar, is also naturally resistant to moisture, insects and decay.

Size – If you expect many hot sunny days during the summer, and plenty of mild days during spring and autumn, you will probably want to specify as large a deck as possible so that you can enjoy the fine weather to the full. On the other hand, if you live in a part of the country where the sun rarely makes an appearance, a small corner deck could be your best choice.

We have built many beautiful custom decks in the GTA and would be delighted to design and build one for you. Just call and ask to speak to a member of our sales team if you would like to discuss your requirements.

Why Good Deck Builders Should Be Willing to Guarantee Their Work

November 7, 2016 By M.E Contracting

Many of our Toronto customers have spent years dreaming about, and saving for, their ultimate deck. Perhaps you have too. After all, well made decks can turn once average homes into the most desirable address in town. But by contrast, badly made decks are, at best, a waste of money and, at worst, a major hazard. That’s why, before trusting deck builders to create your dream deck, make sure they can guarantee their work. If they can’t, don’t work with them. It’s as straightforward as that.

Why Should You Hire Deck Builders that Guarantee their Work?

If a deck builder guarantees their work you can be sure of the following:

You’re covered: It’s simple—if something goes wrong, it’s their responsibility. Investing in a deck is a huge financial and emotional investment. And anything that reduces the possibility of buyer’s regret on that scale is a boon. With a guarantee, every time they build a deck they’re putting their business on the line. And that’s the best incentive that exists for doing an outstanding job.

Your Satisfaction is their Bottom Line: This is when you see customer care at its very finest—to be profitable they have to produce work their customers love. Which means their business model requires them to really care about their customers and what they want. Many contractors are guilty of ignoring their customers’ needs to avoid the extra work that customisation calls for. But when dealing with Toronto deck builders who issue a guarantee, you can be confident they’ll ask the right questions, listening carefully to your answers to ensure they build a deck that’s right for you.

They Have Pride and Confidence in the Quality of their Work: A guarantee says, “Our work is the best.” It’s a bold claim and one that savvy customers will seek to challenge. So you can be sure that this is no idle claim. These deck builders don’t aim to meet building code standards—that would merely make them average—they aim to exceed them. A builder won’t guarantee their work if they have the slightest shred of doubt about its quality.

They Have Integrity and High Standards: We’ve all done business with people who don’t make it feel like business. And that’s because, like a friendship, there’s trust, integrity and mutual respect. The reason these examples stand out in our minds is because they’re rare. But deck builders who guarantee their work respect and appreciate the trust you place in them. When they’re dealing with something as personal as your home, a guarantee says they’ll treat it with the respect and high standards they would their own.

Their Work Will Last: This is an important one, especially when dealing with something as permanent as a deck. You want it to last decades, not just years. A business won’t issue a guarantee if they think their work is going to fall apart after one harsh Toronto And smart deck builders know the best advertisement for their business is a good quality deck that lasts. More footfall over their quality deck work means more footfall into their showroom.

We know you want the best for your home. We do too—long-term customer satisfaction is our bottom line. If you’re not satisfied, neither are we. So that’s why we guarantee our work, and pride ourselves on being Toronto’s best deck builders. Call Toronto Custom Decks today on 647-878-8780 today for more on how we can guarantee a deck you love.

Deck Design and Plantscaping: How to Make a Deck Work with the Rest of Your Landscape

October 31, 2016 By M.E Contracting

There are two types of deck: those that are used, and those that aren’t. The difference between the two? Good deck design. A well-designed deck not only meets your lifestyle requirements but also blends seamlessly with your home and landscape. It’s a welcoming space to relax, entertain and crack open a few cold beers mid heat wave. Plantscaping is the best and most organic way to ensure your new deck looks and feels like it was always meant to be there.

How to Enhance Your Deck Design by Plantscaping

Follow our Plantscaping guide to make your deck the toast of Toronto.

Start with What You Have: Successful plantscaping and deck design takes its cue from your current landscape. Use your home and garden as inspiration for your deck’s colour and textural theme. But there are no strict rules here—to create a cohesive and appealing habitat, you don’t need an exact match. Choosing colours from the same spectrum is enough to create visual panache. Size matters too —the bigger the space, the bigger your plants and containers can be.

Choose the Right Plants: Once you’ve got your overall theme down, it’s time to get practical: pick plants that love living both in containers and in our unique Toronto Hardiness rating is key here—plants that are rated Zone 6 (Canadian), Zone 5 (USA) or below will thrive in Toronto. Also consider your deck’s own microclimate—the levels of sun, shade and wind you enjoy year round will dictate the types of plants you pick.

Choose the Right Containers: Weather and exposure will also determine your container choice. Many a pot falls foul of the wind—so avoid top-heavy containers, especially on raised decks. Even sturdier are planters with integrated seating— add wheels and you have the double benefit of deck protection and location flexibility. And if space is a challenge, make use of the vertical by planting on railings, trellises, hanging baskets and pedestals.

Make it Look Pretty: Now we’ve got the practical stuff nailed, the fun begins. For maximum effect, combine different colours, textures and heights together to make eye-catching container bouquets. Plus by mixing plants of varying lifespans and seasonal patterns, you’ll create year-round visual delight. For added texture use gravel, glass, seashells and other materials as pot fillers. And for seamless cohesion with your garden, ensure you plant around your deck edges too.

Experiment with Layout: You can have the most beautiful plants in the most exquisite containers, but if they’re in the wrong places, your space just won’t feel right. The beauty of a potted garden is that it’s flexible, allowing you to experiment with endless configurations. For real visual impact, create dynamic focal points by mixing and matching containers together.

Put Your Lifestyle First: When it comes to plantscaping, the possibilities are endless—it’s easy to get carried away. But in the end, deck design is meant to fit in with your lifestyle. If you’re a keen gardener, go wild and make your deck a horticulturalist’s heaven. But if your deck is mainly for entertaining and relaxation, stick with low maintenance plants like succulents. Remember, whatever your tastes and lifestyle, you’ll find greenery to fit it.

If your deck feels out of place, plantscaping is the ultimate way to make it work with your landscape.

And as Toronto’s premier landscaping and deck design specialists, Toronto Custom Decks are the experts to call for your plantscaping needs. Call us on 647-878-8780 today to find out how we can help you.

Deck Design: Built in Features that Can Enhance Your Deck

September 29, 2016 By M.E Contracting

People are staying in their Toronto homes longer these days and as a result they’re constantly on the lookout for things that will make the home a more interesting, fulfilling place to be. One result of this desire to get more out of the domestic experience is that backyard decks have taken off in popularity and the complexity and sophistication of their design is today far beyond anything most of us knew just 20 years ago. One characteristic of much contemporary deck design is the inclusion of various built in features and in this post we’ll look at some of the most exciting of those.

Consider These Built in Features for Your Deck Design

Your standard deck can be a great place to stretch out on a folding chair and catch some sun. But why stop there? What if your deck could also be a place where you cook gourmet meals, watched movies with friends or took a relaxing soak while enjoying the view? It can be if you incorporate some built in features into the deck design, such as:

A Grille: You could roll out the charcoal grille every time you want to enjoy a burger on your deck or you could build a gas grille and countertops right into the deck structure and prepare gourmet dishes for your guests. Few other components separate the contemporary deck from its predecessor like the built in grille.

Benches: Seating is always an issue with a deck. Even if you have beautiful new all-weather furniture you’ll still wind up needing more places for people to sit during large parties. Simply dragging beach chairs out to the deck is not a great option because of the way they gobble up space. A better solution is to build bench seating into the deck design. When they aren’t in use you can use these flat areas to host potted plants.

Planters: Speaking of plants… if you really want to use the deck as a transitional area between the home interior and the yard you can build planters into the deck itself and populate them with local floral. This will set the stage for the backyard experience while adding colour and texture to the deck environment.

Lighting: Incorporating fixed lights right into the deck structure will make it seem more like a typical room than an afterthought affixed to the outside of the house. Line the deck stairs with LED lights and add accents that shine upward on the columns of the railings or shine down from an overhead trellis to create area lighting.

A Fire pit: The fire pit is more than your ordinary built in feature in that it will take a high degree of design preparation and must be carefully constructed to eliminate fire hazards. Once in place though it will give your deck 3 season capability by providing the warmth of the camp fire for family and friends.

The hot tub: Add a built in hot tub and go from 3 season capability to 4 season. Just make sure your deck is structurally capable of handling the load because each cubic meter of water weighs a ton. You’ll also want the rim of the tub to be 18-24” above the level of the deck in order to stave off the possibility of people walking into the tub inadvertently.

Built in features can turn ordinary decks into deluxe environments for enjoyment and relaxation. Call the deck design team at Toronto Custom Decks today for more information about building a deck that will change the way your experience your home.

6 essential tips straight from your decking company

September 22, 2016 By M.E Contracting

Today’s backyard deck bears little resemblance to the rectangle-on-posts of yesterday. Advances in materials as well as lighting, furniture technology and other areas means that the sky’s the limit for homeowners looking to achieve greater integration between interior and exterior spaces. If you’re thinking of utilizing a decking company to build a deck you’d do well to invest as much as you can reasonably afford to incorporate some of those material and design advances. The result will be not only a spectacular new living space but increased curb appeal and home value along with an enhanced social life.

Follow These Decking Company Tips to Create the Perfect Deck

Regardless of what the residents of the local frat house may think a deck is more than a platform for launching keggers. It’s a home addition and should be thought of in that manner. Here are 6 essential tips to ensure your new outdoor room lives up to its potential.

Get up to speed on building codes before you start: Any decking company will tell you the time to find out whether you can actually build the deck you want is before you start buying materials. The last thing you want is for the building inspector to show up and slap a cease and desist order on the fledgling deck because it violates some local code or another.

Incorporate railings for looks and safety: When designing the deck don’t neglect the handrails and bannisters. While in the past railings were typically handled in a perfunctory manner today you have myriad design and material options including stainless steel and tempered glass that will not only ramp up the aesthetics but also ensure the deck is safe for everyone.

Design with the sun in mind: There are a number of ways the decking company can mitigate the effect of the sun including building a trellis over part of the deck, building a retractable roof or building a permanent roof over part of it. A permanent or retractable roof can provide protection for your outdoor cooking efforts as well.

Plan traffic patterns carefully: Don’t leave it to your guests to figure out the best path from the house to the yard via the deck, design traffic lanes ahead of time. Keep foot traffic away from the cooking area and any private nooks you may want to create. Also make sure guests are able to relax while seated and won’t have to be getting up constantly to let people by.

Plan for the wind: Like the sun the wind can be both friend and enemy of the deck. As glass railings typically allow air to penetrate around the central panel they’re a great way to stunt strong winds without impeding the view or preventing overall air movement. Glass railings will also help prevent strong winds from entering the house every time the door is opened.

Bring on the light: LED lighting has advanced in leaps and bounds and today provides an incredible range of options that can create atmosphere and mood while also providing proper illumination for night time cooking and socializing. LEDs can serve both aesthetic and practical purposes by being installed under each stair to ensure safe navigation at night and along the underside of the railing to make sure everyone knows where the edge of the deck is.

Your new deck will be more than a place to kick back with a cold one on hot lazy summer evenings (although it can certainly be that too). Call the decking company more Toronto residents trust than any other; Toronto Custom Decks, for more information on designing the deck of your dreams.

Why Investing in Low Maintenance Custom Decks is a Decision You Won’t Regret

September 15, 2016 By M.E Contracting

When contemplating a new deck most homeowners start at the same place: pressure treated lumber. Pressure treated lumber is the most popular choice for decking because it’s readily available, affordable and easy to work with. However, as it’s milled from yellow pine it will require regular maintenance to keep from splitting, warping or rotting and to prevent wood boring insects and various types of fungus from setting up shop. Because of the maintenance required of pressure treated lumber and other types of natural wood decking homeowners today are taking a serious look at low maintenance, vinyl or composite decking. In this post we’ll lay out the reasons why low maintenance custom decks is a gift that keeps on giving.

Building Custom Decks from Low Maintenance Materials

Low maintenance custom decks have come into their own in the last few years and are now virtually indistinguishable from their natural counterpart in the looks department. Where they differ is in the fact that you’ll be able to install it and pretty much forget about it. No more having to refinish or repaint the deck every year. No more having to pay to replace rotten or warped sections. Other benefits of low maintenance decking include:

It impervious to the elements: Composite or vinyl decking doesn’t care if it’s snowing or raining or hailing or anything else. It’s not affected by the cold of the Toronto winter and it’s not impressed by UV rays from the sun. It’s also less slippery than natural wood when it gets wet and you’ll never be pulling a sliver out of your foot because you walked out onto the deck in bare feet.

It will save you long-term: Yes, composite decking is more expensive to install than standard pressure treated lumber. But, over the course of just a few years you’ll make up the difference in what you don’t spend on paint or stains or replacing rotten or warped elements of your deck. And considering your low maintenance deck can easily last 20 years or more you stand to save big over the long-term.

Increases your home’s value: Professionally installed custom decks add substantial bottom line value to your home. The fact that yours won’t require more than a light cleaning once in a while is a strong selling point to potential buyers. Some buyers will look at pressure treated lumber decks and think; “Nice but lots of upkeep”. With low maintenance decks their assessment will stop at “Nice!”

Aesthetics: In the early days of composite, low maintenance decking homeowners often took issue with the fact that the material looked artificial. That’s no longer the case today as sophisticated methods of mimicking the colour and grain of real wood have been perfected. Your new low-maintenance deck will look as good 10 years after you install it as it does the day you first step onto it.

Low maintenance custom decks are quickly becoming one of the most popular types of deck and for good reason. Give most people a choice between a beautiful deck that will require regular maintenance and one that looks just as good but is virtually maintenance free and they’ll pick the latter almost every time (there will always be those purists that just won’t go for anything non-traditional and that’s fine).

Talk to the deck professionals at Toronto Custom Decks to learn more about the various types of low maintenance decking materials available and to determine which one would be right for your home. We can build you a low-maintenance deck for less than you might imagine. One that will add beauty, value and enjoyment to your home for years, no, decades to come.

Outdoor Kitchen: The Evolution of Outdoor Cooking

September 6, 2016 By M.E Contracting

evolution of outdoor kitchen Outdoor cooking whether in Toronto or anywhere else is not a new concept. In fact there was a time when if you wanted anything cooked you had to do it outdoors else the smoke, grease and odours would make your abode unliveable. Most all cooking in Mesoamerica was done outdoors, same with ancient Egypt, India and most other cultures. The advent of the chimney in the 12th century however, had a profound effect on cooking habits and most grilling etc. moved indoors. It wasn’t until the discovery of the New World that Westerners were reintroduced to the pleasures of outdoor cooking for which the term outdoor kitchen was introduced.

The Outdoor Kitchen: From Hibachis to Haute Cuisine

In the 16th century Spanish colonial settlers in the West Indies adopted the native practice of roasting whole animals (chickens, sheep etc.) over an open fire. The natives had a word for this method of cooking that the Spanish transliterated as “barbacoa”. Both the practice and the word spread into what would become the southeastern US with both undergoing modifications until they became what we would recognize as the modern barbecue.

Adoption: The barbecue became a favourite summer pastime of North Americans during the 18th century but the practice remained a labour intensive one. The invention of the charcoal briquette in the 19th century changed all that however, making the barbecue affordable and practical for most homeowners and spawning the invention of the mobile charcoal grille. The same period saw the introduction of the Japanese Teppanyaki grille into Western markets and its renaming as the ‘Hibachi’. Still the barbecue retained an ephemeral air in that it was a set up and take down affair.

Evolution: During the 60s grille evolution continued apace with the introduction of portable propane grilles. These became fairly elaborate appliances; large, heavy and capable of cooking lots of meat in a hurry. As grilling became more practical some folks began to tinker with the idea of making the gas grille a permanent part of the backyard landscape. Briquette enthusiasts countered with permanent brick outdoor grilles. Patios were built or extended to accommodate the new cooking stations and the outdoor kitchen began to take shape.

Arrival: Though these permanent grilles laid the foundation for the modern open air kitchen food, utensils, pots and pans, chairs and everything else still had to be trudged from the indoors to the outdoors and then back again every time you wanted to eat outside. In the 1990s this changed as the first outdoor-ready cabinets hit the market. From there it was a short step to outdoor refrigerators, running water, permanent lighting, weather resistant furniture and all the accoutrement we now associate with a great outdoor kitchen.

Refinement: Today’s outdoor kitchens push the technological envelope as they reclaim the outdoor eating experience for the contemporary audience. In recent years plein air kitchens have become incredibly elaborate and in some cases (mostly in warmer climes to be sure) have overtaken the indoor kitchen as the primary eating environment. Today’s outdoor kitchens sport state-of-the-art LED lighting, flat screen TVs, retractable roofs, heated floors and full bars and are often part of a larger kitchen/swimming pool complex. And while burgers and hot dogs are still on the menu so is Sesame Ginger Salmon and Duck a l’Orange.

Yes, outdoor dining has come a long way since the days of the “barbacoa” and with the substantial increase in market value it can also provide a home the outdoor kitchen is not going away any time soon. Talk to the outdoor kitchen professionals at Toronto Custom Decks to find out more about outdoor kitchens and whether one would be a good fit for your home.