Build the Backyard You Actually Use
An outdoor living space done right gets used 9 months of the year, not 3 weekends. I build outdoor kitchens, decks, fire pits, hardscape patios, and landscape lighting that hold up to Florida humidity and salt air.
- Outdoor Kitchens – Marine-grade stainless and proper venting
- Decks & Hardscape – Composite, wood, paver, and travertine
- Fire Features – Fire pits, fire bowls, gas fireplaces
- Outdoor Lighting – Path, accent, and entertaining lighting
- Year-Round Build Quality – Spec'd for FL humidity from day one
Outdoor Kitchens
Build a real outdoor kitchen — not a glorified grill island. I install marine-grade stainless cabinetry, gas and electrical rough-ins, vent hoods over the grill, refrigeration, sinks with proper drainage, and sealed-stone or solid-surface countertops that survive humidity and UV.
$25K–$75K
Final number depends on your specific scope, finishes, and site conditions. I'll quote the exact figure after a walk-through.
Why
An outdoor kitchen is the difference between grilling and entertaining. Built right, it's the second kitchen of the house — used twice a week most of the year.
What
Marine-grade stainless or polymer cabinetry, gas + electrical rough-ins, vent hood over the grill, refrigeration, optional sink with drain to sewer, sealed-stone or solid-surface counters, weather-rated outlets.
How
Foundation and gas/electrical rough-in week 1; cabinetry and counters week 2; appliance install + finishes week 3. Most outdoor kitchens are 3–4 weeks start to finish.
Cheap outdoor kitchens fail in their first Florida summer. I spec marine-grade stainless and proper venting because the difference shows up in year two, not year one.


Decks & Hardscape
Composite, natural wood, paver, or travertine — I build decks and hardscape patios that match the house's lines and the way you actually use the yard. Proper foundations, code-rated railings, drainage that doesn't pond, finish elevations that flow into the existing patio.
$15K–$60K
Final number depends on your specific scope, finishes, and site conditions. I'll quote the exact figure after a walk-through.
Why
Decks done badly rot, sag, or pond water within 5 years. Done right, a composite deck or paver patio is a 25-year structure that looks better than the house behind it.
What
Composite or wood decking on engineered framing, paver or travertine hardscape on compacted base, code-rated railings, drainage planning, integrated lighting rough-in.
How
Foundation and framing week 1; deck or paver install week 2; railings + finish week 3. Most projects are 2–4 weeks depending on size and any tie-in to the existing patio.
I overbuild the framing and the base because every deck failure I've seen traced back to one or the other. The boards on top are the easy part.
Fire Features
Gas or wood-burning fire pits, fire bowls, and outdoor fireplaces. I install code-compliant gas lines, build the masonry or steel surround, and integrate the feature into the patio so it looks designed in — not dropped in from a catalog.
$5K–$25K
Final number depends on your specific scope, finishes, and site conditions. I'll quote the exact figure after a walk-through.
Why
Florida nights cool off enough that a fire feature actually gets used. It's also the cheapest single upgrade that changes how the patio feels at night.
What
Gas or wood-burning fire pit, fire bowl, or full outdoor fireplace. Code-compliant gas line + shutoff (if gas), masonry or steel surround, integrated seating wall optional.
How
Gas line and footing week 1, masonry or steel build week 2, finish stone and fuel media day-of-final. About 2–3 weeks total for most fire-feature builds.
Gas fire features need a permitted line and a code-rated valve. I've seen DIY installs flagged at home sale — doing it right the first time is cheaper than the disclosure later.


Outdoor Lighting
Landscape, path, and accent lighting that turn the yard into a usable space after dark. Low-voltage LED systems with weatherproof transformers, smart-home or timer control, and fixtures rated for Florida humidity.
$4K–$18K
Final number depends on your specific scope, finishes, and site conditions. I'll quote the exact figure after a walk-through.
Why
Most yards go dark at sunset and stop being used. Layered lighting — path, accent, entertaining — adds 4 hours of usable evening to the patio in summer.
What
Low-voltage LED system with weatherproof transformer, path lights, accent uplights on trees + facade, deck/step lights, smart-home or photocell control, all fixtures FL-humidity rated.
How
Plan the scenes (entertaining, security, ambient), trench and run, install fixtures, dial-in. Most lighting installs are 3–5 working days.
Cheap outdoor lighting corrodes in 2 years near the coast. I spec brass or marine-grade fixtures because anything less doesn't survive NE FL salt air.
What people ask me to build into their backyard.
See yours in the list? Tap it to jump to the form — you'll have a real budget range in 90 seconds. Don't see it? Tell me about it in step 6 — I read every one personally.
- Full outdoor kitchen with grill + sink
- Pizza oven on the patio
- Marine-grade stainless cabinetry
- Built-in big-green-egg station
- Refrigerator + ice maker drawer
- Composite deck (no rot)
- Travertine paver patio
- Concrete-paver pool deck
- Gas fire pit with seating wall
- Wood-burning outdoor fireplace
- Tabletop fire bowls
- Path + accent landscape lighting
- Uplighting on the live oaks
- Smart-home outdoor light control
- Pergola with string lights
- Pool-side shade structure
- Outdoor TV + speaker rough-in
- Pool + outdoor kitchen pairing
- Lanai-to-yard transition
- Hurricane-rated patio cover
- Replace rotted deck framing
- Drainage fix on a ponding patio
Don't see yours? Describe it in step 6 — I read every one personally.
Frequently Asked Questions About Outdoor Living Spaces
Outdoor Living Spaces Service Areas
We proudly serve Jacksonville and the surrounding Northeast Florida communities. Our team of experienced professionals is ready to bring your vision to life, no matter where you're located in our service area.
Don't see your area?
Contact me to check availabilityOne contract. One number to call. One Mark.
Tell me about your outdoor living spaces above — you'll see your real budget range mid-flow, and I'll call within 24 hours with a specific quote. No project managers between us.
Get My 90-Second Estimate