Room additions

Happy Holidays from Barker & Son – Design, Construction and Outdoor Living

I’m sure everyone is as busy as they can be with the holiday season.  With the economy the way it is, we have found many families have decided to “build an addition” on to their home, instead of buying new.  This is a very economical way of expanding your homes total square footage, keeping your taxes low, and still being able to have the home of your dreams.

 

Whether you’re looking to build a room addition, or add an additional level onto your existing home, Barker & Son has the experience and manpower to get the job done.  We save our “room addition” email send out till the last of year because we know that for the bigger jobs, it takes a few months to create the total plan.  That’s why at Barker & Son, we’re able to help homeowners thru each step of the process which includes designing a structure that fits your needs, draw up the blueprint and schedule, and reviewing multiple options to help you finance the project if need be.  Give us a call today, and we’ll help you get the ball rolling. 

Merry Christmas!!

314-210-5472

www.barkerconstruct.com

Hardscapes: Outdoor kitchens, living rooms, patios and walls

Hello from Barker & Son Construction,

Hardscape is a term used to generally describe structures or affects made out of stone, brick or other masonry items.  Typical hardscape items around the home include paver and concrete patios, retaining walls, walkways, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces, etc.  To view some of the work we’ve done in the hardscape area, please visit our website at www.barkerconstruct.com.    In recent years, an outdoor kitchen, and/or living room has become a very popular trend.

People are now looking for additional ways to spend more time outside than ever before, and they’re looking to do it in style.  Whether it’s an outdoor kitchen and living room, or just a large concrete or paver patio, they’re looking for additional options to enhance the beauty, style and usability of their largest asset. 

In general, an outdoor kitchen or living area begins with a plan on what you want, and how you’re going to use the area.  From that point our designers and architect will map out the ground elevations to ensure your area is leveled to the right specifications, and that we’ve identified the right materials for the job.  Pavers and stone come in a variety of beautiful colors and shapes that have a look all their own.  Many of our customers like to mix and match paver patios with stamped concrete options that result in a very artistic look and feel.  So for all your paver, concrete and retaining wall needs give us a call and we’ll be happy to come out and create a plan for your project.

Doug Barker

Barker & Son Design, Construction and Outdoor Living

314-210-5472

www.barkerconstruct.com

White vinyl fences

 Hello from Barker & Son - Design, Construction and Outdoor Living

What beautiful weather we’re having here in the Midwest, and just in time for October and Halloween our Vinyl Fence manufacturer is having a fall sale on all their vinyl fence products.  Vinyl fencing is a great investment if you’re looking for a clean, maintenance free boundary for your property.

They come in all types, picket, privacy, semi-privacy, ornamental, 3 rail horse; and typical sizes are 4, 5 and six foot.  They come in all different colors, white, almond, pebblestone, clay and stone, with the last 3 darker ones being a little extra money. 

Vinly fencing has come a long way in the last 8 or so years.  What use to be a cheap brittle product, who’s looks faded fast, has now been replaced by an industry standard that is durable and typically maintenance free.  Windload stability, structural performance and code compliance are all positive attributes of a good quality vinyl fence that we install.  Of course there are some cheaper brands out there, as always, you get what you pay for, especially on an outdoor product.  Our fence carries a limited lifetime warranty.

As you know we also install black aluminum, wood and composite fences as well.  Check out our website for a full line of quality outdoor products we create and install at http://www.barkerconstruct.com/.

Doug Barker

Barker & Son Design, Construction and Outdoor Living

314-210-5472

http://www.barkerconstruct.com/

September!! Landscape design and outdoor chores

Hello from Barker & Son – Design, Construction and Outdoor Living


What a hot summer, I know everybody’s lawn and landscape is in tatters from the tremendous heat we’ve had; and if your lawn is full of crabgrass, don’t worry, you’re not the only one. With the warm days and cool nights approaching, September is the best time to install the turf and landscaping that you’re looking for. You can view the full range of services we provide at www.barkerconstruct.com.

Trees and bushes will perform best if they’re planted now, which will give them several months to take root before winter sets in. Other “must” do chores for September include mulching your beds and trees, fertilize and over-seed the lawn, and reduce the amount of daily watering on the timer. Don’t forget those fall “bulbs” (tulips, iris, daffodils, etc.), nothing tells you Spring is on the way like a patch of Daffodils popping up.

Give us a call for a free deck check up. Now’s the time to repair or replace old weathered decking and rails; maybe with the newer, maintenance free composite decking; or just give it a good coat of stain for the long winter ahead. When planning your landscape, don’t forget the hardscape items as well. Now is a great time to “extend” your backyard patio with a beautiful paver patio, or stamped concrete. Enjoy the beautiful September weeks to come and give us a call if we can help you out.

To view a history of outdoor products tips, and techniques, go to our website at www.barkerconstruct.com and click on our blog link on the bottom of the left side bar.

Doug Barker
314-210-5472
d2barker@yahoo.com
http://www.barkerconstruct.com/

Composite decks

Hello From Barker & Son - Design, Construction and Outdoor living,


At Barker & Son, we take outdoor living very seriously by providing our customers with the best in decks, fences, paver patios, outdoor kitchens and living rooms, ponds and pergolas. This month we want to talk with you about composite decks. Composite has come a long way in the last 10 years. Most composite decks resist chipping, splintering and cracking. Other brands go further than that and provide resistance to staining, fading and mold and mildew.

In summary, here are the basics. You can get these composites in most any color or texture. The higher end decking boards come very close to simulating a high end wood grain floor, and as far as the rail and ballisters, “forget about it”, they come in almost every color, texture type of material you can think of, with PVC, aluminum and composite being the most prevalent.


On the lower end of the spectrum, the “pressed” composite boards are the most economical, but they also begin to fade within a few months and can be stained. The extruded composites are a little more money, but the quality is worth it. The higher end “PVC” coated material resists stains, fading and mold and mildew. They also come with more options as far as fastening systems. More of these products have the ability to be installed on the deck without deck screws, which makes for a cleaner, more professional look. The down side, is that the PVC coated products are about 20-30% more expensive.

For the straight scoop on composite decks and a professional installation, give us a call or drop us an email.

Doug Barker
Barker & Son - Design, Construction and Outdoor Living
314-210-5472
d2barker@yahoo.com
http://www.barkerconstruct.com/