Upgrades to new Patio Villa
 

It’s time for me to begin upgrading my new patio villa. I need some direction in which sequential order to complete each project. Here’s what I plan to do:

1) Install gutters
2) Extend concrete on side of house
3) Build birdcage to side on house
4) Re-route sprinkler lines to accommodate extension of concrete / birdcage
5) Landscape side and front of house, including building small retention wall for plants/palms
6) Putting in pavers in driveway
7) Apoxy both interior garage as well as lanai/birdcage
8) Upgrade front door (glass inserts)
9) ** Maybe raise flooring height in lanai, to make even with interior of house**

I will be working with multiple contractors, so need advice where to start first.

Thanks as usual for any help provided.

GUTTERS = STIPES 352-390-7744. The Best!

Start with :
1 Reading your covenants
2 Request the ARC which of those projects are allowed in your neighborhood / your particular lot

I'd start with "Let's just live in the house for a while and see what we -really- want to do"...

Do NOT rely on contractors to get ARC approval, get it yourself. As for your projects, the irrigation will need to be done in conjunction with the exterior expansion projects. This should be handled by the main contractor, and if you plan on landscaping in this area make sure you know where the new pipes are located so you do not hit these when the new plants are installed. IMHO, I would stay away from pavers, search this site, typically lots of maintenance and cracking problems. I would go with concrete stain, HOWEVER, as I understand it there are restrictions on this in villas. As noted above look at your deed restriction very carefully before you proceed. Make sure you understand the restrictions shown on your plot plan, and consider the potential impact on your neighbor.
Good luck with your projects.

I usually agree with tink, but I think it's okay to rely on, but have the contractor give you documented proof of the approval.

Wow, is that ever great advice!

Definitely look into everything first. We have a courtyard villa and they are very strict on what you can do with your driveway. We can only paint with a solid light color, no design. Our villa came with gutters. We had our lanai, patio and garage floor painted and sealed and since ours came with a lot of patio space we didn’t add anything. We screened in our front entrance way the same time we enclosed our lanai. We used Cook Aluminum for that. Your homeowners book should list who installed your irrigation system so you can ask them when you have them out to explain the system to you. Check with the county to see if the lanai would become taxable space if the floor is raised, various things make it taxable. Our concrete painter was DECORATIVE CONCRETE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, INC. and they were excellent.

Get ARC approval first before starting any project .But, I would live in the house for about 6 months first to make sure these things are exactly what I want and look around at other peoples ideas. Maybe theirs are better than yours.

Order
 

Don't install the gutters until after getting the birdcage. The birdcage attaches to the house with a super gutter so they would just have to rip out what you had installed.
Have the birdcage contractor arrange the concrete because they can have the anchors set into the concrete to avoid having to drill and lag them in.
Just my 2 cents.

Painted Concrete - Do NOT use Artisti-Crete.
 

I used Artisti-Crete to paint my lanai, sidewalk, and front porch. Very messy workman, the result was very blotchy, and the workman damaged my screen door handle. It took several weeks to get anyone to look at the damage and fix the handle. Their price was too expensive for the poor workmanship and headache.

Be careful with this!! Definitely talk to the ARC before you even get estimates about what you want to do to get their input! We, too, have a patio villa that dead-ends into a privacy fence which runs the entire length of the side of our property along the patio. We had one exorbitant estimate to screen in an area of the patio, with the salesman requiring half down and THEN he would go to the ARC for approval, which he was sure they'd give because "The Villages put the patio in up to the privacy fence." We called for a 2nd estimate from another company and that sales person refused to even give us an estimate because after looking at the plat map of our house, he pointed out the 5 ft deed restriction line that runs down the middle of the patio and said no way would the ARC give us permission to screen it in. Thing is, the realtor knew we wanted to do this and never said a word about it!! Our neighbor across the street from us also has a patio villa on a corner lot with the patio facing the street. The ARC gave them fits to screen in the patio, by implementing the screened area around their front door. They ended up with a most "interesting" screened structure. They also had issues with the ARC giving them permission to do landscaping with a stone/curbed wall because it also fell within the deed restriction area. I'd say for sure, talk to the ARC about your plans and wants before getting estimates so you know where you stand and what they'll approve. Good luck!!

too easy, we have been there done that on 7 houses so far....

Gutters #1 - NOTE - when doing this get rid of any downspout on concrete, also bury the others.

Lanscaping

reroute sprinklers - suggestion tuck them close to the house so that no mower can touch them if you need methods just ask

DO NOT expoxy the Lanai, just do the paint/sealer otherwise raise your insurance.

Front door

concrete pad

"bird cage" (down here it's called a screen in)

pavers

Have you scoped out the cost of this list ? Lots of people ask "why should I buy a preowned vs new when I can get new for the same price as a preowned".

Interesting your list did not contain the most popular upgrades by new owners
- enclose lanai
- plantation shutters
- upgraded flooring
- granite countertops

Get your ARC approval first

I don't think pavers are allowed in driveways of courtyard villas and patio villas

Yes - that is where to start first - thank you

Are you setting down these upgrades will cost you about approximate 200K will you get It back when you sell, I don't think so?

$200k really, putting in a 28x14 pool plus 12x12 and 12x18 concrete and bird cage for less than $100,000

Agree, Joel is way off base.

Agree 110%

I've done all except driveway and raise concrete level. Took about a year. Do one at a time. Pay a contractor to schedule your birdcage first. That may take some time since they are all busy. Epoxy last due to traffic in and out. See if you can just have a few sprinklers capped otherwise rerouting can cost thousands.

Good luck!
 

Good luck. Take your time.

For 1-8 I can’t imagine it would be more than $50k. Of course that depends on how much landscaping and how big the patio will be.

You are not allowed to have live water lines under concrete pads, the irrigation lines will need to be moved. We had 4 lines moved, cost was a few hundred dollars., and included in the cost of the pad.

The Birdcage will be installed with gutters to attach it to the house. Do the gutters after the birdcage.

Those who have done all on your list can give you great tips, but, I don't think anyone but YOU can make the sequential list, just impossible to say if more natural light (important to me) coming through new glass door insets, or a nice design finish on a lanai floor, is the priority. It's all so individual, we rushed guttering, then found it was probably not a priority in this part of the country, but we got it, and that's fine. Biggest regret is the pavers, gives a fantastic look. But "most" used here are very different than when you see this done at a house in an upscale neighborhood in a northern state. The thin, porous, types used here, to make them MUCH more "affordable", crack easily, need expensive maintenance and the price goes up every year for "re-sealing", as does the material if you do your own. We wish we'd never done pavers for walks and drive. And now that we know more about a lot of things, would not have done a painted drive either. Wish we had just a plain, concrete drive ! But.... MANY love the look, don't mind the on going expense, or the replacement of cracked ones, so no one can tell YOU what would mean the most to YOU. As others have so wisely commented, whatever you decide, DO NOT FAIL to get that ARC approval, legions of true stories about what that can cost ! It only take ONE curious person in your neighborhood to find out if you are 100% in compliance. Now, I'm sure you've seen the growing controversy over people who have UNKNOWINGLY purchased an out of compliance property (wrong percentage of sod vrs. stone, rock, and so on). Seems the R.E. agents do not check all that out when you call one to list your house for sale, and you may not even know, and an unsuspecting buyer does not find out until just one neighbor becomes curious about who is, and who possibly is not, in compliance ! Slippery slope, beware !

THE BEST SUGGESTION on this thread ! But, perhaps you have been in your new home at least six months (?) Personally I think it takes at least that long to really analyze your day to day routine, how you do things daily in your new home, etc. If 24 months, IMO, not enough time to really know what will mean the most to you, and, what is "worth" the cost !~ We don't have any, but, being in the homes of many friends for years now, I'd say sky light tubes would be something we would have invested in ! LOVE natural light in kitchens and baths, that would be worth a lot to me.

It's been barely 2 months... That's why I recommended he wait a while before going hog wild on the upgrades...

Yes, I know a ne home is exciting and you want to do everything, all at once. But take a beat...Catch your breath and the figure out what you REALLY want/need...

We've been in our home 2 years and we're STILL deciding on some upgrades...