Planning & Cost
What a Screened Porch Really Costs in Chapin, SC
The honest version of porch pricing: which decisions move the number the most, and where homeowners usually over- or under-spend.
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Guides
Lake Murray Outdoor Living Guides
Straight answers on what things cost, which materials survive South Carolina weather, how shoreline approvals work, and how to design a porch or deck around the water — written from the jobsite, not a marketing desk.
Planning & Cost
Planning & Cost
Does a Screened Porch Add Value to a Lake Murray Home?
Appraised value and buyer appeal are two different questions, and outdoor living scores much higher on the second.
6 min readRead
Planning & Cost
EZE-Breeze Three-Season Room vs. a Full Sunroom
One extends your season by months for a modest cost. The other adds conditioned living space — and a considerably bigger job.
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Planning & Cost
Pool Houses, Cabanas and ADUs on a Lake Murray Property
The gap between a cabana and an ADU is plumbing, insulation and permitting — and it's worth deciding which one you're building on day one.
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Design
Design
Screened Porch vs. Covered Porch for a Lake Murray Home
The tradeoff isn't really bugs versus view — it's about which months of the year you want the space to be usable.
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Design
Designing an Outdoor Living Space Around a Lake View
The view is decided by three numbers: seated eye height, deck elevation and railing top height. Get those right and everything else follows.
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Design
Outdoor Kitchen Ideas That Work on Lake Murray Homes
Most unused outdoor kitchens failed for the same three reasons: no prep space, no shade, and too far from the indoor kitchen.
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Design
Pergola vs. Covered Patio: Which Shade Structure Fits?
Shade is a spectrum. Pick the point on it that matches how you want to use the space in July, not in May.
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Materials
Materials
The Best Decking Materials for South Carolina Weather
Humidity and UV, not cold, are what age a deck here. That changes the ranking you'll read in national buying guides.
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Materials
Glass vs. Cable vs. Aluminum Railings for Lake Views
All three meet code. They differ enormously in what you see, what you clean, and what you pay.
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Lakefront
Lakefront
Permits, Setbacks and HOA Approval on Lake Murray
Three separate approval tracks can apply to one lakefront project. Knowing which ones early is what keeps a schedule honest.
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Lakefront
Retaining Walls, Seawalls and Erosion Control on the Lake
A great deck on a failing bank is a temporary deck. Shoreline work is the least visible and most important part of many lake projects.
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Free Estimate
Let's design your outdoor space
Tell us about your project and we'll schedule an on-site consultation, then follow up with a clear written scope and price.
(803) 924-2006