Sep 14, 2020 | fall outdoors, fall patio, fire pit, firepit, fireplace, hardscape, home appeal, hot tub, landscape, landscaping, lanscape company, natural landscape, outdoor fireplacde, outdoor fireplace, outdoors, patio, patio pavers, sauna
Once you have a beautiful patio built to your specifications, you want to be able to enjoy it all year round. Or if you are thinking of having a patio or outdoor living space built, then you might want to think about some items to include for the winter time to help you stay warm. Here are a few ideas that could help you enjoy your time outside all year round.
Invest in a Fire Pit
Fire pits are a very common way of staying warm and toasty as the temperatures drop. They create a practical, warm atmosphere that you can enjoy with friends and family. Fire pits now offer a smoke-free gas flame and different structures, shapes and designs to match any patio. Masonry and stonework projects can also provide a nice decorative addition to your fire pit.
Put Out Blankets
Adding blankets to an outdoor space is not only simple, but also inexpensive. They can create a warm, comfortable outdoor retreat that will make you want to sit on your patio with a warm drink in your hand. Invest in warm blankets that will have you enjoying some quiet time or time with friends and family.
Create a Cover
Creating a cover for your patio can offer some much-needed refuge from the cold weather. Covers for your patio make cold temperatures more tolerable and help keep out the rain, snow, and wind. Covers can enhance your outdoor living experience and increase the amount of time you spend outside.
Soak It All Up
What’s more relaxing than a nice warm soak outside while you star gaze? Adding a hot tub to your patio can make spending time in the cooler temperature more enjoyable. If you’re not a fan of the water, try adding a sauna. Saunas also provide shelter and make an attractive addition to your outdoor space.
Patio Heaters and Fireplaces
If you are unsure about a fire pit, an alternative option would be a patio heater or built-in fireplace. Even though a fireplace is a bigger investment than a fire pit, they do produce a large amount of heat. A fireplace is the most expensive option; however, they are very attractive and available in gas or wood-burning. Patio heaters can be mounted or stand-alone and are offered in electrical or propane. Electrical patio heaters are expensive to run but easy to use.
It doesn’t matter if it’s raining, snowing, or the sun is out, you want to be able to use your patio and outdoor living space as much as possible. The winter months make it difficult to do so; however, by adding things to make it a more warm, comfortable, and welcoming environment, you will want to spend time all of your spare time outside. Here at Fritz Stonework and Retaining Walls we take pride in what we do and have provided quality service for over 31 years. Contact us today at (636) 861-1530 so our expert staff can help you design a beautiful outdoor living space that meets your needs.
Aug 20, 2020 | custom stonework, hardscape, home appeal, landscape, landscaping, stonework
Rocks are pretty much everywhere, but when they are artfully arranged by an expert mason, they can make your home into something extraordinary! Beautiful stonework is a way to customize your home and make it uniquely yours while increasing its value as well!
Outdoor kitchens, stone pathways, fountains, and other functional and elegant implements in your outdoor space can provide you with a perfect place for social gatherings as well as a placid escape from the hustle and bustle of life indoors!
Aesthetic Appeal
We’ve all seen incredibly beautiful homes and estates that have incredible interiors and even more impressive exteriors. They radiate a sense of class and civility that seems out of reach for most people, but let me tell you a secret, your home can become the brightest in the neighborhood by hiring an experienced mason!
For millennia, people have been building stone structures to decorate their living spaces, and during prosperous times the stone installments became incredibly ornate! Now that we’re in modern times, you can beautify your home in ways that the Romans could only dream of!
Stonework is incredibly pleasing to the eye- it brings your home closer to nature by highlighting the natural beauty of stone and arranging it in a way that is functional, creative, and permanent. When paired with other natural elements, such as shrubs and trees, you can create a natural oasis in your own back yard!
Whether it be improving your driveway, building artful retaining walls, installing a firepit, or stone poolside seating, an experienced mason can design handsome and practical additions to your outdoor space!
Increased Home Value
Owning a home is a big responsibility, but it is also an incredible opportunity to customize it and make it your own! Installing stonework is a way to artistically improve the exterior of your home which in turn improves its value!
Investing in your home by adding stonework will pay off greatly by increasing curb appeal which is basically the face of your home. This would be incredibly useful if you are ever considering selling your home, as beautiful homes are more likely to be sold quickly!
Stonework can also be incredibly beneficial to your home by adding increased stability through the implementation of retaining walls. Retaining walls provide support to the ground and can prevent settling and other damage to your home.
Whether it is beauty or practicality you seek, stonework can offer both! This can increase the value of your home by providing a unique and low-maintenance feature to your property!
Customizability
There are unlimited options when it comes to installing stonework. You can work with an experienced mason to design an attractive and distinctive feature to your property that will show off your own personal style!
Making your home suit your preferences is one of the amazing virtues of owning your home. Your home is supposed to be unique and lovely, and this is something that can be accomplished by working with an experienced mason.
Final Thoughts
Stonework rocks (pun intended), and it can make your home look absolutely fantastic without breaking the bank! Fritz Stoneworks is an incredibly experienced team of masons that can provide you with beautiful and functional natural stone additions to your property.
Fritz Stoneworks has over 31 years of experience creating customized outdoor spaces! Call them at 636-861-1530 to learn more about all the wonderful stonework they can add to your home!
Aug 10, 2020 | hardscape, home appeal, landscaping, patio, patio pavers, pavers
Almost everyone has a backyard, but most of them aren’t as nice as they could be. A simple way to upgrade your backyard is to install a unique patio to revamp your outdoor living space and turn it into an artful extension of your home!
Stonework is a great way to take advantage of natural rocks and turn them into something that is uniquely yours! In Clayton, MO, it’s easier than ever to have a fabulous backyard designed by experienced masons!
Benefits Of Patios
Nature is a scientifically proven mood booster, but that doesn’t mean you have to get your hands dirty to experience it! Patios are a perfect way to get some sunshine and fresh air without leaving the comfort of your own home. They provide an excellent space for winding down or having fun in the company of family and friends!
In addition to the social and emotional benefits of having a patio, implementing stonework can greatly increase the beauty of your home! A patio space can make your home stand out, and when it is well designed, the aesthetic value of a lovely patio is hard to beat!
The most solid benefit of having a patio is that the bank value of your home increases! Stonework is beautiful, but it is also a fairly permanent upgrade and this is extremely desirable in the housing market today!
Not Your Average Patio
When most people think of patios a concrete slab with some lawn chairs comes to mind, but a patio can be so much more than that! In Clayton, MO, you can have the patio of your dreams!
There are many ways to customize your patio, but one of the most aesthetically pleasing patio designs is one made out of stone! One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is by using pavers!
Pavers come in all colors, shapes, and sizes are a type of brick that can be arranged in a variety of ways to suit your home best! Pavers are versatile and combine a natural look with the benefits of brick!
Kick the concrete slabs to the curb and invest in something that is far more beautiful and more weather resistant. Patios made out of pavers can provide you with the perfect outdoor space for entertaining guests, or just relaxing in comfort!
Upgrade Your Backyard
There are multitudes of benefits that a patio can bring into your life and home from providing a perfect place for outdoor gatherings, to increasing the value of your home. However, the most exciting aspect of installing a patio made from pavers is the customizability.
Pavers can be arranged to fit your unique tastes and preferences and make your home and outdoor space uniquely yours in a permanent way! Installing an awesome patio is sure to make your property extremely popular in Clayton, MO.
Final Thoughts
With people spending more time online, it’s a nice refresher to get outside for a while! With an elegant patio, you can go outside without leaving the comfort of home! With Fritz Stonework you can make your outdoor space something special!
Jul 20, 2020 | hardscape, landscape, landscaping, lanscape company, retaining wall
You are looking at your home in all its homeliness and just think to yourself, “This house is the best house in the world, and nothing can possibly destroy it.”
Well, not so fast. There is a secret menace that lurks in the wind and water that is plotting to destroy your home.
This villain’s name? Soil erosion, and it can wipe your home off the face of the earth in a matter of minutes.
But how does soil erosion work its horrible magic? When torrential rain comes falling, it lands on the ground, right? Well, when there is a slope in your yard, that water goes down that slope, taking soil along with it, which can cause your abode to be flooded with water, causing thousands in damage to your home.
But do not fear, as there are many things you can do to keep your house safe. One of the most effective of these is the use of a retaining wall to keep that soil from being swept away.
But what is a retaining wall? Think of a retaining wall as a sort of dam for soil that keeps it where you want it to be. Most of the time, they are used to prevent water from sweeping soil and nutrients down a slope and careening towards your house, causing severe damage to your home. Essentially, they are a simple way to prevent flash flooding that can wreak havoc on your house.
They can be made of just about anything that is strong enough to keep soil at bay, so anything from simple bricks to large rocks is fair game to make a retaining wall with.
But retaining walls do not just keep soil from moving. A good retaining wall needs to satisfy the following requirements:
It can hold soil in place
It can drain away water and channel it properly
If your retaining wall satisfies both, your defenses are nice and strong, and you can rest assured that your house is safe. They can also serve a decorative purpose as they can be used to create multiple terraces on which you can grow a garden to give yourself another layer of protection. If you are still anxious after using these techniques, you can use other methods like natural barriers to keep water away from your home.
So, retaining walls do sound like a good idea, but should you build your own retaining walls? It can be done given the right amount of time and lots of research, but you should seriously consider what is at stake: your own home. An improperly built retaining wall can make the problem worse than it already is and lead to severe damage, particularly to your basement and foundation.
It is a much better idea to enlist the services of a respectable contractor like Fritz Stoneworks. Contact them at 636-861-1530 to enlist their services to help you keep your home safe from soil erosion and its horrific effects.
Jul 9, 2020 | hardscape, home appeal, landscape, landscaping, lanscape company, retaining wall
Happy to be home right now? What if your home just disappeared suddenly?
Unfortunately, this happens quite often due to an unlikely foe: soil erosion. On average, 75,000 Americans are driven from their homes due to flash flooding from soil erosion every year.
This is an appalling statistic that should not exist. Luckily, there are things we can do to keep things like this from happening. One thing we can do is install a retaining wall that holds soil in place and channels water away from your house, keeping you and your family safe from flash flooding.
But what is so special about retaining walls? Here are five reasons why you should invest in a retaining wall installation as soon as possible.
They are a great decorative feature.
Retaining walls do not have to be boring and bland. In fact, it is encouraged to make retaining walls look good in whatever way possible. Whether it be a terrace garden, LED lighting, or interesting materials, anything that does not sacrifice the ability to hold soil in place or channel water away from your home is fair game.
They prevent sinkholes.
Let’s face it, sinkholes are terrifying. At the drop of a hat, one could open under you and you could never be seen again. One man was swallowed up by a sinkhole while he was sleeping, never to be seen again.
Thankfully, retaining walls are particularly good at preventing things like this from happening. They do this by keeping soil where it should be and by keeping pools of water from forming, which makes sure the conditions needed for a sinkhole do not happen in your backyard.
It can make your property more manageable.
Getting a retaining wall for your property is one of the best ways to prevent soil erosion from wreaking untold havoc on your property. It does this by not only keeping wet soil in one place, but also channels water in a way that directs away from your house, keeping any erosion that takes place away from your home and out of mind, giving you confidence that your home will be safe from a flash flood.
It raises your home’s resale value.
Since retaining walls can be dolled up to look as good as possible, they can help your home attract far more prospective buyers when it comes time to sell. It shows them the property was well cared for and that it is a safe place to live, driving up its value as a result.
It can create more space.
If your yard is very hilly, a retaining wall can free up space for you to use. You may be thinking, “Wait a minute, wouldn’t that reduce the space you have?” Well, there are many outdoor activities that require a flat piece of land, like gardening. A retaining wall can open up flat land your gardening partner or relative can use to train their green thumbs.
So as you can see, retaining walls have plenty of benefits that you will definitely appreciate in your life. If you want to learn more about other benefits like these, contact Fritz Stoneworks at 636-861-1530 to learn how a retaining wall may be just the thing you need.
Jun 13, 2020 | hardscape, home appeal, landscape, pavers, retaining wall, stone
You are looking at your home in all its homeliness and just think to yourself, “This house is the best house in the world, and nothing can possibly destroy it.”
Well, not so fast. There is a secret menace that lurks in the wind and water that is plotting to destroy your home.
This villain’s name? Soil erosion, and it can wipe your home off the face of the earth in a matter of minutes.
But how does soil erosion work its horrible magic? When torrential rain comes falling, it lands on the ground, right? Well, when there is a slope in your yard, that water goes down that slope, taking soil along with it, which can cause your abode to be flooded with water, causing thousands in damage to your home.
But do not fear, as there are many things you can do to keep your house safe. One of the most effective of these is the use of a retaining wall to keep that soil from being swept away.
But what is a retaining wall? Think of a retaining wall as a sort of dam for soil that keeps it where you want it to be. Most of the time, they are used to prevent water from sweeping soil and nutrients down a slope and careening towards your house, causing severe damage to your home. Essentially, they are a simple way to prevent flash flooding that can wreak havoc on your house.
They can be made of just about anything that is strong enough to keep soil at bay, so anything from simple bricks to large rocks is fair game to make a retaining wall with.
But retaining walls do not just keep soil from moving. A good retaining wall needs to satisfy the following requirements:
- It can hold soil in place
- It can drain away water and channel it properly
If your retaining wall satisfies both, your defenses are nice and strong, and you can rest assured that your house is safe. They can also serve a decorative purpose as they can be used to create multiple terraces on which you can grow a garden to give yourself another layer of protection. If you are still anxious after using these techniques, you can use other methods like natural barriers to keep water away from your home.
So, retaining walls do sound like a good idea, but should you build your own retaining walls? It can be done given the right amount of time and lots of research, but you should seriously consider what is at stake: your own home. An improperly built retaining wall can make the problem worse than it already is and lead to severe damage, particularly to your basement and foundation.
It is a much better idea to enlist the services of a respectable contractor like Fritz Stoneworks. Contact them at 636-861-1530 to enlist their services to help you keep your home safe from soil erosion and its horrific effects.
