Something like this?

That's really interesting. I have someone that is able to do the fence and other work for me. His suggestion was to put a gazebo where you have situated those chairs. Was just looking to get feedback etc on what others thought before making that decision. Very cool that you can use pictures like that and stage things for me to see. Thank you

Ariel view

Gazebo or pergola would work as well

You need a pathway from the door to your pool first, as you need to be able to get into the pool without bringing the grass with you. The patio can be saved by installing a deck using sleepers, or you can cover it with flagstone set in mortar. Completely busting it up and installing fresh is another option too. I would then see a pathway continuing around the house with a planting bed installed near the house, and maybe extend the pool deck with pavers or something similar for seating. Maybe even put in a sand pit for volleyball?

Hi there,,,sorry for the late reply. I would have posted new pics earlier but for some reason I didn't get alerted that new posts were made. Tomorrow I will more pictures.

As for busting up the existing patio, I don't think i'd go that direction. Unforunately that patio was at one point had brick walls on it. The advice was to knock that down so that from our house we have a clear view. Unforunately 2 things happened. One knocking down the brick walls....now made the patio rough...so...now the patio has to be fixed. We were going to bust up the old patio after that wall demolition was done, but the guy we hired not only didn't come to finish the work, but also in the process of knocking down the walls ruined and chipped some of the new concrete that leads to the pool. I can show pics.

Like i was saying regarding the patio, you can build a deck over it with sleeper joists, or you can lay flagstone in a bed of mortar.

Hi yes, I was thinking about that or composite decking. Hope to take more shots today.

Took some new pics from the view of my back fence. Also included some pics of the deck and how it leads to that broken new concrete damage.

We have this much of 1 complete scene, but unfortunately, I neglected to tell you to stay at one spot for all pictures, pivoting the camera, or they will not reassemble. Can you return to where you were standing for these pictures, in line midway between the first and second tie-down straps of the pool cover, and retake the right half of the scene? You only need to overlap 10 or 15%, not 55%.

Hi there, yes for sure I will do that today

A way of adding on to the existing patio.

I really like the look of that....now.....could that be done with keeping the existing patio I have....and putting something over top of it?

where you have that light green along the edge of the pool...would that be grass or something else?

It is an addition to your existing patio. Obviously, there would need to be a seam. New concrete cannot be adjoined to old without one. You'd need to convert ideas to a PLAN (bird's-eye) view. Epoxy coatings can be used to cover concrete, making different ages look look like same new.

Don't know what you mean by "light green along edge of pool." I'm showing your grass extended, but making no effort to address planting in the picture. It's a separate thing after hardscape is determined.

One concern is addressing the elevation difference of patio and pool deck. An extension could be at either level, but I'm choosing to expand the patio rather than pool deck. I think it would be more useful that way. To address the difference, I'm using a curb extension to the patio (near corner) to protect the pool deck from having soil washed onto it. The same is needed where left side of old patio meets pool deck (where you have something black laying on ground) though I'm not showing it in my illustration.

Oh ok....yes...where you extended the grass I wasn't sure what the light green was....but I see its meant to be grass. I think I did do a bird's eye view from up above the property, unless you want me to take pics by standing on the patio and shooting downwards.

Yes unfortunately that brand new concrete was ruined by a real idiot who knocked down the existing brick wall that around the old patio and did not put any protection on the new concrete. Bricks went flying and now its ruined.

What would you use to to expand the patio and surrounding pool deck?

oh and that black thing in the corner is just some old furniture. Nothing permanent

where you have what I have circled as the extension...i'm wondering what you are suggesting to use there

You already have concrete that needs resurfacing. I'd expand with new concrete, coat them both with an epoxy finish so that things look like they were all planned from the beginning.

By bird's eye view, I meant PLAN -- drawn to scale. That's the only way someone can create a controlled construction project. You can't build from perspective pictures, regardless if they are taken from an upstairs window. Pictures are just for ideas. And then you must take them to the design phase ... drawing a plan so the spatial organization -- how you want everything to be shaped and fit together with everything else -- can be worked out. You either must do it or hire a landscape designer to do it. While a contractor working on a patio may do his part, he will have no to little care about every other aspect of the yard. You need a landscape designer (or you do the work) so there is someone watching out for everything. Just as you would not hire a specialist pie maker if you needed someone to cater a full blown dinner. You'd hire a caterer and they might hire a pie maker as well as a chef and salad maker.

Yes definitely I would like everything to flow and look as if everything was PLANned as you say. I wasn't sure how the epoxy would be or whether I would need to run more concrete if I was to do your PLAN of extending the deck. Hence why I came here to see what others thought and get suggestions.

GREAT IDEAS

For the first time this year, a neighbor of my mom's did their driveway in an epoxy flake and it looked very good. Soon after, a bunch more neighbor's started having it done. Most the driveways in the neighborhood are old. Some are cracked. Epoxy is the total cover up, with a granite like look. If you use it, use colors that look like they could pass as natural stone. Some (stronger, more colorful colors) look like they're more believable for a garage floor.

What's your thoughts on composite on top of that patio? Reason why I ask is I was thinking of running along the left side (not on the fence side) of the pool some composite as well so I can have a wider edge. Unfortunately the concrete border they poured while suitable for walking leaves little room to put a lounger by the pool. As for shade, I had a contractor come over. He had suggested putting a gazebo up in that left corner (where that black furniture is by the red fence). To be honest, not sure how I'm feeling about that at the moment. Seems like a shame in a way that the stupid huge patio (its been a curse) isn't being used other than as a walkway or to have a place for a bbq.

A gazebo is more like a little building and is on the expensive side. It wouldn't be my first choice as a way to have shade. But a contractor would not be the person to consult with about design. You need a landscape designer, as they pay attention to the whole pie, not just the piece they're going to eat.

By "composite" I presume you mean decking ...? From the pictures, it looks like at the left side of the house there is grade change between pool deck and grade level at the house. How would that be accommodated? And would you be willing to sacrifice all of the foundation planting space in order to have lounge chairs ... when those could be accommodated at the patio extension I showed above. Not big enough? Make it bigger. Truly you are beyond the point where all what you're thinking about and considering should be considered and worked out in PLAN view, not in pictures. The latter is supplemental information. It is not difficult to draw a base plan. You just need graph paper or plain paper and some basic drawing tools. Measure the wall of the house ... 20'. Measure that same wall on the drawing ... if your scale is 1"=10', then the 20' wall is 2". Just keep drawing it out until all of the existing hardscape edges (house, patio, walks, fence, pool deck, tree trunks, etc.) are shown. (With curving features such as the pool deck, one usually plots out a number of high and low points of its edge and then connects them all with fluid curving lines.)

Yes by composite I mean decking. Thoughts? I'm going to get my backyard regraded as part of my PLAN. After the pool dig its very uneven. As it is currently, the land from the house slopes down to the pool.

The gazebo, ya i'm just not sure about that. I definitely a spot for shade out there because its pure sun out there. The idea that the contractor had was to build a gazebo that you could enter off of the left corner of the existing patio...again...not sure how excited I am about that idea. A new fence is going to be put in next Monday so that will be interesting to see.

I gave my thoughts about decking -- whether wood or composite -- in the prior answer.

You need a landscape designer to visit the site and sort out the puzzle.

Thanks. Well I appreciate your input...i'll keep looking here on houzz and see if others respond as well.. Always good to get different perspectives.

My two cents... don't do a gazebo... expensive and permanent and slightly outdated.

If you can't do a covered patio that connects to your house (to provide some indoor/outoor living with year-round coverage and a true living room feel) I would highly suggest just doing an umbrella. We were unable to do a true covered patio due to lot coverage on our property and this is a great solution.

We have a 13' Octagon Umbrella that can tilt, twist and is on a movable stand. It allows those who want sun to have it, and those who want shade to have it. You can easily move it around the whole patio with just one person putting it wherever you need it. Depending on your budget you could even do one along your pool edge too if you needed. I also think with a gazebo your view of the pool might be obstructed too and you prob wouldn't want that if you have small kiddos.

We also have done composite decking on a previous house (Loved it.. We did TimberTech) and we have Belgard Pavers on our patio now and have been very happy with them.

Wow, wow and more wow! I love your backyard! Yes I'm leaning towards doing the composite decking. I've been checking out a design called Whitewash cedar. Yes the gazebo....ugh...I just think its going to be too awkward and so...maybe redoing the deck...getting a new fence....getting the land regraded and sodded and a few other things might be enough for now. The umbrella idea might just be the solution for now.

p.s. I was looking at timbertech today actually!

So I think i'm scrapping the gazebo idea. Would love to hear and see pics of other suggestions of what you all would do for shading and where you'd place it. Thanks!

shade: tree, vine or fabric covered pergola, umbrella, awning.

Yardvaark….so I think i'm going to use that idea of yours and extend that patio to the pool deck. I'd love to extend the other side of the concrete around the pool (closest to the house) but not sure if that can be done yet. We shall see.

Next...I believe we are going to go with the pergola although not sure what design yet. It will be overtop of the existing old deck and be attached to the house itself under the flashing I believe he said.

The only slight downside is that sitting room with patio doors will get a bit more shade due to that structure, but I think its makes the most sense as i'm scrapping that gazebo idea.

Pretty exciting...so i'm getting the deck covered with composite. Its called white wash cedar. Also in the planning stages there will be roof attached to the house but will come out to cover the patio area. After that....i'll have to think about what to do as I may go with more composite decking around the shallow end of the pool just to give some more sitting area in the sun. New fence is up and back yard is already taking shape

Well it's about 90 percent done. Patio decking takes 8 weeks to order with all this covid delays and some other minor ground work has to be done but here is what we have so far. New back fence, new sod laid, patio now has a peaked roof over it with pot lights and fan and 2 skylights. Also some flower beds were added and river rock in areas that rarely grow anything but weeds.

It's looking considerably improved. Nice patio cover. You've got to be happy to make some progress.

see things just had to be adjusted a bit

It's funny because our original primary goal was to have the land graded/sodded and to have the deck done. Due to covid, my friend had to cancel his vacation plans and wound up having a lot of time on his hands so we figured we'd go all out. The funny thing is how important the patio roof is (although that wasn't an initial priority. Now we and others can sit outside in the shade which did not exist before. Also the fence really improved the backyard. I'm tempted to redo the neighbours fences as well. Anyways.....this is where we are and figured i'd give an update. The next update probably won't happen for a few more weeks as we await the decking.

then so be it with covid 19 we all are having alot of time on our hands the non important things get done out of boredom

Well any house or backyard renos always depend upon the availability of our usual guy. He'd quit his full time job to go out on his own just because there is so much demand for him. Again, it's funny because the things we considered 'essential'....like the sod and decking.....actually turned out to be the least important renos we did. The new fence definitely gave the backyard a more enclosed feeling and the roof over the patio definitely helps with heatwave we've encountered.

He's basically eliminated (in a good way) a lot of problem areas for grass cutting by either planting gardens and using mulch, or in other places placed a felt barrier on the ground and covered it with river rock.. Unlike my neighbour who wants a completely cemented backyard....I like to have some grass and green in my back yard.

Thanks!

Well.......almost a year later and got quite a bit done last summer and need to do some finishing touches this year.

We wound up doing a covering over the old deck (for sun cover). Decking got installed a month ago. Posts still need to be covered, but figured I'd share some pics.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The backyard now. Really getting close to being finished (i think). New fences were put in and they just need coating. Pillars on the deck still need to be covered. Only last bit of business with be to do the shed some day. Not sure what I'll do with that. The roof is going to be a moire black to match the house.

Congratulations! Perfect timing to enjoy a beautiful summer!

Ha thanks. My target was to get the backyard done by the end of June and it looks like I made it!

any thoughts on what improvements i could do with the shed. The only thing at this point i can say is that the roof is going to be a moire black