The flagship guide
The 2026 Outdoor Living Cost Guide for Central Ohio
Every price question we get comes down to the same tension: you want a straight answer, and the honest answer depends on your yard. This guide is the straightest version we can publish, the same ranges and cost drivers we quote at kitchen tables across Columbus, with none of the teaser numbers that grow after the contract is signed.
How to read builder pricing
Two projects with identical footprints can land far apart on price, because the money follows the ground, the utilities, and the finish level more than the square footage. So instead of fake precision, each section below gives you the realistic range band we quote in 2026 and the handful of drivers that move your project inside it. Deeper detail lives in the linked guides, which we keep updated.
Pool houses
The widest budget range in outdoor living. An open-air cabana with power and finished ceilings is the entry point for a true custom build. A three-season pool house with a bathroom, wet bar, and storage sits in the middle, and plumbing is usually its biggest line item. A full entertainment pool house with a kitchenette, heating and cooling, and a finished interior is a small building and is priced like one. In our market, custom pool houses generally land in the high five figures to low-to-mid six figures. The big movers: plumbing distance from the house, foundation and grading, finish level, and permits.
The full pool house cost guide · Pool house service page
Decks
Material is the first fork: cedar wins on upfront cost and natural feel, composite lines from Trex, TimberTech, and Deckorators win on maintenance and lifetime cost. After that, height and structure set the budget: an elevated deck needs more framing and stairs, and railings surprise people as a share of the total. Built-ins, lighting, and a pergola or roof structure above are the common adders. A patio generally costs less per square foot than an elevated deck, which is why grade decides so many of these projects.
Composite vs. cedar · Deck or patio for value? · Deck and pergola service page
Pergolas
Pergola pricing spans an order of magnitude, so tiers matter. A custom cedar pergola sized to your patio with proper footings is the heart of the market, landing from the low end of five figures to solidly mid five figures with size and finish. Steel and hybrid structures step above that for slimmer profiles and bigger spans. Motorized louvered systems that close against rain price like the outdoor rooms they are, comfortably into five figures and climbing with lighting, fans, and screens. Big-box kits exist below all of this; in Ohio wind they are frequently what we replace.
Patios and hardscaping
Patio money follows the ground more than the surface. Excavation and base depth are where cheap bids cut corners, and in Central Ohio clay that is exactly what kills patios within a few winters. Surface material comes next: concrete pavers, clay brick, and natural stone all price differently. Grade changes, seat walls, fire features, and lighting are the adders that turn a slab of pavers into a finished backyard. Drainage built in during construction is cheap; drainage retrofitted after a failure is not.
The drainage guide · Patio service page
Outdoor kitchens
The grill is rarely the expensive part. Island length and masonry finish, counter material, appliance class, and the gas, water, and electric runs are what shape the budget, and a roof or pavilion above the cooking space is its own project. Building the kitchen along with a patio or pool house is the efficient path, because utilities and bases go in once. On resale, the honest answer is that quality and cohesion beat size.
Materials that survive Ohio winters · The ROI honest answer · Outdoor kitchen service page
Fire features
A fire pit is social, open, and the budget-friendly centerpiece. An outdoor fireplace is architectural, blocks wind, and carries masonry money. They create different spaces at very different budgets, which makes this one of the highest-leverage decisions in a backyard plan.
The phasing move that controls all of it
You do not have to build everything at once, but planning everything at once is how budgets stay controlled. A master plan places utilities, grades, and footings for the end state, so the pool house in year three does not require tearing up the patio from year one. Phasing spreads the investment without paying for rework, and it is the single best cost decision available on a big backyard.
The phasing guide · Design-build service page
What a real proposal looks like
Before you commit a dollar, you should see a custom 3D design and a detailed material proposal that itemizes structure, footings, electrical, and finish separately. That is our standard on every project, because an itemized proposal is the only kind you can trim intelligently.
Common questions
Why will nobody give me a number over the phone?
Because the honest number lives in your yard. Grade, access, utility distances, and municipality rules move budgets by real money. Anyone quoting a single figure before seeing the property is guessing, and the guess usually grows later.
When should I start to hit a summer deadline?
Design the previous fall or winter. Permits and utility work eat calendar, build slots fill front to back, and the backyards people enjoy in July were planned in January.
Does outdoor living add home value?
Quality and cohesion matter more than the line item. A well-built space that fits the house outperforms an oversized one with wavy railings every time, and buyers in Dublin, Powell, and Upper Arlington notice craftsmanship.
How do I keep a budget honest?
Start from how you will actually use the space, spend on structure and the ground first, options second, and insist on an itemized proposal with a 3D design before you commit. If you cannot see where the money goes, you cannot trim it with open eyes.