Outdoor planning guide

Qualified Remodeler published its 2026 Outdoor Planning Guide on April 22, laying out eight outdoor project types remodelers are using to turn yards into living space. (qualifiedremodeler.com) The trade publication said the projects range from decks and hardscapes to kitchens, fire features and covered gathering areas, with examples from eight firms including Powell Construction, GTM Architects, Bonnie J. Lewis Design and Texas Custom Patios. (qualifiedremodeler.com) Several of the case studies focus on the same planning problem: how to make outdoor space work like an extra room while handling weather, slope and circulation. Qualified Remodeler said the featured projects are “unified” by extending usable living space outdoors. (qualifiedremodeler.com) That shows up in the details. Residential Designed Solutions rebuilt a single-level deck into a multi-level layout with a grill station, fireplace, covered patio, fire pit and putting green to connect the house, terrace and sloped yard. (qualifiedremodeler.com) Other projects were shaped by climate. People Come First Construction Group said its Bothell, Washington, job required waterproof materials and a four-seasons design in the rainy Pacific Northwest; the 9,979-square-foot project carried a reported cost of $722,756. (qualifiedremodeler.com) Heat drove decisions in Arizona. Bonnie J. Lewis Design said an outdoor kitchen project used a louvered pergola, LED lighting and mist fans, and the team worked through triple-digit summer temperatures while solving a UV-resistance issue inside outdoor-rated cabinets. (qualifiedremodeler.com) Space constraints pushed other designs. GTM Architects said a job that started as a pool house on a narrow strip between a tennis court and pool expanded into a terrace, outdoor kitchen, front porch entry and detached garage, with sliding glass doors used to preserve sightlines through the tight footprint. (qualifiedremodeler.com) The guide was released alongside Qualified Remodeler’s 2026 Outdoor Buyers Guide, which lists products across categories such as decking, patio doors, lighting, stone, outdoor kitchens and pavers. (qualifiedremodeler.com) Qualified Remodeler has published annual outdoor planning and buyers guides for several years, including a 2024 edition that listed 124 products in 15 categories. The 2026 project roundup keeps that format but shifts the emphasis to built examples and the design trade-offs behind them. (qualifiedremodeler.com)