Outdoor living requests coming into member firms have shifted noticeably over the past several seasons. Homeowners aren't just asking for a patio or deck anymore, they're asking for shade, airflow, and weather protection built into the design from the start. Screened porches, covered outdoor kitchens, and pergolas with retractable shade systems are increasingly the default request rather than the upsell.
That shift matters for project scoping and pricing. A shaded, screened, climate-considered outdoor space carries a meaningfully different material and labor cost than an open patio, and firms that aren't adjusting their initial consultations to surface this preference early risk mismatched proposals and stalled sales conversations.
It's also a category where technical knowledge, orientation, airflow, material durability in high humidity, differentiates a firm's proposal from a generalist's. Homeowners are increasingly willing to pay for that expertise once they understand what it prevents: a beautiful space that goes unused for half the year.
Has your firm adjusted its outdoor living consultations to lead with climate and shade considerations, or is that still a secondary conversation?
#OutdoorLiving #Remodeling #NARI
Real completed project photo of a member-built screened porch or shaded outdoor living space, ideally with before/after context. Authentic project photography preferred over generic stock imagery.
Canva text suggestion: "Designing For The Climate, Not Just The Season" or "Shade Is The New Standard"