Fresh Designs

Southwest Fence & Deck is wrapping up a few Dallas area projects just in time for the Texas summer to arrive. This project welcomes summer with a soft and fresh look. The white arbor and trellis serve as a backdrop to a charming bench that overlooks the beautiful, mature landscape that surrounds the pool area. A peaceful place to relax and retreat from the warm summer sun.

Southwest Fence & Deck Trellis

The arbor off the home’s back patio provides shade and a place for fans. The clean lines accentuate the symmetry of the home and outdoor space.

Southwest Fence & Deck Arbor

Southwest Fence & Deck Arbor

The balcony off the other patio also serves as a cover for the lower level and a rooftop seating area on the upper level. The design mirrors the arbor, while also introducing another design element through the balcony railing.

Southwest Fence & Deck Outdoor Patio

A pathway around the corner leads to a private arbor which serves as a decorative overhang for the stone fireplace. Two trellises also surround the fireplace to create a symmetrical frame drawing the eye to the center. This area will be a great gathering place for all seasons – a shaded area in the summer, and a cozy, private area in the winter months.

Southwest Fence & Deck

 

The charm of this outdoor space is complete with a green gate and lantern fixture. The traditional style compliments the rest of the outdoor area and serves as a warm welcome to guests.

Southwest Fence & Deck Gate

15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

Camp Turrentine, the 15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament, commenced on April 27th, 2013. We were lucky enough to have beautiful weather, a great turnout of friends and colleagues, the best food (as always!), live music from a local favorite, Prophets and Outlaws, and wonderful support for the Ronald McDonald House. Thanks to all who shared the day with us, and a special thanks to everyone who helped make it possible! We will see you all again next year!

15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

Beautiful day for gathering with friends…

Southwest Fence & Deck 15th Annual Bocce Ball Tournament

15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

Crawfish Boil at the 15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

BBQ and Crawfish in the Picnic Area

Camp Turrentine

15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

Sharing a laugh at the 15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

The Camp Site at the15th Annual Southwest Fence & Deck Bocce Ball Tournament

Special thanks to those that made it happen!

Jamie introduces Prophets and Outlaws

Live Music from Prophets and Outlaws

What is a camp site without s’mores?!

Southwest Fence & Deck: Fence Inspiration

Although our work consists of a full range of projects day to day, Southwest Fence & Deck does have its beginnings in one of the most under-rated projects in your outdoor space – the fence! Whether you are simply looking to build a fence for the most basic reason – privacy – or you are looking to add a decorative element to your outdoor space, the fence can be a unique, beautiful and functional delineation of your property.

Southwest Fence & Deck Fence

Our specialists will work with you to select the fence style best suited to your needs and taste. We install the following types of fences: dog ear, lattice top, saddle, scalloped, cap, rail, picket, shadow box, corral, board on board, composite Trex, composite Fiberon, chain link, vinyl, security fencing and a wide array of custom, ornamental iron fencing. Throughout the years, we have had many opportunities to be creative with different styles of fencing. From contemporary, horizontal fences to lattice panel fences to coordinate with landscaping and ornamental fences which create a cohesive look with a home, Southwest has proven that a fence can be just as much a part of the design process in your outdoor space as some of the more obvious elements.

Southwest Fence & Deck – Fence

Southwest Fence & Deck – Fence with Lattice Panel

Southwest Fence & Deck Horizontal Fence

Perhaps the most important element in maximizing the life of your fence is the quality of the installation. At Southwest Fence & Deck, our field crews have years of experience and are qualified in all aspects of fence installation. We complete thousands of feet of fencing every year and receive many referrals for our work.

As mentioned earlier in this post, Southwest Fence & Deck also specializes in custom iron fencing and gates. We are one of the most experienced providers of custom iron work in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with our own in-house metal fabrication facility – Aruba Ironworks. Our designs have graced many of the area’s most distinctive homes and lend a classic appearance to most any property. The scope of this work includes: wrought iron fences, swing gates, slide gates, drive gates, balconies, handrails and staircases.

Custom Iron Railing

Although many fences are derived out of necessity, we hope that this post has encouraged you to consider the visual impact a well designed fence can add to your outdoor space. It should coordinate with the look of your home and further extend your style into the outdoors.

Spring Cleaning

Private Dallas Area Residence Entrance

Come on in and check out one of our projects that is currently in progress! A while back, Southwest Fence & Deck completed work for a Dallas-area private residence – this entry gate being part of that project. You can imagine our delight when we were invited back recently to this same residence to renovate an existing outdoor kitchen and arbor. You could call it spring cleaning, Southwest Fence & Deck style!

Private Dallas Area Residence – Demo Phase

The existing stonework and foundation of the project were in need of replacement and the wood on the arbor was beginning to rot, so the Southwest Fence & Deck crew began the demo process right away. This first step of the project also included expanding the current area to include a stone and brick fireplace.

First Stage of Building – Private Dallas Area Residence

Once the posts have been set and the stone work is settled, it is time to begin working on the overhead structure. The Southwest Fence & Deck crew makes careful decorative end cuts to the large beams that will be one of the main focal points of the structure.

Southwest Fence & Deck Construction at Dallas Area Private Residence

After much tedious work, the overhead structure is complete with the stone and brick fireplace as the focal point for the outdoor living area at this private Dallas area residence. The watertight structure allows for a covered area on rainy days, a shaded area during the hot summer months and a cozy, warm area away from the wind during the cooler months. This makes for the perfect outdoor living area that can be enjoyed all year long.

Private Dallas Area Residence – Construction Phase

This project is almost complete! Check back soon for the finished product as well as some detail shots of the fireplace and outdoor kitchen.

Do you have ideas for an update to your outdoor living area? We want to hear about them - what are you doing to prepare for this summer?

Looking for More from Southwest Fence?

Southwest Fence & Deck has been blogging here for almost two years now! We originally started the blog to share our successes with you, bring you into our world behind the scenes to show you first hand what goes on during the design and build process, and to give you more insight on the people who live and breathe Southwest Fence & Deck. Along the way we hope that we have provided you with inspiration to embark on any outdoor project you dream of (no matter how impossible it seems, the pros have a way of making it happen). We hope this blog has provided you with more knowledge about our industry and shed more light on everything that goes into choosing someone to transform any area of your home. At the end of the day, it is your home and the projects we complete are simply an extension and reflection of your style and what delights you. That is the reason we feel so flattered each time a homeowner grants us the opportunity to work with them.

During this time, we have also worked on expanding our reach across the ever-changing world of the Internet, providing you with more ways to connect with us. We realize that some people who visit our website may want more from a content perspective, while others that visit our blog may prefer more of a visual. That is why we strive to constantly add new modes of communication – we want to give you a well-rounded vision of the Southwest Fence & Deck personality.

Southwest Fence & Deck Pinterest Page

Southwest Fence & Deck Houzz Page

Southwest Fence & Deck Facebook Page

Southwest Fence & Deck YouTube Channel

If you want to talk to us, we definitely want to listen! We love nothing more than hearing from you – whether you have a question about one of our projects, or maybe you are a happy client who wants to brag about how much you enjoy your outdoor space, an industry peer, or even if you just want to tell us what you love about our latest photo on Facebook, we want to know. You can always leave comments here on our blog or visit our Facebook page – we will answer, promise! We have also recently added many photos to various sites for our more visually inclined followers. Our Pinterest page has many photos and videos separated by various projects. Feel free to add our pins to your boards – find details that inspire you. Somewhat similar to Pinterest, but more targeted to our homeowners looking to begin home construction or remodeling, our Houzz page offers photos separated by project type which you can add to your “ideabooks.” This site provides a great way for you to put ideas together and organize by area of your home. You can also ask us questions about our specific projects or ask for tips on how to keep your outdoor space looking top-notch – an area we just might be able to help you with! We also have our very own YouTube page – can you believe we convinced Jamie to allow us to film him!? Here you can see Jamie as he gives you a tour of his home and our showroom, and find out what it is really like to work with Southwest Fence & Deck from previous clients, both residential and commercial.

And if you really love Southwest Fence & Deck, so much that you just cannot contain it, please let the world know! If you are a Google+ user, visit our Google listing and tell us what you love about Southwest Fence. If you frequent Houzz, be sure to visit our review page there and let all of your followers know about your love affair with all things Southwest Fence & Deck. And who knows, if you really really love us Jamie may even ask you to do a video!

Thanks to all who keep up with us through our various channels on the web – we appreciate all you do to support Southwest Fence & Deck!

Choosing a Contractor Who Is Right For You

As the warm weather season quickly approaches (hello, March!) we imagine that you are researching ideas and contractors to get your home and outdoor space into shape. As you explore different contractors, we encourage you to revisit these helpful hints fron Southwest Fence & Deck owner, Jamie Turrentine, on how to choose a reputable contractor for your needs. Since these contractors will be spending a great deal of time around your home for possibly an extended period of time, it will pay off for you to ask these questions and do a little extra research ahead of time.

1. Find out if they specialize in the area of construction you are looking for. Pictures on their website might look good, but seeing the work with your own eyes is very important. Request to see a job they have recently finished as well as one they may have completed several years ago. This will give you a better idea of the scope of projects the contractor is capable of designing and actually bringing to life.

2. Find out who is working on the job. Do they have employees or subcontractors? More importantly, how long have they been working with them? Stability should be an important factor in choosing any contractor.

3. Check to see if they are contributing memebers of local trade organizations. In the state of Texas, these might include: the American Fence Association (AFA), the Texas Fence Association (TFA) and the National Organization of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). These organizations hold their members to very high levels of best practices in order to retain membership. Furthermore, as in other industries, the more actively involved a company is in various trade organizations, the more likely it is that they are committed to education and proper design and installation practices.

4. Obtain a detailed contract. A detailed contract should spell out the exact work you have agreed upon. There will be no surprises with a detailed contract. Make sure everything is in writing – this is very important!

5. Make sure they are insured for the type of work they do. A good idea is to have your own insurance agent review their insurance policy to be sure nothing is missing, and you won’t be held liable. Proper workers’ compensation insurance is important – make sure you understand their policy.

We hope this information will be useful to you as you research contractors for your next project. If you are interested in having a Southwest Fence & Deck professional dream up something exceptional for your outdoor space, please do not hesitate to contact us!

Fencetech 2013 Heads to Houston

Next week (February 27th through March 1st) the American Fence Association will host Fencetech/Decktech 2013 in Houston, Texas. Southwest Fence & Deck has been a longtime member of both the American Fence Association (AFA) as well as the Texas Fence Association (TFA). After serving as President of the TFA, Southwest Fence & Deck owner, Jamie Turrentine, is now serving on the Board of Directors for the AFA.

Fencetech/Decktech 2013 will bring 4,000 of the industry’s leaders together to showcase the most cutting edge products in the industry. You will find the large showroom packed with industry professionals, outdoor demos and educational opportunities. Join industry peers for a networking opportunity Thursday evening, which is a great time to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Two Keynote Speakers will be in attendance to provide inspiration at this year’s Fencetech/Decktech. FDNY Chief Richard Picciotto will share his account of surviving the 9/11 World Trade Center Catastrophe and emergency response. Captian Jim Lovell will also share his story of the Apollo 13 mission.

Fencetech/Decktech 2013 is sure to be a success this year as we travel to the 4th largest city in the country. Houston, Texas has plenty to indulge in – first class shopping and dining, lively nightlife and an array of Texas history. If you are new to the industry, we encourage you to attend this annual event to give you a chance to build relationships with other industry professionals and find out what is on the horizon for the future of the industry. If you have been in the industry for some time, we also encourage you to attend this event to reconnect and inspire yourself to take your business and ideas to the next level. If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to contact Board Member Jamie Turrentine at Southwest Fence & Deck.