McCamy Construction

Custom Built Screened Porch In Whittington Creek Enhances Outdoor Living Space

Thursday, March 28th, 2019

Like many home renovation projects, an initial seemingly small idea can often morph into a much larger vision. Such was the case for a couple in Whittington Creek who wanted to add skylights in their family room to brighten the often-used space. “Somehow the idea of the skylights grew into a new deck, which then became a screened-in porch,” said the homeowner. French doors in the family room and kitchen area lead to the original rectangular deck, but the family didn’t use the deck often, mostly because of pesky bugs or rain. The couple thought it would be nice if the space was covered, so they looked at what some neighbors had done with their deck space and then sketched out an idea for extending the roof over their family room when they had the skylights put in. Extending the roof would cover two-thirds of the deck, leaving a narrow open deck in front of the kitchen. The small space seemed like it would be awkward to use, so they decided to expand that part of the deck to create an open patio beside the screened-in porch. The homeowners knew that McCamy had done other work in Whittington Creek, and that their neighbors had been very happy with the results. The homeowner said, “We knew we wanted a solid construction company because cutting into a roof is a point of no return.” They also wanted a building company that they could trust to refine their ideas and to offer sound suggestions. “The porch reflects what we had originally envisioned along with an enlarged open deck in front of the kitchen,” the homeowner said. “The details are much nicer though, both those that show and those that don’t. McCamy turned a hand-drawn sketch and some hand-waving into a structurally solid and well-built porch that looks like it was always part of the house.” As an engineer, the husband found it interesting to see how the porch came together, noting that there were many more components than he had expected. “I had no idea how intricate and involved the construction would be, and it was fun to see it build up slowly and to understand what they do each step of the way. “Everybody kindly explained how and why things were done, starting with the footers, floor joists, flashing, and ending with the many layers of trim that finished the deck, roof, and tongue and groove ceiling,” he said. The homeowners had several discussions with the McCamy crew about materials early on. “We decided to use top-of-the-line materials, and the look and feel is well-worth the added cost,” the husband said, adding, “Having weatherproof materials will also be a plus in the long run.” One potential construction glitch actually turned out to be a benefit design-wise. The homeowner explained, “Every project has surprises. Ours was when it turned out that a rafter from the old roof went through the brick instead of along side it, as we had anticipated.” Their original plan was to use Hardie board siding rather than brick on the back wall of the porch, thinking that it would be difficult to match the brick that was already on the rest of the home’s exterior. However, when the rafter issue arose, McCamy found a better solution. “McCamy found matching brick and mortar and suggested that we have the masons lay brick in front of the knee wall instead of using Hardie board,” he said. “We are glad we did that as it looks like the house was built that way. An added benefit was that we got to remove and cover up an exterior speaker belonging to the intercom system that we had taken out inside the house.” The rest of the porch was finished off with a tongue and groove ceiling with two skylights, canned lights, and a ceiling fan, creating a cozy outdoor living space that is inviting and spacious for relaxing outdoors, without being bothered by bugs or rain. In hindsight he homeowners said, “Would we do it again? Absolutely. Would we have done it sooner? Definitely.” Custom-designed outdoor living spaces are a growing trend in East Tennessee and are one of McCamy’s specialties. The possibilities are endless—a poolside cabana with a vintage swing, a covered patio with a stone fire pit and rustic beams, or an outdoor fireplace addition with nearby play space for the kids. Whatever your dream may be for your outdoor living space, we can build it. If you’re considering renovating or building a new home or a custom-designed outdoor living space, we would love to discuss your visions with you. Schedule your consultation by filling out this form or give us a call at (865) 247-7068.