Well, I'm only one person and I don't have the benefit of having all my materials delivered at once, and besides, this is in my spare time. So, considering all this, I figure I should be able to get the same results in, say, about six years.
*Amberflame rolls her eyes*
"Okay, then how about a month?"
Better.
Anyway, I already have the perfect spot:
This is the back corner of our house. I've got a bit of work left on the eaves after the contractor installed the new steel roof last year, but otherwise the house is in pretty good shape. The plan is, come off the corner by the gas meter (right) with a wood privacy fence to enclose this little nook. The fence will run to the left, about 2' past the little red brick pumphouse (used as a storage shed since city water was installed over a decade ago), then forward toward the street, and turn to connect back to the house just this side of the little inset porch you see past the windows, with a 4' gate across the walkway. This will form an L-shaped enclosed space that will be divided into several distinct areas:
(1) On the street side of the shed, a concrete pad will hold my smoker. This area will be where ol' Oak barbecues.
(2) On this side of the shed we'll put in paving stones to form a patio, roughly square. Table and chairs, and perhaps a big patio umbrella will go here.
(3) A small space to the right of the patio will be, um.. stepping stones? Pea gravel? Some combination of the two? Haven't quite decided yet, but it will probably be the new home for the chiminea, a ceramic outdoor fireplace I picked up for Amberflame on the way back from a festival recently.
(4) Directly behind the doorway (center) will be an 8' square wooden deck, with a small porch stepping down onto it.
(5) Finally, nestled into the corner will be our new hot tub, ordered this weekend.
I've got about 4 weeks to get this done. Better get to work.