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There are many people who choose their terraces merely by thumbing
through glossy magazines. When such a person finds a glamorous
picture, perhaps something planned for quite a different kind of climate
and different sort of house, he thinks, "That's pretty! That's for me," and
then proceeds to have some version of that terrace built in his garden.
But a terrace is far too expensive and permanent to be chosen so lightly
or so frivolously. There are a good many practical considerations which
enter into the choice; they should be taken into account and enter into
the planning before the terrace is built, and not afterward when regrets
set in.
Among the factors which should come under scrutiny are:
.What is your climate?
.What size is your family?
.What are their interests and inclinations? Their ages?
.What do you expect in the way of durability . . . function . . .
future use?
.What can you spend for a terrace?
This latter factor is a vital one for it is the kingpin, oftentimes, of
the whole matter. The pocketbook usually settles a good many things
about our way of life, and this is no exception. A terrace should not
be too elaborate for its surroundings. It should not overpower its setting,
but it should, on the other hand, be adequate. It is an outdoor room and
as such it is "capital equipment" which will add to the value of your
property if you ever wish to sell it, provided that it is properly planned
and durably built. Also, sometimes it is possible to start out with a small
terrace and a big plan, adding pieces each year until it is the size you
really want it to be. Perhaps it can start out as a gravelled terrace and
then, when it is possible, concrete, stone, or brick can be laid on the
gravel. If you want to do it or have it done all at once, you may want
to take out a loan and spread the payments over several years. If you do
it yourself, adding to it year by year, you'll have the use of the terrace as
it expands; you will spread the work over several years and the cost, too,
thus saving the interest charges on the loan.
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