Outdoor spaces built for Pacific Northwest weather.
Portland's outdoor season is short and the weather is finicky. The outdoor spaces that actually get used are the ones built to work in our climate: covered, drained, well-lit, and finished with materials that survive a wet winter.
Designed for October, not just for July.
The single biggest reason an outdoor living project disappoints isn't workmanship. It's that it was designed for July and built for July without thinking about October through April. We start with how you actually want to use the space across the year, and design backwards from that.
Covered decks, patios with real drainage, outdoor kitchens with proper gas and electrical, fire pits with structural footings, lighting designed at the same time as the structure. One crew through the whole build.
What we design and build outside
- Covered decks and patios. Roofed structures that extend usable outdoor time from May-October to nearly year-round. Engineered for Portland snow and rain loads
- Open decks. Cedar, composite (Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon), or PVC on engineered framing with code-compliant railings
- Patios. Stamped concrete, exposed aggregate, paver, or natural stone, properly graded and drained
- Pergolas and shade structures. Cedar, fir, or steel-framed, standalone or attached
- Outdoor kitchens. Built-in grills, refrigeration, sinks, counters, storage. We coordinate gas, electrical, plumbing, drainage
- Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces. Gas, wood, or hybrid, with structural footings and proper line routing
- Outdoor lighting. Low-voltage path, deck and stair lighting integrated into the structure, sconce work, overhead pendants for covered spaces
Real credentials. Verifiable.
Every license and rating below is independently verifiable.
The questions we ask early
- Do you want to use this in the wet months? If yes, a roof or substantial cover is non-negotiable. Pergolas alone don't cut it
- Where does the water go? Decks and patios need real drainage. Roofed decks need gutters that tie to the existing system or to daylight, not just dump on the lawn
- What's the sun exposure? South-facing decks in summer get punishing. North-facing covered spaces in winter stay cold and damp. We plan accordingly
- Heating strategy. Overhead infrared, gas heaters, an outdoor fireplace, or a fire pit can extend usable months by 4 to 6 if planned right
- Lighting strategy. Portland evenings are long and dark much of the year. Designing lighting at the same time as the structure is dramatically cheaper than retrofitting
How a Keyser outdoor project runs
Consultation, permits, build. Most outdoor work builds best in our drier May to September window.
Yard walk & concept
We walk the yard with you, talk through how you want to use the space, and look at sun, drainage, grade, and how the project will tie into the existing house. Free, no obligation.
Design, estimate, permit
Sketches, materials direction, and a realistic budget within a week. Line-item estimate with materials specified. Decks above a certain height, attached covered structures, and most outdoor kitchens need permits. We pull them.
Build, inspect, walkthrough
Footings, framing, decking, finishes, gas and electrical for outdoor kitchens, lighting. Same crew through to completion. Final walkthrough at close-out.
Ready for an outdoor space you'll actually use?
Tell us what you want to build and where in the yard. We come out, walk it with you, and follow up with concept direction and a budget conversation within a week.
Materials we recommend for our climate
- Decking: Western Red Cedar for natural wood. Composite (Trex, TimberTech) or PVC (AZEK) for low-maintenance
- Framing: pressure-treated for ground-contact, often with hidden flashing and joist tape to extend life
- Hardware: stainless or hot-dipped galvanized only. Standard zinc-plated fails fast in wet conditions
- Roofing on covered decks: matched to existing home roof when possible, or polycarbonate if you want to keep light coming through
- Stone and masonry: materials that handle freeze/thaw without spalling. Some otherwise-attractive natural stone is a bad choice for Portland
Typical Portland-area outdoor pricing
Mid-2020s market. Cover is the smartest dollar: a covered structure gets used roughly 4x more days per year than the same square footage open to the sky.
Outdoor living FAQs
How long does an outdoor project take?
What's the smartest dollar to spend on an outdoor project?
Composite versus real wood for decking?
Can you tie this into our existing roof?
Do we need permits?
How do we get started?
More From Our Portfolio
Every project backed by our written warranty.
Workmanship warranty included in every contract, in writing. If something we built isn't right, we come back and make it right.
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Let's design something you'll actually use.
Free yard walk. Real talk about cover, drainage, lighting, and what's worth the spend.