Rated 4.33 / 5 from 18 reviews
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BackYard Living BackYard Living is an Indiana building contractor operating in the central Indiana area. Where BackYard Living really shines is as a custom designer and builder of decks, screened porches, sunrooms, 3-season rooms, pergolas, and gazebos. The company is also one of the few remodelers to offer landscape lighting design and installation services.

We have installed over 1,000 projects in the Indianapolis area. BackYard Living decks and screen porches have appeared in national magazines and been written about in the Indianapolis Star. We will create accurate and complete construction documentation to ensure a well built project.
Services
Gazebos
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Your gazebo can be designed as a traditional or contemporary style, or it can be customized to accommodate your ideas. We offer you a choice of roofing materials, from cedar shakes, to ashphalt shingles, to metal. Other options include ceiling, rail, and floors styles, screening or windows, and features such as benches, lighting, and ceiling fans.
Pergolas
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A decorative outdoor structure, such as a trellis or pergola, can provide the focal point for that special backyard retreat. A trellis can serve as a patio or deck cover, with a variety of shade solutions, including wooden slats for light shade, lattice panels for moderate shade, or fabric/screen covering for maximum shading effect.
Sunrooms
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With a sunroom, you can extend the summer season right into the fall. And if you really want to extend the seasons, we can make your sunroom comfortable for year around living with insulation and a heating and cooling system. The exterior design can be made to blend with the existing architectural style and materials of your home.
Decks
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By choosing BackYard Living, you are ensuring that your new deck will be custom designed for your home. Each design will account for the architecture and landscape of the property, your budget, and your personal needs and lifestyle. These elements, combined with a smart and creative design, will make your new deck a true enhancement to your home.
Reviews (18)
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Jeff Blake
Apr 29, 2022
We are now 4 years out from our upper level deck re-do with Trex resurfacing and drainage system installed. The overall initial install was okay and several minor issues addressed and most corrected, however, the deck has leaked from day one. Spotlights and outlets are ruined, and we have been unable to paint and finish the underside (which is showing some water damage at this point). Craig (who I do like otherwise) has come out several times and there have been minor attempts at fixing the problem, but we still have the same issue. And, it usually takes several emails and/or phone calls over several months to even get a response.

Would not go with this company again. 4/2022--Addendum: So, they finally came out last Fall and fixed the leaky deck. I purposefully waited a bit to update the review to give some time to make sure all was well. The repair was somewhat sloppy with black plastic sticking out of edge seam, but at least it is finally staying dry.
Tyler Madere
Mar 08, 2022
**2/2022: Craig came out to provide us a quote in September for remodeling our deck and adding a screen porch. He was very thorough and detailed. We received the quote 2-3 weeks later. We wanted to proceed with the job so I emailed Craig. Craig did not reply to our emails for 1 month. I finally received the contract in early December and a request from Craig to meet to finalize the details.

I sent him some dates we could meet and I have never heard from him since. It has been 2 months and I still have not received a response to my emails or voicemails. I am sure he does excellent work but communication skills are lacking significantly. I will update this review if I ever hear from him. **3/2022: Craig reached out to me to finalize the details of our plan and contract.

We are moving forward with BackYard Living because it was the most detailed quote with a reasonable price. I will update this review with pictures and details when our project is complete.
Jessica White
Jun 24, 2021
Backyard Living replaced my 8' x 28' wood deck, the stairs leading to the lake, and the floor in my screened porch. My back can only be reached by going down a hill and across the neighbors lawn, so it was a lot of hard work carrying lumber and tools. The project was started on time and it only took 9 days when I was told it might be two weeks. The work was beautifully finished, the workers were professional and neat, and went the extra mile to do a good job. I'm thrilled with the finished product and would recommend Backyard Living for any deck work?
Jason O.
Apr 10, 2021
Do you value your time, your money, and effective/timely communication? If so, I would strongly advise AGAINST using this company. We had a large deck built in 2019, and within months we were having serious problems with the deck installation (boards coming up, among other issues). Unfortunately, these multiple issues still remain, even two years later.

The owner does not communicate well. It would often take many days (and sometimes weeks) to respond; if we were lucky enough to get a response at all. A few years ago, the previous owner (who was reviewed well) sold this company to the current owner. Unaware of this, we hired the current owner's company based in part on the high quality reviews the previous owner had accrued.

This was a huge mistake. Take a hard pass on this company--you'll be happy you did. Again, if you'd like to hire a contractor who values your time and money, and produces the high quality workmanship that you pay for, look elsewhere. Please feel free to message me if you'd like more information. I'm happy to share my experience with you.
Jane Wawok
Feb 24, 2021
Very happy with our new gable roof porch cover built by Backyard Living. They created a great outdoor living space for us and listened to all our concerns and worked with us. Their employ, Matt, did an amazing job and completed the job earlier than expected. We recommend them highly! Cas and Jane Wawok, Fishers, Indiana
Cathy Stein
Nov 08, 2019
Craig did a fantastic job designing our deck and outdoor living space. We absolutely love the finished product! The quality of BackYard Living's design and workmanship exceeded all of our expectations. Everyone we worked with in their company was incredibly professional and easy to work with and they communicated all the details with us throughout the process. I highly recommend BackYard Living!
Molly Deaton
May 25, 2019
Back Yard Living built our new deck. We love it! I am a detail oriented person and we appreciated working with Craig. He is an engineer and paid attention to even the minute details. Our carpenter was amazing! He arrived every day with a great attitude and worked with skill and superb knowledge. The man who did demolition and cleanup found every scrap in our space-unbelievably, it was gone by completion of the work.

We found them all easy to work with and quite accommodating. I made one significant change during the build to a set of stairs, and both Craig and our carpenter, Matt, were great at designing and building exactly what I wanted. We are beyond pleased with our final product! As far as price, we had gotten other bids, but chose Back Yard Living. Their bid was in the middle of the others and quite fair.

The plans and measurements were more precise, and Craig brought samples and explained possibilities in greater detail. It was a pleasurable experience for us, even though construction is always some interference. We gladly recommend them!
He Su'S.
Feb 26, 2018
We had a pleasant experience with Backyard Living. Our design consultant demonstrated how much quality work a craftsman can achieve. Their team has done an excellent job with our sunroom project. The work exceeds our expectations. Without any doubt, we recommended them for our neighbors when they were considering a project.
Tim Schumm
Dec 28, 2017
We built our deck in the summer of 2017. BL was great to work with providing many different options and explanations, while being able to provide plenty of examples of both their own work and showing samples of the different materials available. We went with the Trex Transcend series and couldn't be happier with our decision. The install went unbelievably fast, with supervision stopping by every day to make sure all was OK.

There were a few details that I had issues with, but BL fixed these promptly and without additional expense. I'd highly recommend to anyone looking for a reputable deck builder in Indianapolis.
Whitney S.
Oct 21, 2017
Initial meeting with Ron was extremely helpful in solidifying a plan to achieve my vision. Lots of options, and help in making the right decisions for my plan. Overall, I am very satisfied with the outcome.
Sam K.
Jul 15, 2017
Horrible experience! The owner never showed up once he received the deposit, we had to hire architects and deal with his sub contractor the entire time to try to complete this project. his drawings were not to code and our deck looks awful. Completely unprofessional we would not recommend this company to anyone.
John Purcell
Jun 16, 2017
We are very pleased with the look of our new deck. We accomplished our objectives of opening up our view of the water, eliminating different levels and reducing our periodic maintenance. Ron was extremely helpful in selecting the right mix of product and design and the work was done on schedule from start to finish. We would definitely recommend working with Ron at Backyard Living. We cannot wait until good spring weather to really enjoy it!
Ojala Office
Jun 06, 2017
BackYard Living did an outstanding job of transforming a dingy, tired old deck into a thing of beauty. They were a pleasure to work with. Their precise drawings and quotes helped with my rapid homeowner association approval. The construction was performed very quickly with quality workmanship and a pleasant carpenter. The rails were a sunburst design which provides an iconic look to the deck. Clean-up was very thorough and quick. A very positive deck restoration project. Highly recommended.
Bill & Laura
Mar 17, 2017
The job cost was more than I thought and initially I felt it was out of reach. But now that the job is complete and I see the end result, the quality and the professionalism of Backyard Living and their carpenter, Max, I don't even consider the cost. I have a beautiful deck, have livable square footage of living area and a warranty.
Alice & Mark S.
Apr 26, 2016
We just wanted to let you know how much we lover our new deck. Your design turned out just as we had envisioned it. We especially appreciate the quality workmanship and the fact that you delivered on your schedule and budget commitments.
Paul & Kim W.
Apr 03, 2016
Building our deck with Backyard Living was such a positive experience. We were very impressed with the initial presentation. Our design consultant was very friendly and professional and thorough. They seemed to really want to meet our expectations and covered criteria that we would never have thought of on our own. We are very happy with the deck, its quality and their service.
Whitney S.
Mar 01, 2016
Initial meeting with Ron Clark was extremely helpful in solidifying a plan to achieve my vision. Lots of options, and help in making the right decisions for my plan. Overall, I'm very satisfied with the outcome.
Whitney S.
Jan 22, 2016
Initial meeting with Ron Clark was extremely helpful in solidifying a plan to achieve my vision. Lots of options, and help in making the right decisions for my plan. Overall, I'm very satisfied with the outcome. Their carpenter made quick work of completing my new deck, which involved demolition of the old deck down to the supports, and a new Trex deck built in its place complete with benches and rails.

Clean up, superb, as if they were never there. Backyard Living left no question answered, and provided me with all the information I need to enjoy my new deck for years and years to come. A very accessible, efficient, professional, punctual business. Highly recommend!