This spring's patio project.

[JasperFrank]

The soil around the house is just now getting to the point that i can work with it. Is a small window. Too much rain and the soil to too sloppy to work: Too late, and the stuff turns to concrete.

The project is a 14 foot by 20 foot patio, on top of which there will be a centered 10 by 14 foot pergola, and an outdoor dining area.

The plan is to dig down 8 inches. Then run PVC conduit to where one of the posts of the pergola will be. This will be for stringing an extension cord underground to the foot of the pergola's post. House already has a GFI outdoor receptacle in the right place.

Then 3 inches of 3/4 minus, with a 1 1/2 inch slope away from the house, compacted. Then one inch masonry sand, also compacted.

Then in staggered fashion, will be placed 280, 12 X 12 X 1, 1/2 prefab concrete patio pavers. These will be grouted together using Quickcrete.
On top of the 12 by 12s we will then mortar 2, 1/2 inch thick patio bricks. Don't know yet if I want to sand or grout these in place. My preference is to grout these.

The perspective of the patio is presenting problems to the wife. She says its too small.... and the way the ridge line isn't square with the side of the house, does make it look "cock-eyed."

 

[jyoutz]

Instead of using an extension cord, go buy some direct burial romex wire. They sell it by the foot at places like Home Depot. Then you can wire up a proper outdoor receptacle box and lights and connect to your gfi box wiring. I’ll let others comment on your patio construction plans. I did an outdoor patio several years ago by excavation then filling the area with about 4” of crusher fines, then leveling with a transit and screed boards. Then I used a plate compactor and set full width paver bricks. They are locked in place by block walls around the patio. After sweeping sand into the cracks between the bricks, the patio has stayed solid and level. You can set pavers as long as you have a solid border around the edge to lock them in from moving.

 

[EddieWalker]

The project is a 14 foot by 20 foot patio, on top of which there will be a centered 10 by 14 foot pergola, and an outdoor dining area.

The plan is to dig down 8 inches. Then run PVC conduit to where one of the posts of the pergola will be. This will be for stringing an extension cord underground to the foot of the pergola's post. House already has a GFI outdoor receptacle in the right place.

Then 3 inches of 3/4 minus, with a 1 1/2 inch slope away from the house, compacted. Then one inch masonry sand, also compacted.

Then in staggered fashion, will be placed 280, 12 X 12 X 1, 1/2 prefab concrete patio pavers. These will be grouted together using Quickcrete.
On top of the 12 by 12s we will then mortar 2, 1/2 inch thick patio bricks. Don't know yet if I want to sand or grout these in place. My preference is to grout these.

The perspective of the patio is presenting problems to the wife. She says its too small.... and the way the ridge line isn't square with the side of the house, does make it look "cock-eyed."

You have a lot going on here.

First, I agree with your wife. I would make the patio 5 sided. That would compliment your home and blend in with the ridge.

Is concrete not an option? I'm unsure about your plan to have two layers of pavers. I don't understand it at all. If you are going to use pavers, which will be a lot more money then concrete, why not just build up the entire pad in road base rock, and then install the pavers on top of the rock?

Pergola is an open roof that provides a small amount of shade, and gives an area a finished look, but it doesn't keep the rain away or stop all of the sun from getting through. Why not just build a porch with a roof that ties into your existing building? With what you have in your picture, I would run a ridge right under the window, and do a gambrel roof to compliment your house design.