If you need more space in your house for your family to spread out, but you don't have a garage or basement to convert, consider building a covered deck against the back of your house. If you already have a patio, much of the work may already be done. However, you may want to make the patio larger and add a cover and electrical outlets. Here, you can learn about some ways you can use the extra space and which features to install with help from a residential electrician.

How a Covered Deck Gives You More Space

Adding a deck is a lot less expensive than building a room addition, and you can use the extra space for many things. You might set up your home office outside or use the space for cooking and dining. You could entertain company on the deck, play games with kids, watch movies, and do whatever you would normally do as part of your daily life.

With a cover over the deck, you'll be protected from rain, and you can even add screen sides or shades to block wind and bugs. You might even want to heat the outdoor area with a fireplace or heaters so you can use the area on mild winter days too.

When to Get Help From an Electrician

If you plan to build the deck yourself, you'll still need help from a residential electrician when it comes to planning and installing electrical connections and outlets. This is necessary so work is done to code and so the electricity is safe for outdoor use.

You may want to consult an electrician before you start building so you can incorporate the things the electrician has to do in your building plans. You might want fans with lights or heaters wired to the ceiling of your deck cover. You'll probably need additional outlets for lights and electronic equipment. An electrician can wire a TV to a wall, install connections for a refrigerator, ice machine, or other appliances, and put in step lights, pole lights, and other lights that illuminate the deck at night for safety and home security.

While you might not use your deck every month of the year, that could be a small price to pay for having extra space the rest of the year at a much lower cost than a home addition. Decide on the features you want, and an electrician will make sure the electrical connections are installed safely.