What It Really Takes to Build a TCP Custom Outdoor Living Space

From the outside, a finished TCP project looks straightforward: a sleek outdoor kitchen, a beautiful ceiling, a cozy fireplace, and maybe some turf or landscaping to wrap it all up. But behind every clean photo is a fast-paced, highly choreographed build involving over 20 trades, multiple inspections, regional challenges—and a whole lot of planning.

If you think it’s just throwing up a pergola and dropping in a grill, buckle up.

First Things First: Design is the Roadmap

We’ll dive deeper into space planning and design in another post, but the design phase is where it all starts. Your TCP designer isn’t just sketching something pretty—they’re building a game plan. Every detail in your quote is based on how many people it’ll take to pull this off, how long they’ll be there, and how much material they’ll need. It’s like building a house—just without the walls—and it’s all happening right in your backyard over the span of 3-6 months, depending on complexity and size.

A Quick Note About Project Management

One of the goals of this post is to shine a little light on what our project managers are up to every day. They’re the ones keeping this whole operation moving—lining up trades, coordinating inspections, tracking deliveries, and solving problems before they reach your inbox.

We’ve been doing this a long time, and in the early days, the same person who designed your space was the one managing the build too. As projects grew in size and complexity, we evolved into a full design-build team—but the role of the project manager has only become more critical. Even if you don’t see them on-site every day, they’re behind the scenes making sure your project stays on track.

And Then… the Dance Begins

At TCP, we like to say the most important part of this process isn’t just the trades—it’s the choreography. Your designer, your project manager, our selections designer, and you (the homeowner) are all doing an elegant, fast-paced dance together. Selections need to be made on time. Materials need to arrive before the next trade shows up. Everyone’s got to stay in step.

The selections designer plays a huge part in this process. They’ll help guide you through finishes and fixtures that match your home’s style, take you to the right vendors, help stay on budget, order materials, and make sure they’re on-site when your project manager needs them. That role is a big reason the rest of the build can run smoothly.

And with this many moving parts, things will go wrong. That’s not a maybe—it’s a certainty. But what makes the difference is how quickly we adjust, adapt, and keep things moving.

Regional Challenges? Yep, We Handle Those Too!

Every TCP project has its own set of regional issues. In Houston, hurricane season and drainage planning are always on our radar. In Dallas, it’s expansive soils and fast-moving storms. Sometimes that means bringing in helical pier or specialty foundation crews to stabilize your structure. It’s not something you always see, but it’s absolutely part of the plan.

What It Takes (A Breakdown of Job Activities)

We know there’s more than one way to move to the music—this is an example of our signature routine.

Here’s how a typical TCP project unfolds, step by step, with trade partners waltzing in and out in a perfectly choreographed sequence. Of course, every project has its own rhythm, so the steps may vary.

1. Irrigation Crew: Reroutes sprinkler zones, reprograms the controller, and adjusts drainage.

2. Plumber (Underground): Trenches and lays plumbing lines.

3. Electrician (Underground): Runs conduit and power feeds.

4. Pre-Pour Inspections: Three inspectors review underground plumbing, electrical, and foundation forms.

5. Specialty Foundation Crew (if needed): Installs helical piers to stabilize the structure.

6. Concrete Crew: Pours and finishes the slab.

7. Carpenters (Framing): Build the patio cover structure.

8. Roofers: Get the roof dried in.

9. Electrician (Pre-Wire): During framing, runs wiring for fans, lighting, outlets, and switches.

10. A/V Technician (Pre-Wire): Installs lines for TVs, speakers, and control systems.

11. City Inspector: Inspects framing and rough electrical work.

12. Carpenters (Ceiling Finish): Wrap beams and finish the ceiling.

13. Trim Carpenter: Adds custom detail and finish work.

14. Welder: Builds the steel kitchen frame and sometimes the fireplace box.

15. Mason: Wraps kitchen and fireplace with stone, brick, or stucco.

16. Painter: Paints and finishes the structure and ceiling.

17. Tile Installer: Installs tile or stone flooring after paint.

18. Granite Installer: Installs all countertop surfaces.

19. Plumber (Final): Connects sink, grill, and any gas appliances.

20. Appliance Installer: Installs and tests built-in kitchen gear.

21. Electrician (Trim Out): Installs fixtures, fans, switches, and final connections.

22. A/V Technician (Trim Out): Mounts TVs, installs speakers, and finalizes AV gear.

23. Gutter Crew: Measures and installs custom-fit gutters.

24. Punch Out: Each trade returns to complete final touch-ups or corrections.

25. Landscaper: Installs sod, adjusts irrigation, and completes final yard work.

26. City Inspector: Final inspection and sign-off.

Finishing the Dance

As we bring your outdoor space to life, we always aim to finish the dance strong. It takes planning, patience, and a whole team working together — from design through final inspection. This isn’t a solo act. Every crew, every trade, every person plays their part to bring the vision across the finish line.

We know by the final month of the build, most homeowners are itching to get out there and enjoy the space — and we don’t blame you. But that final stretch is when a lot of critical detail work happens. It’s our job to stick to the process, finish each step right, and deliver a complete, polished result.

That includes the punch-out process, which — while not the most glamorous part of the build — is absolutely necessary. This is when we bring back all the trades to catch the little things that didn’t get finished the first time: a nick in the paint, a loose outlet cover, a misaligned cabinet door. Some people expect perfection on the first pass, but outdoor living spaces have a lot of moving parts, and punch-out is how we make it perfect. It’s built into our system because we expect trades to return and tighten up anything that slipped through. It’s not a failure — it’s a final lap to get it right.

The Big Picture

A TCP project isn’t a quick backyard job—it’s a full-scale construction process with the polish of a luxury build. The goal is always the same: create a space that feels like it’s always been part of your home. And now that you’ve seen the list… you know what it really takes to make it happen.

When it’s done, you’ll have a finished outdoor space that looks effortless—even though it took dozens of people and months of coordination to make it happen. Thanks for trusting TCP with your outdoor living space!