Inspiration
As a homeowner who struggled to turn my overgrown yard into a usable space, I saw a gap: no single tool to guide homeowners from assessment to contractor matching. I wanted to create something that simplified outdoor planning—no more scattered spreadsheets or endless contractor calls.
What it does
OutdoorLiving Planner walks users through designing their ideal outdoor space: input yard specs for a custom analysis, select functional zones (grilling, lounge, pool), get climate-appropriate material/furniture recommendations, calculate dynamic budgets, and connect with local, specialty contractors—all in a no-login, responsive interface.
How we built it
We started with mapping user workflows (assessment → zones → recommendations → cost → contractors → summary) in React for the frontend. Backend logic (space analysis, cost calculation) was built in Node.js/Express, with PostgreSQL storing contractor/project data. Google Maps API integrated service area filtering, and Chart.js drove real-time budget sliders.
Challenges we ran into
The biggest hurdle was balancing accuracy and simplicity in cost estimation—calibrating labor/material costs to reflect regional US/EU pricing without overwhelming users. We also faced zone arrangement logic conflicts (e.g., small yards with multiple high-space zones) and had to build intuitive warning systems.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We created a fully responsive tool that requires no login, delivers real-time budget updates, and matches users to contractors based on project specialty—not just location. Users can save a complete, visual plan with style-aligned imagery for their unique space.
What we learned
We learned to prioritize user flow over feature depth—streamlining steps (e.g., auto-generating space analysis) kept engagement high. We also gained insight into regional material durability needs (e.g., weather resistance for EU vs. US climates) and how to translate that into actionable recommendations.
What's next for this project
We plan to add seasonal maintenance tips tailored to regional climates, expand contractor vetting with project completion metrics, and integrate user-submitted outdoor space examples to expand visual inspiration libraries—all while keeping the core tool simple and accessible.
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