Success Story
Family Oasis

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About Judy and Verne

Judy and Verne live on a sprawling five-acre property in rural Abbotsford. Their beautiful private home sits in a backyard oasis nestled between natural forestry and mountain trails. With three married children and ten grandchildren, they realized early on that having outdoor attractions, such as a pool, would mean lots of fun times with their family. Their perspective, as they planned for their retirement, is that lots of people like to go south. However they knew if they did that, there was a good chance their family would not always be there. “Instead, we chose to build our dream backyard here in Abbotsford, close to our family, where we can all enjoy it together year round. We are thrilled with our outdoor renovations—it brings us so much joy and makes our family very happy too,” said Verne.

The Decision to Renovate the Backyard

Early in the year Judy and Verne’s focus was on their bathroom renovation, when they were given tickets to the BC Home + Garden Show. They were attracted to the Azuro booth by two things, Judy by the stunning outdoor kitchen area with top-of-the-line Lynx barbeque, and Verne by the sound of running water and the hot tub. Before they knew it, they were chatting with Byron and arranging for him to visit their home.

At the first visit Judy and Verne were still on the fence; they threw around some ideas and discussed how they currently used the outdoors area. It was when Byron returned with a full-blown colour 3D designer layout of the new backyard makeover that Judy and Verne fell in love with the possibilities. “I wanted some mystery—perhaps a cave you could swim in to. I wanted something unique with hidden steps. What Byron came back with really caught my attention, said Verne.

Working with Azuro

Once Verne and Judy shook hands on the plan, they wanted it ready as soon as possible so their ten grand-children could enjoy it over the summer. The crew arrived at the end of April. “I can’t lie,” said Verne, “it was messy.

Workers started arriving at 6am every day and there was constant activity with trucks, jack hammers, gravel, tools, and people coming and going—some came early and some stayed late.”

Despite the heat and steady stream of crewmembers, Judy and Verne got engaged in the process. Verne often barbequed lunch for up to 20, while Judy baked and had coffee on hand for all. Verne, a hands-on kind of a guy, chose to put on his jeans and enjoyed working alongside the crew. “It was fun—the crew was great to work with,” explained Verne.

The design took the outdoor living space to a new level and was much better than we expected.”

What Verne really appreciated was the general competency of the crew. Whenever he asked for something, the answer was always positive, and he could tell this was far from their first rodeo. “I am pleased with my decision to contract with Azuro. We don’t know of any other company that does this. And when I see a crewmember taking photos of the work, I know he is proud of it. That impresses me,” said Verne.

The End Game

Judy and Verne agree, for them it’s all about creating memories, and there is no doubt their new beautiful backyard does just that—for them, and for family members and friends who visit regularly. The best-laid plans resulted in a slippage of about two weeks, but Judy remembers when it was ready. “The first day the kids spent four hours straight in the pool, and one of the little ones said to Verne, ‘Grandpa, it was worth the wait’, and we agreed,” said Judy smiling.

Judy and Verne wanted something unique and that’s what they got. They agree the end product feels natural and does not look over-bearing in their backyard. And there are a few small touches they love, like the pool rock-slide and hidden grotto for the children, and the ceiling fans in their outdoor kitchen and upstairs deck, which mean 60% less mosquitoes and reduce the need for Deet.

Another big plus is their new Lynx professional grill—Judy has used it to bake cakes, and Verne is looking forward to learning more about its many features over the winter.

There have been many compliments from friends and family. Judy and Verne frankly admitted not every day of the building experience was perfect, and they did not expect that. However, without hesitation they are delighted with the outcome and happy to recommend Azuro to others. According to Verne, “It all fits together naturally, and artistry in construction is always a delight. Anyone can pour concrete. But very few have the expertise to do what Azuro has done in our backyard.”

—Judy and Verne, Abbotsford, BC

Job Specification

Outdoor kitchen (new structure)