You will undoubtedly want to visit building site from time to time during construction to check progress of your home. Professional builders welcome your participation and enthusiasm; however, for safety reasons you should not enter actual construction site unless by special appointment-an unauthorized site visit may also contravene local labour code with respect to construction safety and builder's liability.

Questions or concerns arising from a site visit or a drive-by should be addressed directly to builder. The tradespeople on site each have their own area of expertise and will not be able to discuss your home's progress with you. Nor are they able to make changes without approval of builder.

Before you take possession of your new home, builder will invite you to "walk through" house to conduct a pre-occupancy inspection. Three to five days before closing is best-when construction is substantially complete but there is still time for builder to remedy any minor imperfections. Anything that is not to your satisfaction should be noted for a pre-delivery inspection report. Minor items such as scratches and incomplete paint work will be rectified before your move-in day. Other items will be corrected after you are settled.

The following checklist will help you to inspect your new home.

Exterior

• Grading-should be sloping gently away from house.
• Sod-was it rolled when laid?
• Wood, vinyl or aluminum siding-should be even and nailed securely to walls.
• Brick-should be evenly laid and clean, with weep holes intact.
• Caulking-check around windows, doors, garage door, electrical outlets and fixtures.
• Paint and stains-inspect for even coverage and proper colour.
• Trim, shutters, fascia and soffit-must be proper colour, of good quality and securely fastened.
• Shingles-are they clean, of proper colour and with no lifting corners?
• Garage-should feature non-combustible materials on wall adjoining house (for instance, gypsum board with sealed joints); garage door should open and close properly.

Picture a Charleston side-porch house, facing obligatory magnolia tree, refreshing gin and tonics or standard mint julep.

But Veranda living is more than just a sense of "place". What really makes it memorable is company of friends and neighbors, sparkling conversation, or a languid repose with a loved one.

A deck may not technically be a Veranda, but it can, nevertheless, be perfect gathering spot where memories are made.

The key, however, to great deck entertaining is to have a great deck. Many people don’t believe in decorating their decks but having good seating and some type of a theme can help make your deck most beloved part of your home.

A favorite theme for a deck is "Outdoor Barbeque." Though not really an official title, a version of "Outdoor Barbeque" encompasses a nice deck, with a classy set of chairs and a table and a grilling area where your husband and his friends can show their talent on grill. Sharing hamburgers and margaritas with your friends while you wait for homemade ice cream to finish running - now that is my idea of putting a deck to good use.