Do It Yourself Design / Construction
How much of the patio design and or construction you can do yourself depends largely upon the time, energy, skill, and experience you can give to the project.
If you have a knack for design, there is no reason why you cannot develop a good patio plan, though it's a good idea to at least go for an hour's consultation with a professional landscape architect. He or she can give you general parameters of good design and apply them to your situation, perhaps with a few rough sketches. If you are a skilled week-end carpenter, you should have no serious problems building a simple deck or patio overhead. If you aren't handy with a hammer, almost every remodeling project has a few easy, do it yourself opportunities. You can work on the parts of the job suited to your talents and temperament, leaving the difficult work to specialists.
If you decide to tackle the entire project-from design through construction- be sure you have the time and energy for it. Regulations governing building and remodeling can be exasperating- and your design must accommodate those that affect your neighborhood. Learning new skills may seem intriguing until you run into complications that call for an expert's judgement. Estimating and buying the exact materials and tools you'll need can also be frustrating, especially when material prices change from week to week.
In other words, be realistic. Be honest with yourself about what you can and cannot do well, and operate within that framework.
Good sources of help when you design and or build your own patio are:
1). City or county building departments, for help in understanding local codes and zoning restrictions.
2). Public libraries, for books and magazines on do it yourself building and remodeling.
3). Garden and house tours, for design ideas. (Take your camera along to record ideas you want to remember.)
4). Extension classes through community colleges or high schools, for evening courses in landscape design. (Local landscape architects often teach these classes; they can give you valuable advice for your particular project).
5). Basic Carpentry books are helpful. How to build patios and decks, Garden Pools, Fountains and Waterfalls; Landscaping; How to Build Patio Roofs; and how to Build Walks, Walls, and Patio Floors.
If you are going to make a deck, good luck and have fun with it. It will be something your whole family can treasure for a long time.