I have seen a lot of great DIY carpenter bee traps that fill up with bees. I have friends that say the traps keep them out of the house.
https://www.pinterest.com/explore/carpenter-bee-trap/
There are several options you might select to create a "usable" outdoor area for you, family and friends.
1) Have a concrete pad poured to extend the current pad you have or to create a new one. Thes ... read more