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Fire Feature · Windsong Ranch · Prosper, TX

A Linear Fire Feature That Anchored the Whole Acre

A Linear Fire Feature That Anchored the Whole Acre — Windsong Ranch · Prosper, TX
Location
Prosper, TX
Duration
7 weeks
Completed
Sep 2025
Category
Fire Feature

The challenge

An acre-plus Windsong Ranch lot felt cavernous after dark. The pool was beautiful in daylight and invisible by 8pm, and the family had drifted back to eating inside. The owners asked for 'something that pulls people out and keeps them out.'

What we built

We built a 6-ft linear gas fire feature on the back-third of the patio — far enough from the house to make the trip feel like a destination, close enough to wave at people inside. A curved drystack-stone seat wall wraps it on three sides, seating 18 comfortably. Bronze up-lights on the existing oaks behind the wall layered the background, and warm-glow path lighting threaded back to the house so the route reads at night.

  • 6-ft linear gas fire feature
  • Curved drystack-stone seat wall (18-seat capacity)
  • Tree up-lighting and path lighting
  • Paver patio extension

The result

The owner calls it 'the gravity well.' Evening backyard use tripled within the first month, and the family now hosts a standing Friday fire night through the cooler months.

How we built it

  1. 01

    Site lighting study

    Two evening site visits with portable lighting to mock up wall placement and confirm sightlines from the kitchen window.

  2. 02

    Engineering + permit

    Town of Prosper gas-line and structural permit. Engineered drawings for the seat-wall foundation on expansive clay soil.

  3. 03

    Excavation + base

    Over-excavated and built a compacted DG base 18 inches deep to handle North Texas soil movement without cracking the wall cap.

  4. 04

    Stone + burner install

    Drystack veneer set by hand. Linear burner plumbed to a dedicated 1-inch line with a remote shutoff at the house.

  5. 05

    Lighting + commissioning

    Programmed two lighting scenes (dinner / late-night) and ran the family through gas startup and shutdown.

In the homeowner's words
"We thought we needed a pavilion. We actually needed a reason to walk to the back of the yard. The fire wall did that."
— Homeowner, Windsong Ranch
Before & After

What we walked into & what we built.

Honest documentation of the Prosper project — no staging, no renderings.

BeforeUnderused acre-plus backyard in Windsong Ranch, Prosper TX before construction — paver patio with a pool but no fire feature, no seating, and no evening lighting
Before — a beautiful pool and an empty back-third of the patio. By 8pm the yard went dark and the family drifted back inside.
AfterCurved drystack stone seat wall and 6-ft linear gas fire feature at sunset in Windsong Ranch, Prosper TX with cushioned seating for 18
After — a 6-ft linear gas fire feature with a curved drystack-limestone seat wall seating 18, layered tree up-lighting, and warm path lighting back to the house.
DetailClose-up of stainless steel linear gas burner with bright dancing flames over crushed lava rock in front of a drystack chopped limestone wall
Detail — the stainless burner pan with lava rock and tempered fire glass. Plumbed to a dedicated 1-inch line with a remote shutoff at the house.
Common questions

Fire Features in Prosper, TX — FAQ.

The questions Prosper homeowners ask us most often before starting a project like this one.

How much does a custom gas fire pit cost in Prosper, TX?
A custom linear gas fire feature in Prosper — like the 6-ft Windsong Ranch build — typically runs $18,000 to $45,000, depending on burner length, stone package, and whether a wrap-around seat wall is included. Simple round gas fire bowls without seat walls start around $7,500. Wood-burning options cost less in materials but more in permitting.
Do I need a permit for a gas fire pit in Prosper?
Yes for any fire feature plumbed to a permanent gas line. The Town of Prosper requires gas-line permits and inspection. Detached structures over 200 sq ft (including pavilions over the fire feature) also require structural engineering stamps. Barca pulls all required permits and includes inspection coordination in every Prosper proposal.
How far should a fire pit be from a house in Prosper?
Local code and most insurance carriers require a minimum 10-foot clearance from any combustible structure for an open gas fire feature, and 25 feet for wood-burning. We typically place fire features 20 to 40 feet from the house in Windsong Ranch and Whitley Place — far enough to be a destination, close enough to feel connected to the home.
Will a fire feature crack on Prosper's clay soil?
Not when it's built correctly. North Texas expansive clay shifts seasonally, which is why we over-excavate to 18 inches and rebuild a compacted DG base under every Prosper fire feature, plus engineered footings on detached pavilions. Properly built, a stone seat wall and burner pan should last 25+ years without cracking.
Can I use a gas fire pit during a Texas burn ban?
Generally yes. Burn bans in Collin and Denton counties typically restrict open wood fires, not permitted gas fire features with manufactured logs or fire glass. We always confirm current Town of Prosper and county fire-marshal guidance before installation, and we recommend gas over wood for clients who want year-round usability regardless of burn-ban status.

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