Even for those wishing to go really big, most will find they can now operate a multi-million dollar company from their patios via their smartphones.However, there ought to be businesslike characteristics regardless of size.

I've tried to tell them that a piece of plastic isn't going to affect anything and that I'll have a repair technician out there next week to look at it.

As far as saving on heating costs, if you haven’t already, tune up your heating system it will operate up to 10% more efficiently, and you might be able save more heat by weatherizing the building better: caulk any gaps causing drafts, insulate any uninsulated cavities where you may be losing heat especially between cold spaces like attics and under floors or in walls where the insulation has sunk down or never existed (you can find these poorly insulated areas with a thermal leak detector gun which are only like $30-50 these days), use weather stripping around doors and windows, use storm windows or the cheap plastic window insulating stuff, open any drapes to let the sun heat the home during the day, close closet doors, etc. and turn the heat down to 50-55 (I would get there early or use a smart-thermostat you can control from your smartphone to warm it up before showings though, as a cold house might turn off a renter).

But, this drives me crazy because I hate all the wasteful use of plastic bottles.

It has A/C, WiFi, a large deck, patio, grill, enclosed outdoor shower, waterfall, and fire pit.For a property that rents for $2500 during high season, do the below expectations look somewhat reasonable?

Build a basic patio or leave it bare?

I ended up closing a vent that was allowing water into the crawl space and putting a plastic barrier under the space. 

I have had professionals come and groom the evergreen bushes, I think they contrast nicely with the brick.Here's the property.https://www.zillow.com/homedet...Normally I prefer to see the brush cut back, but on this style home, with the beautiful floor to ceiling windows it works nicely as as.From the outside it softens the lines and from the inside it provides privacy.Beautiful duplex in what looks like (from the pics) a nice professional neighborhood.If you were not selling, it looks like it would draw nice renters.Looks like a nice place many would like to house hack.If I lived there it would be hard to say no to a big patio out back, but numbers dictate these things, not desires.Good Luck!

Oil is used to pave roads, make plastics, produce solvents and other chemicals.

I'd stick with the hot tub on the patio.