Backyard Design & Remodel
in San Diego
Complete Backyard Makeovers, Design-Build

It depends on scope. Focused makeovers that combine turf, planting, lighting, and some hardscape typically start around $25,000; full remodels that add pavers, an outdoor kitchen, and fire features usually run $50,000 to $150,000; and complete transformations with a custom pool and spa reach $150,000 to $250,000 or more, with estate-scale projects starting near $300,000. Because we are design-build, the design work is folded into the project instead of billed as a separate large fee, so you get one all-in scope rather than piecing together contractors.

Backyard design is the planning phase, the 2D plans, 3D renderings, and material and planting selections that decide how the whole space works before anyone builds. A backyard remodel is the construction that follows, where we demolish what is not working and build the designed space. At Modern Yardz one team owns both under a single contract, so the design is realistic and buildable and the finished yard matches the renderings you approved.

Most projects run about 10 to 16 weeks of construction once permits are in hand, though a simple makeover can be faster and a full transformation with a pool runs longer. Design and approval happen first and vary with scope and your city or county permitting. A Coastal Development Permit can add a few months if your property sits in the Coastal Overlay Zone, so we give you a realistic, project-specific timeline at the design stage.

Yes, and ignoring it is one of the most common reasons a backyard fails early. Much of inland San Diego, from Scripps Ranch to Rancho Bernardo and Poway, sits on expansive clay, locally called diablo clay, that swells when wet and shrinks when dry; without proper grading and drainage it heaves pavers and cracks walls, and yards can hold water for two to three days after a storm. Coastal lots in La Jolla and Del Mar drain more easily through sandy soil. We engineer drainage and sub-base for your specific soil before any finished surface goes down.

Yes, most substantial remodels need permits, and we manage them as part of the project. Grading, pools, electrical, plumbing, and retaining walls above roughly three feet typically require City or County of San Diego permits, and we determine exactly what your project needs at the design stage so the timeline and budget account for it up front. You are not left chasing the permit counter yourself.

If your property sits in the Coastal Overlay Zone, generally the areas closer to the coast and often west of Interstate 5, the City of San Diego notes that a project may require a Coastal Development Permit before any construction permit is issued, which can add roughly two to six months. Neighborhoods like La Jolla, Del Mar, Point Loma, and coastal Encinitas are commonly affected. We identify this at the design stage and plan the schedule and scope around it so there are no mid-project surprises.

Often, yes. Through the regional SoCal WaterSmart program, San Diego homeowners can currently earn a turf-replacement rebate of about $2 per square foot for removing living lawn and installing water-wise landscaping, up to 5,000 square feet per year, and some local water agencies add more on top. With water rates climbing, replacing thirsty turf lowers your bills and can offset part of the project cost. We design the water-wise layout to qualify and help you plan around the current rebate.

For most homes a well-designed backyard is one of the stronger returns in remodeling. Research from Virginia Tech found that upgrading a landscape from average to excellent can raise a home's perceived value by roughly 10 to 12 percent, and in San Diego's outdoor-driven market a finished, year-round living space is a genuine selling point. Because our design-build approach delivers a cohesive, engineered yard rather than a patchwork, the result reads to buyers as an intentional upgrade.

Yes. Many remodels keep an existing pool, patio, or structure and rebuild everything around it. We integrate new hardscape, planting, lighting, shade, and outdoor living so the older element feels like part of a single, cohesive backyard rather than a leftover, and we re-grade and re-drain as needed so the new work protects both the old element and your home's foundation.

We design and build backyards across all of San Diego County, from coastal neighborhoods like La Jolla, Del Mar, Point Loma, Encinitas, and Carlsbad to inland communities like Scripps Ranch, Rancho Bernardo, Poway, Rancho Santa Fe, and Chula Vista. Every project is tailored to the lot, its microclimate, and the local permitting and HOA rules that apply. Our shop is at 8133 Engineer Road in San Diego, and we serve the surrounding region from there.