# Backyard Remodeling & Outdoor Living in La Mirada, CA [Browser-friendly HTML version](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/website-guide/pages/services/exterior-remodeling/la-mirada/index) Source: https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/la-mirada Last modified: 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z Text part: 1 of 1 [Full website text index](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/llms-full.txt) | [Services by city](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/llms/services-by-city-004.txt) | [Previous page](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/llms/pages/services/exterior-remodeling/la-habra-heights/index.txt) | [Next page](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/llms/pages/services/exterior-remodeling/corona/index.txt) --- Image: Sunken fire-pit lounge with built-in seating below a modern home at twilight 1. [Home](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/) 1. [Services](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services) 1. [Backyard & Outdoor Living](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling) 1. La Mirada Design · Permit · Build ### Backyard & Outdoor Living in La Mirada We design the whole backyard as one, so patio, kitchen and shade fit together. [Book a Consultation](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/contact-us) [Call 818-300-2393](tel:+18183002393) #### Built for La Mirada Homes La Mirada was olive and lemon country until 1953, when the land Andrew McNally had bought in 1895, intending country gentlemen's estates of 20 to 40 acres, was sold for subdivision. Seven years of fast building followed, and when the city incorporated in 1960 it was already home to 22,000 people. Nearly half of its housing still dates from that decade. The La Mirada Creek greenbelt winds across those neighborhoods toward the regional park and golf course, while the ground steepens in the northeast corner of the city. For a backyard or an ADU here, the deciding questions tend to be the mid-century house itself, the soils along the old drainages, and whether a parcel sits inside the small area at the eastern edge mapped for fire hazard. Low-density single-family neighborhoods cover just over half of the city's land, in R-1 districts with minimum lot sizes from 6,000 to 15,000 square feet, on ground the General Plan describes as relatively flat outside the northeast. Nearly half of La Mirada's housing units were built between 1950 and 1959, so many projects begin with a mid-century house and yard. We are a design-build team, which means the people who draw your project are the people who build it. Design, engineering, permits and construction run through one project manager and our own crews, so nothing gets lost in a handoff between a salesperson and a subcontractor. We are licensed, bonded and insured, [CSLB license #1119054](https://www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/LicenseDetail.aspx?LicNum=1119054) . Permits in La Mirada: La Mirada contracts with the County of Los Angeles for Building & Safety, so completed applications go to the permit counter at City Hall, 13700 La Mirada Boulevard, while building and structural plan checks are performed at the County's South Whittier District office in Norwalk or its Central office in Alhambra. Permanent pools and their equipment are filed on the city's Combination Pool Permit application. The General Plan requires geotechnical engineering studies for development proposals on properties it maps as subject to liquefaction and landslides. Permit details checked September 2026 against [City of La Mirada](https://www.lamirada.gov/departments/community_development/building_safety_engineering/index.php) . Rules change, so we confirm them again for your parcel. What We Build - Combination Pool Permit and County plan check - Geotechnical studies on mapped liquefaction or landslide parcels - Fire hazard zone check near Beach Boulevard - Flood map check near La Mirada Creek - Full backyard transformations - Paver patios, driveways and walkways - Outdoor kitchens and BBQ islands - Pergolas, patio covers and shade structures - Fire pits, fire tables and fireplaces - Retaining walls and seat walls - Artificial turf and drought-tolerant planting - Drainage correction and grading - Landscape and architectural lighting - Front yard and curb appeal remodels Local Conditions #### What to Know in La Mirada These local conditions change the scope, the schedule and the budget. 01 Most of the city is relatively flat, but the General Plan identifies steep terrain in the northeast portion where earthquake-induced landslides are possible, so parcels there start with geotechnical review 02 State seismic hazard mapping cited in the General Plan shows liquefaction susceptibility in the southern part of the city and in continuous bands that follow drainage areas east to west, which can bear on pool shell and foundation design 03 A small area on the city's eastern edge near Beach Boulevard is mapped in Moderate, High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones on the State Fire Marshal's 2025 Local Responsibility Area maps, so parcels there are checked before materials are chosen 04 La Mirada Creek crosses the city as a grass-lined flood-control channel, and the General Plan notes portions of it are still subject to overflow, so lots nearby are checked against current flood maps Areas we serve in La Mirada:Foster ParkCreek ParkGranada Heights Investment #### What It Costs in La Mirada Real Southern California price ranges, not teaser numbers. ##### Full backyard transformation $50,000 to $250,000+ What moves it: how much hardscape is involved, whether a pool or outdoor kitchen is included, grading and retaining, and the level of lighting and planting ##### Paver patio and hardscape from about $13,000 What moves it: square footage, paver type, base preparation, drainage, and any steps or retaining involved ##### Outdoor kitchen and BBQ island $10,000 to $50,000+ What moves it: counter length, appliance package, countertop material, and whether gas, water and power need to be run a long distance ##### Pergola and shade structure from about $9,500 What moves it: span, material (wood, aluminum or louvered), footing requirements, and integrated lighting or heating ##### Artificial turf from about $9,900 What moves it: area, turf grade, base depth, drainage, and any pet-specific infill Your lot, access and finishes set the price. We walk the site, then show you where every dollar goes. [Get a line-item price for your La Mirada property](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/contact-us) The Process #### How We Work in La Mirada 01 ##### Site Review We measure the yard, check drainage and grade, and find the constraints before design starts. 02 ##### Design & 3D You walk the whole yard in 3D, so layout and materials are settled before we build. 03 ##### Plans & Permits Structures, walls and electrical get drawn and permitted where the work requires it. In La Mirada that submittal goes to City of La Mirada Building & Safety (services contracted to the County of Los Angeles). 04 ##### Demo & Grading Old surfaces come out, levels are set and drainage is corrected properly. 05 ##### Build Hardscape, structures, kitchen, features and lighting go in, sequenced by our own crews. 06 ##### Planting & Handover Planting, turf and final detail, then a full walkthrough of the finished yard. Questions #### What La Mirada Homeowners Ask Who issues the permits for this work in La Mirada? City of La Mirada Building & Safety (services contracted to the County of Los Angeles). La Mirada contracts with the County of Los Angeles for Building & Safety, so completed applications go to the permit counter at City Hall, 13700 La Mirada Boulevard, while building and structural plan checks are performed at the County's South Whittier District office in Norwalk or its Central office in Alhambra. Permanent pools and their equipment are filed on the city's Combination Pool Permit application. The General Plan requires geotechnical engineering studies for development proposals on properties it maps as subject to liquefaction and landslides. We prepare the drawings, make the submittal and handle plan-check corrections ourselves, so you are not the one chasing plan check. What makes building in La Mirada different? Low-density single-family neighborhoods cover just over half of the city's land, in R-1 districts with minimum lot sizes from 6,000 to 15,000 square feet, on ground the General Plan describes as relatively flat outside the northeast. Nearly half of La Mirada's housing units were built between 1950 and 1959, so many projects begin with a mid-century house and yard. One local condition that shapes the work: Most of the city is relatively flat, but the General Plan identifies steep terrain in the northeast portion where earthquake-induced landslides are possible, so parcels there start with geotechnical review. Which parts of La Mirada do you work in? All of it, including Foster Park, Creek Park and Granada Heights. Our crews run every job out of our Cahuenga Pass base in Los Angeles, with our own people on site. What does a backyard or outdoor living project cost in La Mirada? Full backyard transformation: generally $50,000 to $250,000+ across Southern California. What moves it is how much hardscape is involved, whether a pool or outdoor kitchen is included, grading and retaining, and the level of lighting and planting. We give line-item pricing after seeing the site rather than quoting a number over the phone. How long does a backyard remodel take? A patio and turf refresh often finishes in three to five weeks. A full transformation with hardscape, an outdoor kitchen, structures and lighting typically runs ten to sixteen weeks, and longer if a pool is part of the same phase. Pavers or poured concrete? Pavers cost more up front but flex with ground movement instead of cracking, and individual units can be lifted and replaced. Poured concrete is cheaper initially, but a crack means cutting out and repouring a section that rarely matches. On most Southern California soil we recommend pavers for anything you will look at every day. Can you fix drainage at the same time? Yes, and on most projects we insist on it. Correcting grade and adding proper drainage while the yard is already open is far cheaper than retrofitting it after new hardscape is down. Do you handle the whole yard in one project? Yes. Design, permits, hardscape, structures, kitchen, lighting and planting run through one team and one project manager, so nothing gets lost between trades. #### More Services in La Mirada [Pool & Spa Remodeling in La Mirada](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/swimming-pool-spa/la-mirada) [ADUs & Additions in La Mirada](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/adus-additions/la-mirada) [Everything we build in La Mirada](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/service-areas/la-mirada) #### Backyard & Outdoor Living Nearby [Backyard & Outdoor Living in Whittier](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/whittier) [Backyard & Outdoor Living in La Habra](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/la-habra) [Backyard & Outdoor Living in Fullerton](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/fullerton) [Backyard & Outdoor Living in Cerritos](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/cerritos) [Backyard & Outdoor Living in Downey](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/downey) Planning Guides #### Before You Build in La Mirada Costs, materials and process notes from our own projects. [Whole-Home Remodel Sequencing: What to Do First A whole-home remodel done in the wrong order costs 15 to 25 percent more. Here is the correct sequence, from structural and roof through to paint, and why each stage has to precede the next. Read guide](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/articles/whole-home-remodel-sequencing-guide) [Indoor-Outdoor Living Conversions in Southern California A 16-foot multi-slide door runs $18,000 to $45,000 installed. Here is how the full indoor-outdoor conversion works, from structural header to flush threshold to covered patio tie-in. Read guide](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/articles/indoor-outdoor-living-conversion-guide) [Tarzana Outdoor Living: Costs by Lot Type Tarzana backyards run hot and deep. A working outdoor living build here (shade, hardscape, kitchen, lighting) typically lands between $85,000 and $220,000, and the ground drives most of the number. Read guide](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/articles/tarzana-outdoor-living-guide) [Porter Ranch Backyards: Wind, Slope and Fire Zones A full backyard transformation in Porter Ranch runs $95,000 to $280,000. Wind exposure, slope, HOA review and fire-zone material rules shape the design before anything about style enters the conversation. Read guide](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/articles/porter-ranch-backyard-transformation) #### Planning a Backyard in La Mirada? Sit down with your project manager and get an accurate estimate. We call you back within one business day. [Book a Consultation](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/contact-us) [818-300-2393](tel:+18183002393) Licensed, bonded & insured · [CSLB license #1119054](https://www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/LicenseDetail.aspx?LicNum=1119054) --- End of text part 1 of 1. This page is complete.