# Backyard Remodeling & Outdoor Living in Silver Lake, CA [Browser-friendly HTML version](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/website-guide/pages/services/exterior-remodeling/silver-lake/index) Source: https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/silver-lake 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/los-feliz/index.txt) | [Next page](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/llms/pages/services/exterior-remodeling/atwater-village/index.txt) --- Image: Lit board-formed concrete retaining wall and steps on a hillside 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. Silver Lake Design · Permit · Build ### Backyard & Outdoor Living in Silver Lake 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 Silver Lake Homes Silver Lake takes its name from the reservoir at its center, and its streets bend around that water and the hills that hold it. Public stairways climb between those streets, and many houses are set into the slope or perched at its edge, including modernist work by Schindler, Neutra, Soriano and Lautner scattered through the hills. That setting shapes outdoor projects on its hillside lots: a pool, a terrace or a backyard ADU has to earn its level ground through retaining and drainage, then sit gracefully beside a house that may be architecturally significant. Hillside grading rules and a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone cover much of the neighborhood, so both belong in the first conversation about design. Hillside lots around the Silver Lake and Ivanhoe reservoirs are often steep, with houses set into the slope or perched at its edge, and many modern houses turn toward the rear to take in the view. Blocks on either side of Sunset Boulevard began as early streetcar tracts, with relatively shallow setbacks, little provision for the car, and Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival houses mixed with a smaller share of multi-family buildings such as bungalow courts. 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 Silver Lake: Private pools in the City of Los Angeles are permitted through a Combined Building-Mechanical permit, while pools serving more than two dwelling units need separate building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. Using a City of Los Angeles standard plan on file with LADBS reduces plan check time. Much of Silver Lake, including the hills around the reservoirs, is mapped in both the Hillside Area, where the Baseline Hillside Ordinance caps grading and import/export quantities, and the Hillside Grading Area, where a pool needs its own LADBS grading permit. Most of the neighborhood also falls in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone on CAL FIRE's March 2025 local responsibility area map. No Historic Preservation Overlay Zone covers Silver Lake, but the city's SurveyLA historic resources survey recorded the Silver Lake Residential Historic District, more than 1,000 properties anchored by the Moreno Highlands tract on the reservoir's west side. Permit details checked September 2026 against [LADBS](https://dbs.lacity.gov/sites/default/files/efs/forms/pc17/design-and-construction-of-swimming-pools-ib-p-bc2017-014.pdf) and [LA City Planning](https://planning.lacity.gov/odocument/1473a5d4-1e90-4000-9b7b-110d08c8488a/SLEPEV_Historic_Resources_Survey_Report_HPLAEdit_0.pdf) . Rules change, so we confirm them again for your parcel. What We Build - Hillside grading permits and retaining design - Geologic review on mapped landslide slopes - Fire-zone clearance, planting and materials - Access and staging on curving hillside streets - 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 Silver Lake These local conditions change the scope, the schedule and the budget. 01 Steep hillside lots around the reservoirs, some once considered unbuildable, often need retaining walls and engineered foundations before a pool or terrace has level ground 02 Curving streets and public stairways thread the hills, so equipment access, staging and haul-off need to be planned before work begins 03 Pockets of the hillsides are mapped by the California Geological Survey as earthquake-induced landslide zones, where the city may require a geologic or soils investigation before issuing permits 04 Much of the hills is mapped as both a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and a city Fire Brush Clearance Zone, which brings clearance, planting and material choices into the design early Areas we serve in Silver Lake:Moreno HighlandsIvanhoeSunset JunctionNeutra Colony Investment #### What It Costs in Silver Lake 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 Silver Lake property](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/contact-us) The Process #### How We Work in Silver Lake 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 Silver Lake that submittal goes to Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). 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 Silver Lake Homeowners Ask Who issues the permits for this work in Silver Lake? Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). Private pools in the City of Los Angeles are permitted through a Combined Building-Mechanical permit, while pools serving more than two dwelling units need separate building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. Using a City of Los Angeles standard plan on file with LADBS reduces plan check time. Much of Silver Lake, including the hills around the reservoirs, is mapped in both the Hillside Area, where the Baseline Hillside Ordinance caps grading and import/export quantities, and the Hillside Grading Area, where a pool needs its own LADBS grading permit. Most of the neighborhood also falls in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone on CAL FIRE's March 2025 local responsibility area map. No Historic Preservation Overlay Zone covers Silver Lake, but the city's SurveyLA historic resources survey recorded the Silver Lake Residential Historic District, more than 1,000 properties anchored by the Moreno Highlands tract on the reservoir's west side. 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 Silver Lake different? Hillside lots around the Silver Lake and Ivanhoe reservoirs are often steep, with houses set into the slope or perched at its edge, and many modern houses turn toward the rear to take in the view. Blocks on either side of Sunset Boulevard began as early streetcar tracts, with relatively shallow setbacks, little provision for the car, and Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival houses mixed with a smaller share of multi-family buildings such as bungalow courts. One local condition that shapes the work: Steep hillside lots around the reservoirs, some once considered unbuildable, often need retaining walls and engineered foundations before a pool or terrace has level ground. Which parts of Silver Lake do you work in? All of it, including Moreno Highlands, Ivanhoe, Sunset Junction and Neutra Colony. 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 Silver Lake? 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 Silver Lake [Pool & Spa Remodeling in Silver Lake](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/swimming-pool-spa/silver-lake) [ADUs & Additions in Silver Lake](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/adus-additions/silver-lake) [Everything we build in Silver Lake](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/service-areas/silver-lake) #### Backyard & Outdoor Living Nearby [Backyard & Outdoor Living in Los Feliz](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/los-feliz) [Backyard & Outdoor Living in Atwater Village](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/atwater-village) [Backyard & Outdoor Living in Glendale](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/glendale) [Backyard & Outdoor Living in Hollywood Hills](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/hollywood-hills) [Backyard & Outdoor Living in Los Angeles](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/los-angeles) Planning Guides #### Before You Build in Silver Lake Costs, materials and process notes from our own projects. [ADU Design Ideas for Los Angeles Neighborhoods Los Angeles neighborhoods have distinct characters that should inform ADU design. Explore ideas for ADUs that complement homes in Silver Lake, Venice, the Valley, and beyond. Read guide](https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/articles/adu-los-angeles-neighborhoods) [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) #### Planning a Backyard in Silver Lake? 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.