Backyard Remodeling & Outdoor Living in El Segundo, CA
Source: https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/el-segundo
Last modified: 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
Text part: 1 of 1
Full website text index | Services by city | Previous page | Next page
Image: Artificial turf lawn framed by large-format pavers and olive trees
- El Segundo
Design · Permit · Build
Backyard & Outdoor Living in El Segundo
We design the whole backyard as one, so patio, kitchen and shade fit together.
Book a Consultation Call 818-300-2393
Built for El Segundo Homes
El Segundo is a small beach city with a large industrial footprint. The Chevron refinery covers roughly a third of its land, the east side is given over to industry, offices, research and development and an Air Force base, and the General Plan places every home in the northwest quadrant.
That leaves a compact, established residential core, almost entirely built out, where the City's planning documents record a trend toward larger homes through additions and full replacements. LAX, next door, shapes design as well. Inside the City's Residential Sound Insulation zones, new buildings and additions must meet noise standards that reach window ratings, bedroom glazing and even the kitchen hood, choices best settled in the first drawings rather than at plan check.
Mostly single-family streets, with two-family lots scattered throughout and a substantial share of multi-family housing, all within the northwest quadrant of the city. The General Plan sets 5,000 square feet as the minimum for new single-family lots and notes a trend toward larger homes, both through additions and through older houses replaced with larger new ones.
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 .
Permits in El Segundo: Building permits come from the Building and Safety Division of the Community Development Department, which takes applications, plans and fee payments through its online E-Z Permit Hub and requires a permit for pool and spa installations and most excavation.
The City states that regular plan check takes one to four weeks depending on scope and that accelerated plan check is aimed at seven working days, both counted from payment of plan review fees. Work that builds or alters a sidewalk, alley or public street also needs a permit from the Public Works Department.
Inside the Residential Sound Insulation zones near LAX, new buildings and additions must meet the City's noise standards, with the checklist for the 65-70 dB or 70+ dB zone attached to the submitted plans.
What We Build
- LAX noise-zone window, door and ventilation specs
- Pool and spa permits through the E-Z Permit Hub
- Public Works permits for sidewalk and alley work
- Infill staging on built-out residential 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 El Segundo
These local conditions change the scope, the schedule and the budget.
01
In the 65-70 dB noise zone, the City's prescriptive checklist calls for openable windows rated at least STC 35, caps glazing in sleeping rooms at 20 percent of the lesser of floor or wall area, and requires kitchen cooktop hoods to be non-ducted recirculating units with no connection to the exterior.
02
The same checklist requires quarter-inch glass in sliding glass doors and at least STC 35 for hinged exterior doors facing the noise source, so a wide glass opening to the yard has to be specified to that standard from the outset.
03
The City reports that its Residential Sound Insulation Program, begun in 1993, has treated 1,905 homes for LAX noise, and the airport's program can retrofit exterior doors, windows and ventilation, so an older house may already carry acoustic upgrades that a remodel needs to account for.
04
The General Plan describes the city as almost entirely built out, so a pool, ADU or addition is infill work, with excavation, spoil haul and concrete deliveries staged around occupied neighboring homes.
Areas we serve in El Segundo:Downtown El SegundoGrand AvenueImperial Avenue
Investment
What It Costs in El Segundo
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 El Segundo property
The Process
How We Work in El Segundo
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 El Segundo that submittal goes to City of El Segundo Community Development Department, Building and Safety Division.
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 El Segundo Homeowners Ask
Who issues the permits for this work in El Segundo?
City of El Segundo Community Development Department, Building and Safety Division. Building permits come from the Building and Safety Division of the Community Development Department, which takes applications, plans and fee payments through its online E-Z Permit Hub and requires a permit for pool and spa installations and most excavation.
The City states that regular plan check takes one to four weeks depending on scope and that accelerated plan check is aimed at seven working days, both counted from payment of plan review fees. Work that builds or alters a sidewalk, alley or public street also needs a permit from the Public Works Department.
Inside the Residential Sound Insulation zones near LAX, new buildings and additions must meet the City's noise standards, with the checklist for the 65-70 dB or 70+ dB zone attached to the submitted plans. 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 El Segundo different?
Mostly single-family streets, with two-family lots scattered throughout and a substantial share of multi-family housing, all within the northwest quadrant of the city. The General Plan sets 5,000 square feet as the minimum for new single-family lots and notes a trend toward larger homes, both through additions and through older houses replaced with larger new ones.
One local condition that shapes the work: In the 65-70 dB noise zone, the City's prescriptive checklist calls for openable windows rated at least STC 35, caps glazing in sleeping rooms at 20 percent of the lesser of floor or wall area, and requires kitchen cooktop hoods to be non-ducted recirculating units with no connection to the exterior.
Which parts of El Segundo do you work in?
All of it, including Downtown El Segundo, Grand Avenue and Imperial Avenue. 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 El Segundo?
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 El Segundo
Pool & Spa Remodeling in El Segundo ADUs & Additions in El Segundo Everything we build in El Segundo
Backyard & Outdoor Living Nearby
Backyard & Outdoor Living in Manhattan Beach Backyard & Outdoor Living in Westchester Backyard & Outdoor Living in Playa del Rey Backyard & Outdoor Living in Hermosa Beach Backyard & Outdoor Living in Redondo Beach Backyard & Outdoor Living in Torrance
Planning Guides
Before You Build in El Segundo
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 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 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 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
Planning a Backyard in El Segundo?
Sit down with your project manager and get an accurate estimate. We call you back within one business day.
Book a Consultation 818-300-2393
Licensed, bonded & insured · CSLB license #1119054
End of text part 1 of 1. This page is complete.