Backyard Remodeling & Outdoor Living in Manhattan Beach, CA
Source: https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/manhattan-beach
Last modified: 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
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Image: Pool and raised spa with a fire pit, outdoor bar and lawn at dusk
- Manhattan Beach
Design · Permit · Build
Backyard & Outdoor Living in Manhattan Beach
We design the whole backyard as one, so patio, kitchen and shade fit together.
Book a Consultation Call 818-300-2393
Built for Manhattan Beach Homes
Small lots, big ambitions. Sand Section parcels are typically narrow, with tight side setbacks, so a plunge pool, a spa, a roof deck and a stair tower all have to be resolved as one three-dimensional puzzle. Walk-street addresses have no vehicle frontage at all, which makes staging and material handling a design decision. We plan the coastal permit and the crane pick together.
Tight and narrow near the beach, with larger, steeply sloped view parcels up the hill and wider conventional lots inland.
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 Manhattan Beach: Building permits are issued by the Building and Safety Division of the City's Community Development Department, with applications accepted through the Citizen Self Service portal. Manhattan Beach has a certified Local Coastal Program, so the City itself issues Coastal Development Permits under the Coastal Development Permit Procedures chapter of that program, and certain decisions remain appealable to the California Coastal Commission.
Chapter A.96 of the Local Coastal Program decides whether a Coastal Zone project needs a Coastal Development Permit or qualifies for an exemption, so we check the City's Coastal Zone map first. Review time varies with scope, and a plan check expires if no permit is issued within 12 months of the application.
Permit details checked September 2026 against California Coastal Commission . Rules change, so we confirm them again for your parcel.
What We Build
- Coastal Development Permit submittals
- Shoring and caisson design in sand
- Crane and walk-street logistics
- 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 Manhattan Beach
These local conditions change the scope, the schedule and the budget.
01
Loose beach sand and dune deposits across much of the west side require engineered shoring, and often caissons, before excavation for a basement, pool or equipment vault.
02
Walk-street properties have no vehicle frontage, so gunite, steel, spoil and finish materials move by hand, conveyor or crane from an adjoining street.
03
Persistent salt air corrodes fasteners, equipment housings and unprotected metal, pushing specification toward marine-grade hardware and coated components.
04
Hill Section parcels fall steeply from street to rear, so outdoor living stacks vertically across decks and terraces instead of spreading out.
Areas we serve in Manhattan Beach:Sand SectionTree SectionHill SectionEl PortoManhattan VillageLiberty Village
Investment
What It Costs in Manhattan Beach
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 Manhattan Beach property
The Process
How We Work in Manhattan Beach
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 Manhattan Beach that submittal goes to City of Manhattan Beach 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 Manhattan Beach Homeowners Ask
Who issues the permits for this work in Manhattan Beach?
City of Manhattan Beach Community Development Department, Building and Safety Division. Building permits are issued by the Building and Safety Division of the City's Community Development Department, with applications accepted through the Citizen Self Service portal.
Manhattan Beach has a certified Local Coastal Program, so the City itself issues Coastal Development Permits under the Coastal Development Permit Procedures chapter of that program, and certain decisions remain appealable to the California Coastal Commission.
Chapter A.96 of the Local Coastal Program decides whether a Coastal Zone project needs a Coastal Development Permit or qualifies for an exemption, so we check the City's Coastal Zone map first. Review time varies with scope, and a plan check expires if no permit is issued within 12 months of the application.
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 Manhattan Beach different?
Tight and narrow near the beach, with larger, steeply sloped view parcels up the hill and wider conventional lots inland. One local condition that shapes the work: Loose beach sand and dune deposits across much of the west side require engineered shoring, and often caissons, before excavation for a basement, pool or equipment vault.
Which parts of Manhattan Beach do you work in?
All of it, including Sand Section, Tree Section, Hill Section and El Porto. 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 Manhattan Beach?
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 Manhattan Beach
Pool & Spa Remodeling in Manhattan Beach ADUs & Additions in Manhattan Beach Kitchen, Bath & Interior Remodeling in Manhattan Beach Plans, Permits & Design in Manhattan Beach Everything we build in Manhattan Beach
Backyard & Outdoor Living Nearby
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Planning Guides
Before You Build in Manhattan Beach
Costs, materials and process notes from our own projects.
Manhattan Beach Backyard Costs on a 30-by-90 Lot A Manhattan Beach ground-level yard runs $40,000 to $120,000 and a plunge pool $85,000 to $140,000. Access, sandy soil compaction, salt-air materials and roof-deck loads explained. Read guide 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
Planning a Backyard in Manhattan Beach?
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
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