Backyard Remodeling & Outdoor Living in Monrovia, CA
Source: https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/monrovia
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: Side-yard patio with a fire bowl, lounge seating and turf joints at dusk
- Monrovia
Design · Permit · Build
Backyard & Outdoor Living in Monrovia
We design the whole backyard as one, so patio, kitchen and shade fit together.
Book a Consultation Call 818-300-2393
Built for Monrovia Homes
Monrovia is the fourth oldest city in Los Angeles County, and it has held on to a large share of its historic housing stock, with historic districts at Wild Rose Tract and North Encinitas. The city sits at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, and in 2016 it opened more than four and a half miles of trails in its Hillside Wilderness Preserve, looking out over Monrovia and the San Gabriel Valley.
A backyard project here often answers to one of those two settings. On a landmark or a contributing district home, the Historic Preservation Commission reviews alterations, from new structures to grading and tree removal; on a foothill lot, grading thresholds, pad-edge setbacks, protected oaks and defensible space settle the footprint before design begins.
Minimum lot size follows the zone: 7,500 square feet in Residential Low-Density, 20,000 in Residential Estate, and 15,000 in Residential Foothill, where lots in a development must also average more than an acre. On every residential lot a pool stays out of the front yard and at least five feet from the side and rear property lines.
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 Monrovia: Building permits, plan check and inspections run through the Building Division of the Community Development Department. In the Residential Foothill, Residential Estate and Residential Low-Density zones, a Hillside Development Permit is also required for a new house, or for earth movement with a footprint over 500 square feet, whenever the work involves five feet or more of cut or fill or a retaining wall six feet or taller, with swimming pools and basements excluded.
New homes and two-story additions that are not already under a Hillside Development Permit go through neighborhood compatibility design review before the Development Review Committee, while single-story second units and single-story accessory structures in side or rear yards are exempt.
Alterations to a designated landmark or a contributing property in the Wild Rose Tract or North Encinitas historic districts need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission, which must hold its public meeting no later than 50 days after a completed application is received.
Permit details checked September 2026 against Monrovia Municipal Code and City of Monrovia . Rules change, so we confirm them again for your parcel.
What We Build
- Hillside Development Permit grading plans
- Certificate of Appropriateness submittals
- Pad-edge setback and retaining wall layout
- Oak tree preservation permits
- Fire-zone rated exterior walls and glazing
- 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 Monrovia
These local conditions change the scope, the schedule and the budget.
01
In the Residential Foothill zone, where a pad sits beside a slope of three feet or more, structures must be set back from the side and rear pad edge by one third of the slope height, up to 15 feet for the single-story portion, and a second story sits a full 15 feet back. A retaining wall that extends the pad is limited to three feet unless a house, garage or other permitted structure screens it from the street and neighboring parcels.
02
New construction and additions in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone fall under a local Building Code chapter that requires one-hour fire-resistive exterior walls with double-glazed exterior glass, though a one-story detached accessory building with no more than 484 square feet of projected roof area, set at least 20 feet from the primary building, is excepted.
03
The city's vegetation fire hazard ordinance keeps the 30 feet around any structure free of natural vegetation such as sumac, buckwheat and sage, holds highly flammable ornamentals such as eucalyptus, pine, cypress and juniper at least ten feet from buildings, and in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone extends defensible space to 200 feet, which shapes planting around pools, decks and outdoor rooms.
04
Oaks ten inches or more in diameter, measured two feet above ground, in a single-family front yard or street-facing side yard, and every oak on a vacant lot, need an oak tree preservation permit from the Development Review Committee before removal, pruning of more than a third of the crown, foliage or roots, or any grading or irrigation inside the drip line.
Areas we serve in Monrovia:Old TownWild Rose TractNorth Encinitas
Investment
What It Costs in Monrovia
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 Monrovia property
The Process
How We Work in Monrovia
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 Monrovia that submittal goes to City of Monrovia Community Development Department, Building 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 Monrovia Homeowners Ask
Who issues the permits for this work in Monrovia?
City of Monrovia Community Development Department, Building Division. Building permits, plan check and inspections run through the Building Division of the Community Development Department. In the Residential Foothill, Residential Estate and Residential Low-Density zones, a Hillside Development Permit is also required for a new house, or for earth movement with a footprint over 500 square feet, whenever the work involves five feet or more of cut or fill or a retaining wall six feet or taller, with swimming pools and basements excluded.
New homes and two-story additions that are not already under a Hillside Development Permit go through neighborhood compatibility design review before the Development Review Committee, while single-story second units and single-story accessory structures in side or rear yards are exempt.
Alterations to a designated landmark or a contributing property in the Wild Rose Tract or North Encinitas historic districts need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission, which must hold its public meeting no later than 50 days after a completed application is received.
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 Monrovia different?
Minimum lot size follows the zone: 7,500 square feet in Residential Low-Density, 20,000 in Residential Estate, and 15,000 in Residential Foothill, where lots in a development must also average more than an acre. On every residential lot a pool stays out of the front yard and at least five feet from the side and rear property lines.
One local condition that shapes the work: In the Residential Foothill zone, where a pad sits beside a slope of three feet or more, structures must be set back from the side and rear pad edge by one third of the slope height, up to 15 feet for the single-story portion, and a second story sits a full 15 feet back.
A retaining wall that extends the pad is limited to three feet unless a house, garage or other permitted structure screens it from the street and neighboring parcels.
Which parts of Monrovia do you work in?
All of it, including Old Town, Wild Rose Tract and North Encinitas. 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 Monrovia?
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 Monrovia
Pool & Spa Remodeling in Monrovia ADUs & Additions in Monrovia Everything we build in Monrovia
Backyard & Outdoor Living Nearby
Backyard & Outdoor Living in Arcadia Backyard & Outdoor Living in Sierra Madre Backyard & Outdoor Living in Pasadena Backyard & Outdoor Living in San Marino Backyard & Outdoor Living in Altadena
Planning Guides
Before You Build in Monrovia
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 Monrovia?
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.