Backyard Remodeling & Outdoor Living in Northridge, CA
Source: https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/northridge
Last modified: 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
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Image: Lit board-formed concrete retaining wall and steps on a hillside
- Northridge
Design · Permit · Build
Backyard & Outdoor Living in Northridge
We design the whole backyard as one, so patio, kitchen and shade fit together.
Book a Consultation Call 818-300-2393
Built for Northridge Homes
Northridge gives us something rare in the Valley: real lot size. Sherwood Forest is zoned RA, with a 17,500-square-foot minimum lot, and the 1950s Devonshire Highlands and Devonshire Country Estates tracts have lots of up to half an acre. Add mature walnut and sycamore canopy and there is room for a full outdoor program without crowding the house.
The trade is heavier tree protection review and, on housing repaired after 1994, foundations and framing connections that deserve a careful look before we tie anything new into them.
Lots range from standard postwar tract lots to large ranch parcels: up to about half an acre in Devonshire Highlands and Devonshire Country Estates, and at least 17,500 square feet in RA-zoned Sherwood Forest. Many have circular drives, mature landscaping and room for a detached structure well behind the main house.
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 Northridge: LADBS handles residential building, grading and pool permits, with plan check and inspection routed through the Van Nuys Development Services Center. Land use is guided by the Northridge Community Plan. A limited portion of Northridge is on the City's Designated Hillside Areas map, generally between White Oak Avenue and Bull Creek and between Devonshire and Nordhoff Streets, and parcels there fall under the Baseline Hillside Ordinance (No. 184,802), which limits grading, floor area and height.
Mature oak, western sycamore and Southern California black walnut are common on the larger estate lots and are protected at four cumulative inches of trunk diameter under Ordinance 186,873, so an arborist report is frequently part of the submittal.
ZIMAS shows whether a parcel sits in a CGS-mapped liquefaction zone; even there, LADBS Information Bulletin P/BC 2026-044 exempts one- and two-family dwellings, ADUs under three stories, and pools, spas and decks from the liquefaction-zone investigation, and plan check confirms whether a soils report is needed. Review length varies with scope.
Permit details checked September 2026 against LADBS and LA City Planning . Rules change, so we confirm them again for your parcel.
What We Build
- Large-lot outdoor living master plans
- Arborist coordination for protected trees
- Detached ADU and guest house siting
- 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 Northridge
These local conditions change the scope, the schedule and the budget.
01
Estate lots carry mature walnut, oak and sycamore canopy whose root zones dictate where a pool shell, footing or utility trench can physically go.
02
Alluvial fan soils vary over short distances, and expansive clay lenses appear often enough that a soils report is worth pulling before a shell or slab is priced.
03
Much of the housing stock was repaired after the 1994 earthquake, so foundations, chimneys and framing connections deserve verification before a large addition or second story is tied in.
04
Deep parcels mean long electrical, gas and plumbing runs to a rear pool or detached unit, which affects trenching cost, pump sizing and gas line diameter.
Areas we serve in Northridge:Sherwood ForestDevonshire HighlandsDevonshire Country Estates
Investment
What It Costs in Northridge
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 Northridge property
The Process
How We Work in Northridge
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 Northridge 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 Northridge Homeowners Ask
Who issues the permits for this work in Northridge?
Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). LADBS handles residential building, grading and pool permits, with plan check and inspection routed through the Van Nuys Development Services Center. Land use is guided by the Northridge Community Plan.
A limited portion of Northridge is on the City's Designated Hillside Areas map, generally between White Oak Avenue and Bull Creek and between Devonshire and Nordhoff Streets, and parcels there fall under the Baseline Hillside Ordinance (No. 184,802), which limits grading, floor area and height.
Mature oak, western sycamore and Southern California black walnut are common on the larger estate lots and are protected at four cumulative inches of trunk diameter under Ordinance 186,873, so an arborist report is frequently part of the submittal.
ZIMAS shows whether a parcel sits in a CGS-mapped liquefaction zone; even there, LADBS Information Bulletin P/BC 2026-044 exempts one- and two-family dwellings, ADUs under three stories, and pools, spas and decks from the liquefaction-zone investigation, and plan check confirms whether a soils report is needed.
Review length varies with scope. 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 Northridge different?
Lots range from standard postwar tract lots to large ranch parcels: up to about half an acre in Devonshire Highlands and Devonshire Country Estates, and at least 17,500 square feet in RA-zoned Sherwood Forest. Many have circular drives, mature landscaping and room for a detached structure well behind the main house.
One local condition that shapes the work: Estate lots carry mature walnut, oak and sycamore canopy whose root zones dictate where a pool shell, footing or utility trench can physically go.
Which parts of Northridge do you work in?
All of it, including Sherwood Forest, Devonshire Highlands and Devonshire Country Estates. 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 Northridge?
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 Northridge
Pool & Spa Remodeling in Northridge ADUs & Additions in Northridge Kitchen, Bath & Interior Remodeling in Northridge Plans, Permits & Design in Northridge Everything we build in Northridge
Backyard & Outdoor Living Nearby
Backyard & Outdoor Living in Granada Hills Backyard & Outdoor Living in Porter Ranch Backyard & Outdoor Living in Reseda Backyard & Outdoor Living in Chatsworth Backyard & Outdoor Living in Canoga Park
Planning Guides
Before You Build in Northridge
Costs, materials and process notes from our own projects.
Building a Pool in Northridge: Costs and Permits A new pool in Northridge typically runs $85,000 to $165,000 all-in with decking and equipment. The tract lots are generous, the soil is workable, and the real variables are access, spa and deck square footage. 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 Northridge?
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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