Backyard Remodeling & Outdoor Living in San Dimas, CA
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Last modified: 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
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Image: Sunken fire-pit lounge with built-in seating below a modern home at twilight
- San Dimas
Design · Permit · Build
Backyard & Outdoor Living in San Dimas
We design the whole backyard as one, so patio, kitchen and shade fit together.
Book a Consultation Call 818-300-2393
Built for San Dimas Homes
San Dimas rises from the hills around Via Verde and Bonelli Park, across a level town center, into the Northern Foothills, and its zoning still makes room for rural habits: on qualifying SF-A lots a household may keep horses, a few goats and sheep, and even a single young calf.
On the hillside, the SF-H zone asks for the reverse of flat-land development, with houses designed to fit the landform rather than the landform regraded to fit the house, split-level plans, and landmark rock outcroppings and prominent trees left in place.
Under the city's development plan rules, pools, spas, ADUs and matching one-story additions are approved at Planning Division staff level, while new homes and additions of more than one story go to the Director of Community Development. Knowing which zone a lot sits in, and how the fire hazard map treats it, is the first step of any design here.
Residential lots here fall under zones with very different rules. The SF-A agriculture zone permits horses on lots of 16,000 square feet or more, while in the SF-H hillside zone new subdivisions need at least 25,000 square feet of net lot area where the average slope is under 20 percent and a full acre at 20 percent or steeper, with a 140-foot minimum lot width and lot coverage capped at 35 percent.
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 San Dimas: Under Municipal Code Chapter 18.12, no building or structure may be built, altered or enlarged until its development plan has been reviewed and approved. Planning Division staff approve pools and spas (with or without retaining walls), ADUs and junior ADUs, and one-story additions designed to match the existing house; new homes, additions of more than one story, and patios, gazebos or ground-level decks that use cantilevers or retaining walls and are visible from a public right-of-way go to the Director of Community Development.
The Director can send a staff-level project to a higher level of review when it could be incompatible with, or adversely affect, surrounding property. In the SF-H Single-Family Hillside Zone, a development plan must be approved before any grading or building, and grading or building permit applications there must include site plans, conceptual house elevations and grading plans.
Permit details checked September 2026 against San Dimas Municipal Code . Rules change, so we confirm them again for your parcel.
What We Build
- Staff-level development plan review for pools and ADUs
- SF-H grading plans and split-level terracing
- Corral setback planning on horse-zoned lots
- Ember-resistant detailing in foothill fire zones
- 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 San Dimas
These local conditions change the scope, the schedule and the budget.
01
CAL FIRE's Local Responsibility Area map dated March 24, 2025 places much of the Northern Foothills, including the canyon terrain around Horsethief Canyon Park and the San Dimas Canyon Nature Center, in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and the southern hills around Via Verde and Bonelli Park carry a mix of Very High, High and Moderate designations, while the level ground around downtown sits largely outside the mapped zones.
02
In the SF-H hillside zone, cuts and fills on housing sites, exposed or retained by walls, should not exceed twelve feet from toe to top, and exposed cut and fill slopes may be no steeper than 2:1, limits that favor stepped terraces over a single large graded pad.
03
Every SF-H development plan must show a patio or deck area on the hillside lot, formed by cut and fill, retaining walls or cantilevered decks, so the outdoor living space is located on the plans even if it is built later.
04
In the SF-A agriculture zone, horses are allowed on lots of at least 16,000 square feet, two per lot at that minimum size, and no part of a corral, box stall or stable may sit within 35 feet of a habitable structure on the same lot or within 80 feet of one on an adjacent lot, so additions and new living space have to be planned around the corral.
Areas we serve in San Dimas:Via VerdeNorthern FoothillsDowntown San Dimas
Investment
What It Costs in San Dimas
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 San Dimas property
The Process
How We Work in San Dimas
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 San Dimas that submittal goes to City of San Dimas 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 San Dimas Homeowners Ask
Who issues the permits for this work in San Dimas?
City of San Dimas Community Development Department, Building and Safety Division. Under Municipal Code Chapter 18.12, no building or structure may be built, altered or enlarged until its development plan has been reviewed and approved. Planning Division staff approve pools and spas (with or without retaining walls), ADUs and junior ADUs, and one-story additions designed to match the existing house; new homes, additions of more than one story, and patios, gazebos or ground-level decks that use cantilevers or retaining walls and are visible from a public right-of-way go to the Director of Community Development.
The Director can send a staff-level project to a higher level of review when it could be incompatible with, or adversely affect, surrounding property. In the SF-H Single-Family Hillside Zone, a development plan must be approved before any grading or building, and grading or building permit applications there must include site plans, conceptual house elevations and grading 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 San Dimas different?
Residential lots here fall under zones with very different rules. The SF-A agriculture zone permits horses on lots of 16,000 square feet or more, while in the SF-H hillside zone new subdivisions need at least 25,000 square feet of net lot area where the average slope is under 20 percent and a full acre at 20 percent or steeper, with a 140-foot minimum lot width and lot coverage capped at 35 percent.
One local condition that shapes the work: CAL FIRE's Local Responsibility Area map dated March 24, 2025 places much of the Northern Foothills, including the canyon terrain around Horsethief Canyon Park and the San Dimas Canyon Nature Center, in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and the southern hills around Via Verde and Bonelli Park carry a mix of Very High, High and Moderate designations, while the level ground around downtown sits largely outside the mapped zones.
Which parts of San Dimas do you work in?
All of it, including Via Verde, Northern Foothills and Downtown San Dimas. 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 San Dimas?
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 San Dimas
Pool & Spa Remodeling in San Dimas ADUs & Additions in San Dimas Everything we build in San Dimas
Backyard & Outdoor Living Nearby
Backyard & Outdoor Living in La Verne Backyard & Outdoor Living in Glendora Backyard & Outdoor Living in Covina Backyard & Outdoor Living in Claremont Backyard & Outdoor Living in Pomona
Planning Guides
Before You Build in San Dimas
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 San Dimas?
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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