Backyard Remodeling & Outdoor Living in San Marino, CA
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Last modified: 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
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Image: Lawn and built-in outdoor bar with stools beside a modern home at dusk
- San Marino
Design · Permit · Build
Backyard & Outdoor Living in San Marino
We design the whole backyard as one, so patio, kitchen and shade fit together.
Book a Consultation Call 818-300-2393
Built for San Marino Homes
Almost every visible exterior change here passes a design committee, so our drawings are built for that room from day one: massing, roof pitch, materials, and how an addition reads from the street. The payoff is lot size: large, level parcels that hold a real pool, a shaded loggia, and a detached studio without crowding. The constraints are the trees and the aging utilities underneath them.
Almost everything is single-family, in R-1 districts with minimum lot sizes from 9,000 to 60,000 square feet, deep front setbacks, formal landscaping, and generous rear yards.
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 Marino: Plan check, permits, and inspections are handled by the Building Division of the Community Development Department, and design review runs through the department's planning staff. The Design Review Committee meets twice a month and reviews all new homes, all two-story additions, certain one-story additions, and architectural changes visible from public view.
The tree preservation ordinance (Municipal Code Article 23.19) requires a City tree removal permit before removing an established tree, heritage tree or oak tree on a residential lot, and violations bring fines plus a required tree restoration plan.
The Raymond Fault Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone runs through the city. State law exempts most individual one- and two-story wood-frame homes from the zone's fault-study requirement, and we confirm early whether the City asks for a geologic report on a given lot.
Permit details checked September 2026 against City of San Marino , San Marino Municipal Code and State of California . Rules change, so we confirm them again for your parcel.
What We Build
- Design Review Committee submittals
- Oak and established-tree permitting
- Sewer lateral and electrical service upgrades
- 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 Marino
These local conditions change the scope, the schedule and the budget.
01
Estate parcels carry dense mature canopy (oaks, camphors, magnolias) whose root plates and drip lines dictate where a pool, spa, or cabana can physically go.
02
Original 1920s and 1930s houses often have clay sewer laterals and small electrical services that must be replaced before pool equipment, a full outdoor kitchen, or a detached unit is energized.
03
Front-yard walls, formal hedges, and a single narrow side yard mean heavy equipment usually stages from the street with protection mats and sometimes a crane.
04
Level ground and high water-table-free soils make deep pools and sunken lounges straightforward, but formal front elevations push equipment enclosures and utility runs to the rear.
Areas we serve in San Marino:Lacy ParkOld MillMission DistrictHuntington Library area
Investment
What It Costs in San Marino
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 Marino property
The Process
How We Work in San Marino
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 Marino that submittal goes to City of San Marino 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 San Marino Homeowners Ask
Who issues the permits for this work in San Marino?
City of San Marino Community Development Department, Building Division. Plan check, permits, and inspections are handled by the Building Division of the Community Development Department, and design review runs through the department's planning staff.
The Design Review Committee meets twice a month and reviews all new homes, all two-story additions, certain one-story additions, and architectural changes visible from public view. The tree preservation ordinance (Municipal Code Article 23.19) requires a City tree removal permit before removing an established tree, heritage tree or oak tree on a residential lot, and violations bring fines plus a required tree restoration plan.
The Raymond Fault Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone runs through the city. State law exempts most individual one- and two-story wood-frame homes from the zone's fault-study requirement, and we confirm early whether the City asks for a geologic report on a given lot.
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 Marino different?
Almost everything is single-family, in R-1 districts with minimum lot sizes from 9,000 to 60,000 square feet, deep front setbacks, formal landscaping, and generous rear yards. One local condition that shapes the work: Estate parcels carry dense mature canopy (oaks, camphors, magnolias) whose root plates and drip lines dictate where a pool, spa, or cabana can physically go.
Which parts of San Marino do you work in?
All of it, including Lacy Park, Old Mill, Mission District and Huntington Library area. 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 Marino?
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 Marino
Pool & Spa Remodeling in San Marino ADUs & Additions in San Marino Kitchen, Bath & Interior Remodeling in San Marino Plans, Permits & Design in San Marino Everything we build in San Marino
Backyard & Outdoor Living Nearby
Backyard & Outdoor Living in Pasadena Backyard & Outdoor Living in South Pasadena Backyard & Outdoor Living in Arcadia Backyard & Outdoor Living in Altadena Backyard & Outdoor Living in San Gabriel Backyard & Outdoor Living in Alhambra
Planning Guides
Before You Build in San Marino
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 Marino?
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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