Backyard Remodeling & Outdoor Living in Torrance, CA

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Source: https://www.remodelyourvibe.com/services/exterior-remodeling/torrance
Last modified: 2026-09-24T00:00:00.000Z
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Image: Aerial view of a backyard with a pergola, outdoor kitchen, artificial turf and large pavers

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Design · Permit · Build

Backyard & Outdoor Living in Torrance

We design the whole backyard as one, so patio, kitchen and shade fit together.

Book a Consultation Call 818-300-2393

Built for Torrance Homes

Most of this city is straightforward flat-lot work with real rear yards. The exception is the west side. Properties inside the Hillside Overlay, adopted in 1977, go through a formal development review that weighs a project's effect on neighbors' view, light, air and privacy. We plan around that process instead of discovering it mid-design.

Predominantly single-story postwar tract lots with genuinely usable flat rear yards, plus steeper view parcels along the western hillside.

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 Torrance: Permits are issued by the Building and Safety Division of the Community Development Department, with the Permit Center on Torrance Boulevard and permit records searchable through the City's online portal. Properties within the Hillside and Local Coastal Overlay District, adopted by the City Council in 1977 and applied to the hillside and coastal areas shown on the City's Hillside Overlay Map, go through an additional development review that weighs impacts on view, light, air and privacy.

Because Torrance has no certified Local Coastal Program, Coastal Zone projects may also need review by the California Coastal Commission. Separate trade permits are required for mechanical, electrical and plumbing work.

Permit details checked September 2026 against California Coastal Commission . Rules change, so we confirm them again for your parcel.

What We Build

Local Conditions

What to Know in Torrance

These local conditions change the scope, the schedule and the budget.

01

Hillside lots on the western edge step down from the street, so additions and pools there require retaining, deepened footings and drainage engineered away from downhill neighbors.

02

Flat inland tracts sit on sandy alluvium with generally predictable excavation, which keeps pool and detached-structure foundation costs stable.

03

Postwar tract houses often retain original electrical services and galvanized supply lines, so a pool or outdoor kitchen commonly triggers a panel upgrade and partial repipe.

04

Low-lying ground near the Walteria basin can carry shallow groundwater that affects deep excavation and requires dewatering.

Areas we serve in Torrance:Hollywood RivieraOld TorranceWalteria

Investment

What It Costs in Torrance

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 Torrance property

The Process

How We Work in Torrance

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 Torrance that submittal goes to City of Torrance 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 Torrance Homeowners Ask

Who issues the permits for this work in Torrance?

City of Torrance Community Development Department, Building and Safety Division. Permits are issued by the Building and Safety Division of the Community Development Department, with the Permit Center on Torrance Boulevard and permit records searchable through the City's online portal.

Properties within the Hillside and Local Coastal Overlay District, adopted by the City Council in 1977 and applied to the hillside and coastal areas shown on the City's Hillside Overlay Map, go through an additional development review that weighs impacts on view, light, air and privacy.

Because Torrance has no certified Local Coastal Program, Coastal Zone projects may also need review by the California Coastal Commission. Separate trade permits are required for mechanical, electrical and plumbing work. 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 Torrance different?

Predominantly single-story postwar tract lots with genuinely usable flat rear yards, plus steeper view parcels along the western hillside. One local condition that shapes the work: Hillside lots on the western edge step down from the street, so additions and pools there require retaining, deepened footings and drainage engineered away from downhill neighbors.

Which parts of Torrance do you work in?

All of it, including Hollywood Riviera, Old Torrance and Walteria. 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 Torrance?

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 Torrance

Pool & Spa Remodeling in Torrance ADUs & Additions in Torrance Everything we build in Torrance

Backyard & Outdoor Living Nearby

Backyard & Outdoor Living in Redondo Beach Backyard & Outdoor Living in Hermosa Beach Backyard & Outdoor Living in Manhattan Beach Backyard & Outdoor Living in Palos Verdes Estates Backyard & Outdoor Living in Rancho Palos Verdes Backyard & Outdoor Living in Rolling Hills Estates

Planning Guides

Before You Build in Torrance

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 Torrance?

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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