Backyard Remodeling in Manhattan Beach
Most of the backyard calls we get start with one item: a pool, a patio cover, a place to cook outside, or a lawn that finally gave up. Housing in Manhattan Beach was built out from the 1912 incorporation onward on a grid platted in the early 1900s, after the natural sand dunes were leveled in the 1920s and 1930s, and the age of a lot shows up out back first, in mature tree roots, old slabs and drainage nobody designed. We work in neighborhoods like the Sand Section, the Tree Section, the Hill Section, El Porto, and our backyard remodeling in Manhattan Beach covers both a complete design-build yard and a tear-out and rebuild of one that stopped working, drawn as one plan and built by one licensed team.
Services We Offer
Covers & Outdoor Kitchens
Drainage & Landscape
Yard Tear-Out & Rebuild
Our Backyard Remodeling Process in Manhattan Beach
Every backyard we build follows the same order, because what goes underground decides everything above it. We start with a site visit in Manhattan Beach to look at slope, access through the side yard, the existing pool, where the gas meter and electrical panel sit, and where water goes now. On a renovation we also look at what’s failing and why, and at any structure that may never have been permitted.
Next we survey the lot, setbacks and easements included, and draw the whole yard: pool, decking, cover, kitchen, planting, grades and drains. You make selections before demolition, many of them at our Fullerton design center. We coordinate engineering, submit for permits and prepare any HOA submittal. Then come demolition, excavation and the underground runs for gas, electrical, plumbing, drainage and irrigation, each inspected before it’s covered. Structures and surfaces follow, then planting, lighting, equipment start-up, final inspections and a walk-through with you.
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Most of a backyard remodel needs a permit: pools and spas always, patio covers and California rooms, any new gas line to a grill, fire pit or pool heater, new electrical circuits, and retaining walls or grading past the local limits. Permits for this work go through the City of Manhattan Beach Community Development Department Building and Safety Division. One local factor worth knowing: many Sand Section blocks front walk streets and alleys instead of ordinary driveways, which constrains access, parking and material staging during a remodel. Setbacks for pools, equipment pads, covers and fire features vary from city to city, so we check them during layout instead of at plan check. Where there’s an HOA, its architectural committee usually reviews pools, covers, walls and visible landscape before the city does, and we schedule around that review.
Drainage decides whether a yard lasts. Every new patio, pool deck and solid cover roof adds hard surface, and water that used to soak into lawn now runs off. We set grades in the drawings so the ground falls away from the house on every side, tie downspouts into drain lines, add area or channel drains where hardscape meets the house, and use permeable pavers, gravel or planting where they fit. Water goes to an outlet the city allows, usually the street, never over the wall onto a neighbor’s lot. Many building departments require a permit for a retaining wall over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing, or one holding back a slope, driveway or structure, and a wall needs drainage behind it to stay standing.
California’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance covers new and rehabilitated landscapes, and every city and county adopts it or a stricter local version. Smaller backyard rehabs often fall under the thresholds, while larger permitted landscapes can need a water budget and irrigation plan with the submittal. If you’re replacing a lawn and your water agency offers a turf replacement rebate, approval has to come before any grass comes out, the new area has to stay permeable, and synthetic turf doesn’t qualify.
If the address sits in a CAL FIRE mapped Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the plan changes near the house. CAL FIRE treats the first five feet, Zone 0, as the most important, so we use hardscape or gravel there instead of bark mulch, keep fire pits clear of structures, overhangs and trees, and design attached covers with ignition resistance in mind. Pool work carries its own rule: when a permit is issued for a new or remodeled pool or spa at a single-family home, state law requires at least two of seven drowning-prevention features before final inspection.
Other Remodeling Services We Offer
A kitchen remodel touches more trades than any other room in the house: layout, cabinetry, plumbing, electrical, ventilation and finishes. Horizon designs and builds kitchen remodels under one contract, from the measured layout to the final inspection.
Whether you envision a classic Southern California pool or a fully customized backyard oasis, Horizon Construction & Remodeling delivers the highest level of quality and service. Our comprehensive pool design and remodeling services cover everything from layout and decking to built-in BBQs and final touches like landscaping. Let Horizon be your trusted partner in transforming your backyard into the perfect outdoor retreat.
If you are planning a complete bathroom remodel or simply want to change your tub, shower, update your plumbing fixtures, or make the space more efficient, our team at Horizon will help you through the process with expert advice, professional craftsmanship, and affordable options with beautiful results. Learn more about our bathroom remodeling services.
Transform your space with our expert interior work services. We offer a comprehensive range of solutions — from space planning and custom design to the selection of high-quality finishes and materials. Our team of experienced professionals works closely with you to create a space that’s both functional and stylish, tailored to your unique needs, goals, and budget. Whether you’re updating a single room or overhauling your entire interior, we bring precision, creativity, and craftsmanship to every project.
At Horizon, we believe your home is more than just four walls — it’s where life happens. It’s the place you relax, gather with family and friends, and create lasting memories. That’s why we offer a full range of exterior work services designed to elevate your outdoor living space. From patios and hardscaping to custom decks and exterior renovations, we help turn your vision into a dream yard that complements your lifestyle and enhances curb appeal.
At Horizon Construction & Remodeling, our expert team includes a dedicated design and planning division that works hand-in-hand with licensed architects and structural engineers. We take care of everything — from detailed plans and blueprints to securing city permits — so you don’t have to deal with delays or red tape. Our goal is to streamline the process and provide a fully approved set of documents that aligns with both your vision and city regulations, saving you time and stress.
Why Choose Horizon Remodeling For Backyard Remodeling in Manhattan Beach
Horizon Construction & Remodeling is a licensed Class B general building contractor, bonded and insured, with the license active since 2009 and more than 18 years of work in Southern California. That license fits a backyard, where concrete, walls, framing, gas, electrical and plumbing all meet on one job.
We work design-build, so design, engineering coordination, permits and construction sit under one contract with one project manager. You aren’t coordinating a pool company, a mason, a patio cover builder and a landscaper who each see only their piece, and the people who draw the grades and drains are the people who build them. Homeowners in Manhattan Beach can see coping, tile, pavers, counters and finishes in person at the Horizon Design Center, 614 South Euclid St in Fullerton, before anything is ordered.
We’ve completed 1,500 projects. Horizon is an EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm, a NARI and NKBA member, A+ rated with the BBB, a multi-year Best of Houzz winner and an Angi Super Service Award recipient. Call (714) 449-9035 to set up a site visit.
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Backyard Remodeling FAQ
Do I need a permit for a backyard remodel in Manhattan Beach?
For most of it, yes. Pools and spas, patio covers, California rooms, new gas lines, new electrical circuits, taller retaining walls and significant grading are permitted through the City of Manhattan Beach Community Development Department Building and Safety Division. Replacing plants or resurfacing a small patio often isn’t. Gas, electrical and plumbing runs are inspected before they’re buried, and pool work has to include the state’s drowning-prevention features to pass final. We check the local rules during layout, prepare the drawings, pull every permit the project needs and answer plan-check comments until they’re issued.
How long does a backyard remodel take?
It depends on scope, permit timing, HOA review and how quickly selections are made. A hardscape-and-planting job can run a few weeks of construction once permits are in hand. A yard with a new pool, patio cover and outdoor kitchen commonly runs a few months, and design and permitting can take as long as the build. A tear-out with drainage work or engineered walls adds time up front. You get a project-specific schedule with the proposal.
What drives the cost of a backyard remodel?
Access is first: a yard reachable only through a narrow side gate means smaller equipment and more hand work. Slope and soil drive excavation and retaining walls. A new pool costs differently than a remodel, and an old pool may need new plumbing once it’s opened. Distance from the gas meter and electrical panel, panel capacity, the type of patio cover, material choices, how much has to be demolished and hauled off, and any HOA, fire-zone or landscape submittals all move the number.
What's the difference between a backyard remodel and a backyard renovation?
A complete backyard remodel starts from what you want to add: pool, hardscape, cover, kitchen and landscape designed as one plan. A backyard renovation starts from what’s failed: cracked or heaved concrete, a rotting deck, dead lawn, bad drainage or unpermitted structures that have to come out before anything is rebuilt. Many projects are both, and we handle them the same way, with drainage and underground work designed before the surfaces.
Can we build the backyard in phases?
Yes, and it’s common. The key is drawing the full yard first, then running the underground work for gas, electrical, plumbing, drainage and irrigation in the first phase so later phases don’t cut into finished patios. If a cover, kitchen or fire pit might come later, we run the gas line or conduit under the new concrete now. Phasing does mean paying for mobilization and some inspections more than once.
Can you keep my pool and replace everything around it?
Often, yes. Many older pools have a sound shell and a failed surround: a cracked or lifted deck, loose coping and an expansion joint letting water under the slab. We can replace the deck and fix the drainage that caused the damage while the pool stays. If the pool itself needs resurfacing, tile or equipment, we schedule both together so the deck isn’t poured twice.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Manhattan Beach and the surrounding Los Angeles County communities.