Backyard Remodeling in Palos Verdes Estates
Backyard remodeling in Palos Verdes Estates rarely stops at a single item. A patio cover request turns into a conversation about drainage, an outdoor kitchen, and a concrete slab that has been settling since the lot was graded decades ago. The master-planned community Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. and Charles Cheney laid out in 1923 and incorporated in 1939 carries its age out back first, in mature tree roots, uneven slabs, and drainage systems nobody engineered for modern use. We work across Malaga Cove, Lunada Bay, and Malaga Cove Plaza, handling full design-build yards and targeted tear-out-and-rebuild scopes alike, 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 Palos Verdes Estates
Backyard remodeling in Palos Verdes Estates moves through a fixed sequence, because the decisions made underground shape everything that gets built above grade. We open with a site visit to read the slope, note where access runs through the side yard, and locate existing utilities including the gas meter, electrical panel, and current drainage paths. On a renovation we also look closely at what is failing and trace it back to the cause, including any structure that may never have gone through the City of Palos Verdes Estates Department of Building and Safety. From there we survey the lot with setbacks and easements in hand and draw the full yard: decking, shade structures, outdoor kitchen, planting, grades, and drains.
Because the Palos Verdes Homes Association Art Jury has reviewed exterior work on these properties since 1923, we prepare that submittal alongside the city permit application so both processes move in parallel rather than one stalling the other. You make finish selections before demolition begins, then we coordinate engineering, manage both approval tracks, and sequence the work: demolition, excavation, underground runs for gas, electrical, plumbing, drainage, and irrigation, each inspected before being covered. Structures and surfaces follow, then planting, lighting, equipment start-up, final inspections, and a walk-through with you.
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Backyard remodeling in Palos Verdes Estates moves through two separate approval tracks before a shovel goes in the ground, and understanding both from the start saves real time. The City of Palos Verdes Estates Department of Building and Safety handles building permits for structures, grading, electrical, gas, and drainage work. Running parallel to that is the Palos Verdes Homes Association Art Jury, which has reviewed exterior work since 1923 and must sign off on structures, hardscape, landscaping, grading, tree removal, and more before construction begins. These are independent processes, and we schedule around both rather than treating one as an afterthought.
The permit list for a typical backyard project is longer than most homeowners expect. Pools and spas always require a permit, as do patio covers and California rooms, retaining walls or grading past local thresholds, new gas lines serving a grill, fire pit, or pool heater, and new electrical circuits. Many building departments require a permit for any retaining wall taller than four feet measured from the bottom of the footing, or for any wall holding back a slope, driveway, or structure. Those walls also need drainage built behind them to remain stable over time. Setbacks for pools, equipment pads, fire features, and covered structures vary, so we confirm dimensions during layout, not at plan check when changes cost more. Because the Art Jury process applies to so much exterior work on properties throughout Malaga Cove, Lunada Bay, and the broader community, we factor that review window into the project schedule from the first conversation.
Drainage is the part of a backyard remodel that determines how well everything else holds up. Every new pool deck, concrete patio, and solid roof added over an outdoor room reduces the ground’s ability to absorb rain. We set finish grades in the drawings so the yard falls away from the house consistently, route downspouts into drain lines, and place area or channel drains wherever hardscape meets the building. Permeable pavers, gravel, and planted areas help where space allows. All runoff is directed to an outlet the city permits, generally the street, and never onto an adjacent property.
A few additional rules apply depending on site conditions. If the property falls within a CAL FIRE mapped Fire Hazard Severity Zone, the design near the house changes: the first five feet around the structure get hardscape or gravel rather than bark mulch, fire features are kept clear of overhangs and trees, and any attached cover is designed with ignition resistance in mind. California’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance covers new and rehabilitated landscapes, and larger permitted projects can require a water budget and irrigation plan as part of the submittal. For pool and spa work specifically, state law requires at least two of seven drowning-prevention features to be in place before a final inspection is approved on any new or remodeled pool or spa at a single-family home. We walk through all of this during the estimate so nothing surfaces late.
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 Palos Verdes Estates
Horizon Construction and Remodeling is a licensed and bonded Class B general building contractor, and that classification matters on a backyard project in Palos Verdes Estates, where concrete, framing, electrical, plumbing and gas lines all converge on a single job site. We have been doing this work across Southern California since 2009, so the multi-trade nature of an outdoor remodel is familiar ground for us.
Because Palos Verdes Estates sits within a master-planned community governed since 1923 by the Palos Verdes Homes Association Art Jury, exterior work including hardscape, structures and grading requires Art Jury approval before the City of Palos Verdes Estates Department of Building and Safety ever issues a permit. We carry both processes under one contract, so you are not managing separate approvals on your own while also coordinating a mason, a patio builder and a plumber who each see only their portion of the project.
Our design-build approach keeps design, engineering coordination, permitting and construction with one project manager from the first site visit through the final walkthrough. Call (714) 449-9035 to schedule a site visit and get a free estimate.
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Backyard Remodeling FAQ
Do I need a permit for a backyard remodel in Palos Verdes Estates?
Most backyard remodeling work in Palos Verdes Estates does require permits, though not every task does. Pools and spas, patio covers, California rooms, new gas lines, new electrical circuits, taller retaining walls, and significant grading all go through the City of Palos Verdes Estates Department of Building and Safety, while replacing plants or resurfacing a small patio typically does not. Pool projects must also include the state’s required drowning-prevention features to pass final inspection, and gas, electrical, and plumbing runs are inspected before they are covered. On top of the city process, the Palos Verdes Homes Association Art Jury, which has been reviewing exterior work in this master-planned community since 1923, requires separate approval for structures, hardscape, grading, and related work before anything breaks ground. We review the applicable requirements during the layout phase, prepare the drawings, submit to every authority the project needs, and work through plan-check comments until permits are in hand.
How long does a backyard remodel take?
How long a backyard remodeling project takes in Palos Verdes Estates depends on scope, permit timing, Art Jury review and how quickly material selections are made. Straightforward hardscape and planting can run a few weeks of construction once approvals are in hand, but because the Palos Verdes Homes Association Art Jury has reviewed exterior work since 1923 as a process separate from the city building department, design and approval can take as long as the build itself. A yard with a patio cover and outdoor kitchen commonly runs a few months, and a tear-out involving drainage or engineered retaining walls adds time up front. Every proposal includes a project-specific schedule.
What drives the cost of a backyard remodel?
Backyard remodeling costs in Palos Verdes Estates shift based on a wide range of site conditions, and no two projects land at the same number. Access matters first: a yard reachable only through a narrow side gate limits equipment size and increases hand labor. Slope and soil conditions drive excavation scope and retaining wall requirements. Because much of the housing here sits on generous landscaped lots laid out under the 1923 Olmsted and Cheney plan, grading considerations are common. Distance from the gas meter and electrical panel, panel capacity, the style of patio cover selected, material choices, demolition volume, and the separate Art Jury review that the Palos Verdes Homes Association requires for exterior work including structures, hardscape, landscaping, and grading all affect the final cost. Pool work adds its own variables: a new pool is priced differently than a remodel, and an older pool may require plumbing replacement once it is opened up.
What's the difference between a backyard remodel and a backyard renovation?
Backyard remodeling in Palos Verdes Estates means different things depending on where your yard stands right now. Some projects start from a wish list, hardscape, shade structures, an outdoor kitchen, and plantings pulled together into one coordinated plan. Others begin with problems that have to be solved first, cracked or heaved concrete, a rotting deck, drainage failures, or unpermitted structures that need to come out before anything new can go in. Many jobs are both at once, and we approach them the same way regardless, designing drainage and underground systems before any surface work begins. On lots in this community, where the Palos Verdes Homes Association Art Jury has reviewed exterior changes since 1923, that kind of advance planning matters, because Art Jury approval runs on its own schedule separate from the city permit process through the Department of Building and Safety, and both need to be factored in before the first shovel touches the ground.
Can we build the backyard in phases?
Yes, phasing a backyard remodeling project in Palos Verdes Estates is both possible and common. The most important step is mapping the complete yard plan before any ground is broken, so underground work for gas, drainage, irrigation, and electrical conduit can all be run in the first phase rather than cut through finished concrete later. If a covered structure, outdoor kitchen, or fire feature is planned for a future phase, we rough in the lines now. Phasing does mean paying for mobilization and inspections more than once.
Can you keep my pool and replace everything around it?
In most cases, yes, the pool can stay in place while the surrounding work gets done. Older backyard remodeling projects in Palos Verdes Estates frequently involve pools whose shells are still sound but whose decks have cracked, lifted, or allowed water to migrate under the slab through a failed expansion joint or loose coping. We replace the deck and correct the underlying drainage issue at the same time. If the pool also needs resurfacing, new tile, or equipment work, we coordinate both scopes together so the concrete is not poured twice.
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Horizon is a licensed Class B general building contractor serving Palos Verdes Estates and the surrounding Los Angeles County communities.