What shapes the investment
- Patio size and the material chosen
- Removing the old brick, concrete or aggregate
- Grade, retaining and drainage work
- Access for equipment on a foothill lot
- Lighting, gas and planting in the same scope
Patios & Hardscape in Altadena
Patio Design and Installation in Altadena
Patios, terraces, garden paths and driveways for Altadena homes, built for foothill grades, mature trees and hot summers. We replace tired brick and aggregate concrete with pavers, flagstone and stone that drain properly, suit the house and do not burn, and our own crews handle the grading, the county permits and the installation.
- 25+years of experience
- 10,000+projects completed
- In-housedesign-build crews
- LIC #715731licensed & insured
- 5-star
Start here
What you're looking for
Start with how you want to use the ground; the material, the pattern and the drainage mostly follow from it. These are the four patios Altadena homeowners ask for most, shown in our work.
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01 An entertaining terrace Level ground sized for a table and a lounge group, with the shade, lighting and a fire placed where people actually gather. See entertaining patios -
02 A pool deck that stays cool Pale stone or pavers around the water that stay comfortable underfoot in August and drain away from the pool. See pool deck remodels -
03 Garden paths through the planting Flagstone set in groundcover or decomposed granite, so the garden can be walked without a wall of concrete. See garden paths -
04 A driveway and entry that match The front of the property paved in the same family of materials as the back, so the whole place reads as one design. See driveways
Service options
Interlocking Paver Patios
Best for Anyone who wants durability, color that lasts and easy repairs.
- Four times stronger than poured concrete
- Color stays vibrant; does not fade like concrete
- A single cracked paver swaps out without removing the whole patio
- Hundreds of patterns, colors and finishes
- Will not burn, and holds up to heavy vehicles
On your property The workhorse on Altadena lots. A compacted base and sand joints let pavers flex with foothill soil and oak roots instead of cracking, and permeable paver systems can let water soak in where the drainage needs help.
- Driveways
- Pool decks
- Integrated lighting
- Planter edges
Large-Format Porcelain Patios
Best for Mid-century and modern houses, and anyone who wants a seamless, minimal surface.
- Stronger than traditional ceramic tile
- Large format means fewer joints and a cleaner look
- Does not absorb moisture; resists staining
- Will not burn
- Mimics wood, stone or concrete
On your property Needs a stable, well-drained base. On a sloping Altadena lot it suits the level terraces near the house better than the paths that climb the grade.
- Modern architecture
- Pool edges
- Shade structures
- Minimal planting
Decomposed Granite Paths and Patios
Best for Garden paths, informal seating areas and anyone who wants the ground to feel like part of the garden.
- Brings warmth and an informal, garden character
- Less expensive than pavers or stone
- Lets water soak in rather than run off
- Works around tree roots with a light touch
On your property Needs edging, occasional raking and re-compaction, and a stabilizer where it gets steady foot traffic. Keep it off steep grades, where storms carry it downhill.
- Planting beds
- Arbors and pergolas
- Spanish and Craftsman houses
- Oak understory
Natural Stone and Flagstone
Best for Traditional and Spanish Colonial houses, and anyone who wants a timeless, high-end surface.
- Every stone is unique; slight color variation adds character
- Pale stone stays cooler underfoot in summer sun
- Flagstone with planted joints softens a garden path
- Ages gracefully alongside an older house
On your property Absorbs moisture and needs sealing and a careful slope for drainage. Set in mortar for terraces and pool decks, or dry-laid with planted joints for garden paths under the trees.
- Traditional architecture
- Water features
- Rose gardens
- Outdoor fireplaces
How we work
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Before Site analysis and measurement
We measure grade, drainage, roots, utilities and thresholds, and how the patio meets the house and the yard. This decides the materials and the construction method.
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Material selections Design and material selection
The patio gets drawn to scale with grading, steps, planting and circulation, and you see the samples in person at our showroom.
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Design plan Permits and engineering
Los Angeles County permits go through our in-house team, and taller retaining walls, drainage and any work near a protected oak get engineered and reviewed first.
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Under construction Excavation and base preparation
The old paving comes out, the grade is set, drainage is confirmed and the base is compacted to specification for the material chosen.
- Finished
Paving and finishing
Pavers, stone or concrete go in with trained crews, the joints and drainage are finished to plan, and the planting and lighting follow.
Key decisions
Things worth knowing before a first consultation.
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Material and fire
Pavers, stone, porcelain and concrete do not burn, which matters in the zone right around the house. Several Altadena clients' paver patios and driveways came through the Eaton Fire.
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Drainage on a foothill lot
The slope decides where water goes. The patio is pitched away from the house and tied into drains that carry storm water off the property by an approved route.
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Oaks and root zones
Native oaks in unincorporated Altadena are protected by the county. We keep excavation outside root zones where we can, and choose permeable or dry-laid surfaces where we cannot.
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Heat and color
Altadena summers are hot. Pale pavers and stone stay cooler underfoot than dark ones, and shade from a tree or pergola makes a west-facing patio usable in the afternoon.
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Joints and pattern
Running bond, herringbone and ashlar patterns change the look and the cost. Joints can be sand, polymeric sand, or planted with groundcover like the flagstone paths at Rose Garden Estate.
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Lighting and utilities
Conduit for lighting, gas and water runs under the base before the paving goes down, which costs far less than cutting into a finished patio.
Investment and timeline
No quote written off a photograph can account for what your property is like.
What shapes the schedule
- Design and material selection
- Los Angeles County permits and any oak tree review
- Grading and retaining work
- Weather, since base work waits for dry soil
- Sequencing with a pool, kitchen or house rebuild
Why rose garden estate was drawn together with the rest of the property
Decking, drainage, utilities, planting, shade and lighting all bear on where a feature goes and how it gets built. Settling them on one set of drawings is what keeps conduit out of the wrong trench and stops paving being cut to fit afterward.
- Pool deck and terraces Stone around the pool steps up to the fireplace terrace, with the joints and slope carrying water away from the water.
- Driveway and entry A paver driveway and a pale stone entry walk tie the front of the house to the garden behind it.
- Garden paths Flagstone set in groundcover and decomposed granite paths move through the rose gardens without hard edges.
- Trees kept The mature trees were mapped first, and the paving was drawn around their root zones.
- Lighting Step lights in the stone treads and path lights along the flagstone carry the hardscape into the evening.
Access, engineering, permits, finishes and scope vary a lot from one property to the next, so the investment and the schedule for your project are set once we have seen the site and the design is settled.
Tell us about the property and what you want the space to do. We will walk through the design, site and permitting factors likely to shape it.
What customers say
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We used Pacific Outdoor to do paver work along with hardscaping, landscaping, and a pond installation. The results are gorgeous, and the teams worked together to solve problems as they came up.
Laurel T. Yelp review Pavers, hardscape, planting and a pond in Altadena -
Several years before the Eaton Fire, Pacific Outdoor Living completed our front and backyard landscaping. Their pavers and retaining walls held up so well that the quality became clear even after tragedy. When everything was tested by nature's worst, their work proved itself. That's the kind of craftsmanship and durability you can count on.
Cathey Google review Pavers, driveway and patios through the Eaton Fire -
The pavers were installed in 2012 and still look great. They survived large vehicles and the Eaton Fire. That's a true testament to excellent workmanship and durability.
Bob Kelly Google review Pavers installed in 2012, still standing strong
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a patio in Altadena?
A simple patio at grade often does not, but retaining walls over a certain height, covered structures, gas lines, new circuits and grading usually do. Altadena is unincorporated, so permits go through Los Angeles County, and work near a native oak can need a county oak tree permit. We confirm what applies during design and handle the submittals.
Do pavers hold up in a fire?
Pavers, stone and concrete do not burn, which is why we keep them in the zone right around the house. Several of our Altadena clients have told us their paver driveways and patios came through the Eaton Fire, and two of them say so in the reviews on this page.
Can you replace our old brick or aggregate concrete patio?
Yes, and it is one of the most common Altadena projects. We remove the old surface, correct the grade and drainage underneath, and lay pavers, stone or porcelain on a properly compacted base, often keeping a brick border or step where it suits the house.
Can a patio go near our oak tree?
Usually, with care. We map the root zone first, keep excavation outside it where we can, and use permeable or dry-laid surfaces where the patio has to come close. Work inside a protected oak's zone can need county review, which we plan for.
Our backyard slopes. Can it still have a level patio?
Yes. We terrace the slope with retaining walls and steps so each level is usable, and design the drainage so storm water is carried off the property rather than onto the patio or against the house.
How long do paving stones last?
Properly installed interlocking pavers last 25 to 50 years. They resist cracking better than poured concrete, and a damaged paver can be lifted and replaced without touching the rest of the patio.
What does a patio cost in Altadena?
It depends on size, material, how much old paving comes out, and the grading, drainage and retaining the lot needs. Your designer prices it from a measured plan, so the figure reflects your yard rather than an average.
Do you build patios across Altadena?
Yes, from the streets near Lake Avenue to the foothill lots below the Angeles National Forest, and in Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge and the other foothill communities next door. Use the address checker on our Altadena page to confirm coverage for your exact property.
Ready to get started?
Schedule a consultation with one of our designers to discuss your project goals and explore what's possible on your property.
What happens next: we set up a visit, measure the property and talk through what you want the space to do. Then you get a design to look at before you commit to anything.