Backyard Remodel
Your Whole Thousand Oaks Backyard, Designed as One Space
A Thousand Oaks backyard answers to more than its owner. The oaks are protected, the association reviews what you build, many lots back onto open space, and the fall wind tests everything in the yard. A complete backyard remodel plans the pool, kitchen, shade, planting and lighting around all of it at once, so the oak permit, the HOA submittal and the city plan check run alongside each other instead of in a line.
- 25+years of experience
- 10,000+projects completed
- In-housedesign-build crews
- LIC #715731licensed & insured
- 5-star
Why do it as one project
A yard built in pieces is a yard that never quite fits together
There is nothing wrong with doing one thing at a time. The problem is that the expensive parts of a yard, the grading, the drainage and everything buried under the paving, get decided by whichever project happens to go first.
Built in pieces
- Each trade prices only its own scope, so nobody owns the parts in between
- Grading and drainage get solved once for the patio, then again for the pool
- Materials chosen years apart rarely sit right next to each other
- Conduit and gas get trenched, buried, then dug back up for the next phase
- The property is an on-and-off construction site for years
Planned as one project
- One survey, one set of finished levels, one drainage strategy for the property
- The material palette is selected as a set, in one sitting
- Conduit, gas, water and drains go in once, in order, under the hardscape
- Trades sequence behind one schedule instead of negotiating with each other
- You see the finished space in 3D before construction starts
Step 01
Decide what the yard is made of
An outdoor space is assembled from nine things. Most projects use five or six of them. What matters is deciding which ones before the ground opens, because each one leaves something buried behind it.
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Landscape & Planting
Planting plans, privacy screening, trees, lawn or turf, irrigation and drainage.
Plan for it early Planting goes in last and gets judged first. Soil preparation and irrigation zoning are decided early, because neither can be added once the hardscape is down.
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Pool & Spa
Custom pools, spas, sun shelves, coping and waterline tile, or a remodel of the pool already there.
Plan for it early The pool sets the finished level for everything around it. Excavation access, equipment location and deck grade all get resolved before the shell is dug.
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Patios & Hardscape
Paver patios, natural stone, walkways, steps and retaining walls that connect the property.
Plan for it early Paving is the floor of the whole yard. Its slope carries the drainage, and its base is where the conduit for lighting and gas is buried.
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Shade & Structures
Pergolas, patio covers, cabanas and shade structures sized to the space they cover.
Plan for it early Shade decides whether the yard is usable in July. Footings are poured with the hardscape, so the structure has to be located before the paving is set.
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Outdoor Kitchen & Dining
Grill islands, counters, bars and dining areas built around how the household actually entertains.
Plan for it early A kitchen needs gas, water, power and drainage arriving at one spot. Rough those in during hardscape and the counter can sit wherever the plan wants it.
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Fire Features
Fire pits, fire tables and outdoor fireplaces that anchor a seating area and extend the evening.
Plan for it early Gas line, clearances and seating radius are set at plan stage. Adding a fire pit to a finished patio means cutting the patio open again.
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Landscape Lighting
Path, step, tree and architectural lighting that keeps the space usable after sunset.
Plan for it early Conduit is inexpensive in an open trench and expensive under finished paving. Lighting is designed at plan stage even though it is installed near the end.
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Water Features
Fountains, ponds, waterfalls and pondless features that bring sound and movement into the garden.
Plan for it early Moving water needs a pump, power, a water source and somewhere for overflow to go. All four are plan decisions, not finishing touches.
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Driveway & Entry
Paver driveways, entry walks, walls and front-yard planting that change how the property reads from the street.
Plan for it early The front sets the tone before anyone reaches the back. It is also the route heavy equipment takes, which is why it is usually built last.
Step 02
Decide how it should look
Style is not decoration applied at the end. It decides the paving, the plant palette, the shape of the structures and how formal the planting reads, which is why it gets settled before materials do.
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Mediterranean Warm plaster, terra cotta and tile, with shade and water doing the cooling.
See the style
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English Garden Brick, clipped structure and deep borders that change through the year.
See the style
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Traditional Symmetry, classic materials and planting that suits an established home.
See the style
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Modern Clean lines, large-format paving and planting used as architecture.
See the style
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Drought-Tolerant Low-water planting and gravel ground planes that still read as full.
See the style
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Japanese Zen Restraint, stone, water and a small number of plants placed deliberately.
See the style
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Small Spaces Compact yards and side returns where every square foot has to earn its place.
See the style
Not sure which one is yours?
A short set of questions about how you want to use the space, and what you want it to feel like.
Step 03
Decide what it is built from
Materials get selected as a set at the conceptual meeting, not one at a time as each phase comes up. That is the difference between a yard that reads as one place and a yard that reads as four projects.
Paving and decking
The largest surface in the yard, and the one that carries the drainage.
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Travertine Honed or tumbled natural stone that stays cooler underfoot than most paving. -
Large-Format Pavers Fewer joints and a calmer surface, which makes a compact yard read larger. -
Interlocking Pavers Individual stones that lift and reset, so a repair is never a full replacement. -
Flagstone Irregular natural stone with planted or mortared joints, informal by nature. -
Poured Concrete Clean slabs, often with turf or gravel joints to break up the mass. -
Brick Small unit paving that suits older architecture and reads warm rather than modern.
Walls, steps and stone
What holds the grade and moves you between levels.
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Natural Stone Veneer and dry-stack walls, the most forgiving material on an uneven grade. -
Slate A darker, tighter stone often used for treads and coping details. -
Cobblestone Banding and edging that ties separate paved areas together. -
Garden Walls Raised planters and seat walls that add seating without adding furniture.
Ground and planting
The part that changes most between a wet winter and a dry September.
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Decomposed Granite A warm, permeable surface for paths and courtyards that needs no irrigation. -
Gravel A looser ground treatment for edges, side yards and under mature trees. -
Artificial Turf Green year-round with no irrigation, and it takes traffic a lawn will not. -
Lawn Still the right answer where children and dogs are the main users of the yard. -
Succulents Structure and color at almost no water cost, and they hold their form. -
Native Plants California-adapted planting that fits the climate and supports a lower-water garden.
Structures, water and detail
The smaller choices that decide whether a yard looks designed or assembled.
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Wood Pergolas, cabanas and screens, usually the warmest material in a modern yard. -
Rustic Timber Heavier, weathered sections for a garden that should look long established. -
Iron Gates, rails and hardware, where one handcrafted detail carries the character. -
Tile Risers, fountains and accent walls, color and craft at a small scale. -
Wall Fountains Moving water and sound without adding a body of water to maintain. -
Natural Ponds A planted body of water that brings reflection, habitat and a softer garden feeling. -
Water Features Spillways, fountains and waterfalls that add movement, sound and a focal point. -
Plunge Pools & Spas Where a full pool will not fit, or will not get used enough to earn the space.
Lighting
The circuits, fixtures and aiming that let the finished yard work after sunset.
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Path Lights Low fixtures that guide movement through walks, planting beds and transitions. -
Step Lights Integrated fixtures that make level changes visible without flooding the whole space. -
Tree Uplighting Focused light aimed into trunks and canopies so mature planting carries the evening view. -
Pool & Water Lighting Underwater and feature lighting that gives pools, spas and moving water depth after dark. -
Accent Lighting Small washes of light on walls, paths and planting that shape the mood from indoors and out.
How the decisions get made
The order everything happens in
The three decisions above do not get made in a vacuum. They happen inside a five-step process that exists so a project this size still lands on schedule and on budget.
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01
Site Analysis
We measure the property before we design anything.
The team documents existing conditions with a LiDAR scanner alongside field measurements: elevations, drainage, utilities, access, and every protected oak with its root zone, so the design starts outside them instead of discovering them at plan check.
Why it matters Mapping the oaks first is what makes the oak permit straightforward instead of contentious.
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02
Designer Meeting
We shape the plan around how you want to live outside.
Your designer lays out the whole yard around how your family uses it, and the budget gets talked through here. We ask for your association's guidelines early, because the approved palette and structure rules shape the plan from the first sketch.
Why it matters Talking budget and HOA rules early prevents designing a yard that looks good and cannot be approved.
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03
Conceptual Design
Layout, materials and features get specific.
Pool, cabana or pergola, kitchen, planting, lighting and drainage are drawn together and modeled in 3D, with shade structures engineered for the wind and the planting near the house kept low and irrigated.
Why it matters The 3D model also gives the review board something concrete to approve.
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04
Design Refinement
The plan gets checked against the budget and the site before anything is built.
The concept is refined into dimensioned plans, specified materials, structure elevations and approved colors, drawn to the standard the City of Thousand Oaks, the oak permit and your association each ask for.
Why it matters Drawing to every reviewer's standard once is what keeps approvals running alongside the schedule.
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05
Construction
One team builds from one plan.
Our in-house crews build from the approved plan, with protection fencing around the oaks before any equipment arrives, and a supervisor on site from demolition to the last plant.
Why it matters A clear build plan is what removes the confusion, rework and delay that comes from coordinating strangers.
What "designed together" actually means
One property, drawn and then built
One backyard from the designer's first sketch to the concept plan to the finished pool. The pool, spa, fire feature and seating were placed together on paper against the existing hedge, which is why the yard built out as one composition.
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01 The layout, worked out by hand The designer's sketch over the measured yard. -
02 The concept plan Pool, spa, seating area and fire pit drawn together with the planting. -
03 The finished yard The pool and spa with in-pool loungers, a fire bowl and the lounge at sunset.
Real properties
Three yards that started where yours is
Drag each image to see the property as we found it. Photographed before construction began and again after the final walkthrough.
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Before After
A plain lawn behind the house with a small concrete pad and a covered barbecue by the back door
Entertainer's Cabana
Simi Valley
A rectangular pool and raised spa in concrete pads with turf joints, a timber cabana with a bar and screen, a full outdoor kitchen, a dining terrace under string lights and a gas fire table outside the back doors.
View this project -
Before After
A dry lawn with old concrete pads and an above-ground hot tub, in front of a tall hedge
Mid-Century Manor
Greater Los Angeles
A rectangular pool and spa with in-pool loungers, a concrete fire feature, a lounge under umbrellas, concrete decking and lawn, set against the existing hedge.
View this project -
Before After
A sloping lawn behind the house with the hills beyond and nothing built on it
Luxury Lap Pool
Greater Los Angeles
A long lap pool and raised spa with a waterfall, a paver terrace with a gas fire pit, a covered pergola patio, and planting along the hillside edge, all set for the view.
View this project
Investment and schedule
What actually drives the number
A complete transformation is priced off the property, not off a menu. These are the things that move it, and the honest answer if the whole yard is not in this year's budget.
What shapes the investment
- How much of the property is in scope, and how much of it stays
- Excavation, grading and retaining, which slope drives more than size does
- Pool or spa scope, and whether existing structures are kept or replaced
- Material selections across paving, walls, structures and planting
- Permitting and any engineering the site or the city requires
What shapes the schedule
- Design and material selection, which moves at the pace decisions get made
- Permit review, which varies considerably between cities
- Site access for equipment, and how material gets in and spoil gets out
- Complex grading, retaining or drainage work
- Sequencing between trades, and weather through the wet months
If the whole yard is not in this year
- Design the entire property once, then build it in phases
- Trenching for gas, water, conduit and drains all happens in phase one
- Finished levels are set for the whole yard, so phase two still lines up
- The material palette is locked, so year three still matches year one
- You are never paying twice to open the same ground
From homeowners who did the whole yard
What it was like on the other side
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Jay designed our complete transformation from a dirt yard into something beautiful. Our backyard is now the most beautiful and functional space in our home.
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The new backyard living area turned out beautifully, with responsive people throughout and the project completed within the expected time and budget. Their responsiveness and professionalism made the entire process smooth and stress-free. We were impressed by their commitment to staying on schedule and respecting our budget.
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The old driveway and side patio were replaced quickly, cleanup was spotless, and the crew even removed bamboo roots that could have caused future damage. The attention to forward-thinking problem-solving impressed us. We're thrilled with the results and the professionalism throughout the project.
Questions we get asked first
Before you book anything
Do you do complete backyard remodels in Thousand Oaks?
Yes. Our in-house design-build team plans and builds whole-yard projects across Thousand Oaks and the Conejo Valley, from the older neighborhoods under the oaks to North Ranch, Lang Ranch and Dos Vientos, with the pool, kitchen, shade, planting, drainage and lighting handled as one job.
Do I need a permit to build near an oak?
Very likely. The city's oak tree ordinance covers more than removal: grading, trenching, paving and pruning inside the protected zone generally need a permit. We map the protected trees during the site analysis and design around them, which is the difference between a smooth application and a contested one.
Will you handle my HOA submittal?
Yes. We prepare drawings to the standard your association requires, with dimensions, specified materials, structure elevations and color selections, and work through review comments with you, alongside the city permits.
How do you design for fire and wind on a lot by the open space?
In zones and with engineering. The first several feet around the house stay non-combustible, planting near the house is low and irrigated, and hardscape and spacing break up fuel toward the open space. Shade structures get engineered footings and connections for the fall Santa Anas.
What does a complete backyard remodel cost in Thousand Oaks, and how long does it take?
Scope drives the cost, and the oak permit and association review can affect the schedule more than the budget. A Site Analysis and design plan are the fastest way to a figure for your property, and we run the approvals alongside design so they do not hold up the build.
The first step
Start with the Site Analysis
Before anything is designed, we measure the property: elevations, drainage, access, utilities and what is already there worth keeping. Every decision on this page gets easier once that exists.
Your shortlist
Mention these when you get in touch and we will plan the consultation around them.
Pacific Outdoor Living
Complete Backyard Plan
The elements I want in the project The elements to consider, ticked by hand
- 01. Landscape & Planting Planting goes in last and gets judged first. Soil preparation and irrigation zoning are decided early, because neither can be added once the hardscape is down.
- 02. Pool & Spa The pool sets the finished level for everything around it. Excavation access, equipment location and deck grade all get resolved before the shell is dug.
- 03. Patios & Hardscape Paving is the floor of the whole yard. Its slope carries the drainage, and its base is where the conduit for lighting and gas is buried.
- 04. Shade & Structures Shade decides whether the yard is usable in July. Footings are poured with the hardscape, so the structure has to be located before the paving is set.
- 05. Outdoor Kitchen & Dining A kitchen needs gas, water, power and drainage arriving at one spot. Rough those in during hardscape and the counter can sit wherever the plan wants it.
- 06. Fire Features Gas line, clearances and seating radius are set at plan stage. Adding a fire pit to a finished patio means cutting the patio open again.
- 07. Landscape Lighting Conduit is inexpensive in an open trench and expensive under finished paving. Lighting is designed at plan stage even though it is installed near the end.
- 08. Water Features Moving water needs a pump, power, a water source and somewhere for overflow to go. All four are plan decisions, not finishing touches.
- 09. Driveway & Entry The front sets the tone before anyone reaches the back. It is also the route heavy equipment takes, which is why it is usually built last.