Backyard & Outdoor Living in San Francisco, Designed Around How You Live
A San Francisco backyard is small, sloped, and usually fighting drainage — but it's also the outdoor room the house never had. Turning a neglected rear lot into a real space means retaining the grade, solving the water, and building hardscape and planting that hold up to fog and wind. We design and build it under one roof, with the permits a deck, wall, or drainage change actually requires.
Who This Service Is For
Homeowners Planning to Stay Long-Term
You’ve ignored the backyard for years because it’s steep, soggy, or just unusable. You want it turned into real outdoor living — built to last on an SF lot, not a quick deck that rots in three winters.
Growing Families
You need usable outdoor space for the kids and for hosting — a level area, a deck or patio, and planting that survives the fog. You want it designed to work with the slope, not against it.
Real Estate Investors
You’re improving the property’s livability and value with real outdoor space — permitted hardscape, proper drainage, and a finish that photographs and lasts. You want a builder who does the structural part right.
SIGNATURE MOMENTS
What separates a Full Backyard Project from landscaping.
Indoor-outdoor continuity
We design the transition from your interior so the materials, sightlines, and flow feel intentional — not bolted on.
Built-in not bolted-on
Fire features, outdoor kitchens, and shade structures designed as permanent architecture — not furniture placed outside.
Designed for night use
Lighting is part of the design spec, not an afterthought. Your backyard should work as well at 10pm as at noon.
ENGAGEMENT MODEL
Three phases. Three fee structures. No surprises.
Flat-fee at every phase. You know the investment before a shovel moves.
PHASE 01
Discovery
We assess site conditions, drainage, utilities, and lifestyle — then align the design to how you want to use the space.
PHASE 02
Design
Hardscape layout, softscape plan, lighting, and built-in features resolved in full before a permit is pulled.
PHASE 03
Construction
Foundation, structure, trades, and finish — managed by one team on one timeline.
Grading, Drainage & Retaining
On SF’s sloped lots, the backyard starts underground — retaining the grade, moving water away from the foundation, and building walls engineered to hold. Skip this and the prettiest patio fails in the first wet winter.
Decks, Patios & Hardscape
Ipe and cedar decks, stone and concrete patios, steps and paths that handle the grade — built on real footings and detailed for the marine climate, not just dropped on the dirt.
Outdoor Living & Structures
Pergolas, outdoor kitchens, fire features, and seating built into the design — the moves that turn a leftover yard into a room the family actually uses, weather permitting.
Planting, Lighting & Irrigation
Fog-tolerant, low-water planting, a low-voltage lighting plan that makes the space usable at night, and irrigation sized to the planting — the finishing layer that makes hardscape feel like a garden.
The Old Way
- Separate designer and contractor
- Unclear budgets and change orders
- Delays caused by poor coordination
- Limited accountability when problems arise
Our Design-Build Approach
- One integrated team from concept to completion
- Clear scope, transparent pricing, and realistic timelines
- Fewer delays and better communication
- Full responsibility for design, permits, and construction
Why Remodeling Your Backyard Is Worth It
Increase Property Value
Real, permitted outdoor living is one of the most visible value moves on an SF home — but the value is in the retaining, the drainage, and the build quality, not a deck that won’t last.
Improve Daily Functionality
A backyard that’s finally usable — level, dry, and built for the family and for hosting — turns the smallest SF lot into another room.
Modernize the Look and Feel
Considered hardscape, honest materials, and planting that suits the climate — an outdoor space that looks built, not bolted on.
PROCESS AT A GLANCE
One team. One timeline.
From first site visit to final walkthrough, you deal with one contact.
STAGE 01
Discovery
2–3 weeks
Site assessment, drainage review, lifestyle alignment.
STAGE 02
Design
4–10 weeks
Hardscape + softscape plan, lighting spec, built-in features.
STAGE 03
Permit
2–8 weeks
Permit drawings, city submission, structural approvals.
STAGE 04
Build
3–8 months
Grading, foundation, trades, planting, and final finish.
What to Expect During a Backyard Remodel
Backyard work in San Francisco often needs permits — decks over a certain height, retaining walls, drainage changes, and anything structural go through SF DBI, and Planning can weigh in near property lines or on steep lots. We handle the permits a real project requires and build it to pass inspection.
What Impacts the Cost of a Backyard Remodel
- One integrated team from concept to completion
- Clear scope, transparent pricing, and realistic timelines
- Fewer delays and better communication
- Full responsibility for design, permits, and construction
- One integrated team from concept to completion
- Clear scope, transparent pricing, and realistic timelines
- Fewer delays and better communication
- Full responsibility for design, permits, and construction
Professionals Tips
Increase Property Value
Real, permitted outdoor living is one of the most visible value moves on an SF home — but the value is in the retaining, the drainage, and the build quality, not a deck that won’t last.
Improve Daily Functionality
A backyard that’s finally usable — level, dry, and built for the family and for hosting — turns the smallest SF lot into another room.
Modernize the Look and Feel
Considered hardscape, honest materials, and planting that suits the climate — an outdoor space that looks built, not bolted on.
Increase Property Value
Real, permitted outdoor living is one of the most visible value moves on an SF home — but the value is in the retaining, the drainage, and the build quality, not a deck that won’t last.
Improve Daily Functionality
A backyard that’s finally usable — level, dry, and built for the family and for hosting — turns the smallest SF lot into another room.
Modernize the Look and Feel
Considered hardscape, honest materials, and planting that suits the climate — an outdoor space that looks built, not bolted on.
What Our Clients Say
Over 150 five-star reviews
Over 85 five-star reviews
Over 20 five-star reviews
We Do Construction, Inc.
Featured Full Backyard Project Projects
Recent San Francisco backyards — retained slopes, decks and patios, and outdoor living built across the city’s tight, sloped rear lots.
Areas We Serve
Serving San Francisco and Surrounding Areas
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FAQ
Yes — decks above a certain height, retaining walls, drainage changes, and structural work all need permits from SF DBI, and Planning sometimes weighs in. We file what your project actually requires and carry it through inspection.
Often, yes — a low patio may not, but a raised deck, a retaining wall, or a drainage change usually does. We tell you honestly what’s permit-required before we start, so nothing gets red-tagged later.
Yes — on SF’s sloped lots, drainage and retaining are the real work. We engineer the walls and grade the site to move water away from the house, which is what keeps the finished space from failing.
It depends on scope and whether retaining and permits are involved — a simple patio is quick; a retained, multi-level outdoor living space takes longer. We give you the real schedule in feasibility.
It depends on the grade, the retaining and drainage required, and the materials. A flat lot and a steep one are very different numbers. We price it out of a real feasibility look, not a per-foot guess.
Marine fog and wind are hard on outdoor materials. We specify durable decking like ipe or cedar, proper footings and flashing, and fog-tolerant planting — built for the climate, not against it.
Yes — design and build sit under one contract. The grading, the hardscape, the structures, and the planting are planned together, so the finished yard works as one space rather than disconnected pieces.
We start with a site walk and a feasibility look at the grade and drainage, then put a fixed proposal in writing — what design, permits, retaining, hardscape, planting, and contingency cover — before any work.
How much does landscape design and build cost in San Francisco?
A designed-and-built San Francisco landscape typically runs $50,000–$250,000+ in 2026, scaling with site grade, hardscape, and structures. SF lots bring steep grades, retaining-wall engineering, and tight rear-yard access that shape the budget. We Do Construction (CSLB #1096552) designs and builds outdoor spaces — decks, patios, retaining walls, and plantings — across San Francisco on a single fixed-price contract. [DATA: confirm SF landscape design-build bands against a sourced 2026 Bay Area study.]
| Tier | Typical SF range (2026) | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Garden refresh | $50,000–$90,000 | Planting design, irrigation, lighting, modest hardscape |
| Full yard build | $90,000–$170,000 | Patio or deck, drainage, retaining work, outdoor kitchen rough-in |
| Structural landscape | $170,000–$250,000+ | Engineered retaining walls, decks on grade, full outdoor living build |
Cost data: bands pending a sourced 2026 Bay Area landscape study [DATA: confirm]. Last updated June 2026.
Do I need a permit for landscaping in San Francisco?
Many San Francisco landscape projects need a permit from the SF Department of Building Inspection (DBI): decks over 30 inches above grade, retaining walls (generally over 4 feet, or lower walls carrying a surcharge), and any structure with electrical or plumbing all require review [DATA: confirm SF retaining-wall and deck permit thresholds against SF DBI]. Grading and work near slopes can also trigger SF Planning review. Simple planting and low hardscape usually do not. We Do Construction (CSLB #1096552) determines the permit path and files with DBI for every project. Last updated June 2026.