Outdoor Living & Backyard Remodeling
Get a Free Backyard Design Consultation
One Contractor for the Whole Yard
Most Bay Area backyards need more than one trade: excavation, drainage, concrete, gas and electrical lines, masonry, carpentry and landscaping. Axiom Renovation is a licensed general contractor (CA Lic. #1105006), so we design, permit and build the full outdoor project under one contract, with one schedule and one point of contact.
We build pools and spas, outdoor kitchens, paver patios and driveways, artificial turf and water-wise landscaping, pergolas and patio covers, retaining walls, fire features, outdoor lighting and drainage. Because we also build ADUs and home additions, we can plan the yard around a new backyard cottage or addition so access paths, utilities and drainage work together from day one.
Recent Outdoor Work
Photos from a recent front and back yard project by our crew: permeable pavers, a paver patio, artificial turf and new planting beds.
Outdoor Services
Pools & Spas
In-ground pools, spas, pool decks and equipment, built to the California Pool Safety Act.
Outdoor Kitchens
Built-in grills, islands, sinks, refrigeration, pizza ovens and covered cooking areas.
Pavers & Hardscape
Paver patios, driveways, walkways, steps and permeable pavers on a properly compacted base.
Artificial Turf & Landscaping
Synthetic lawns, pet turf, drip irrigation and water-wise planting.
Pergolas & Patio Covers
Freestanding and attached pergolas, solid and louvered patio covers.
Retaining Walls
Block, concrete and stone walls with drainage, including engineered walls on slopes.
Bay Area Rules That Shape Outdoor Projects
- Pools and spas need a building permit with electrical, plumbing and often gas permits. Under California Health & Safety Code §115922, a new pool or spa at a home must have at least two of seven drowning prevention safety features, such as an isolation fence, a safety cover or alarms on doors to the pool.
- Water-efficient landscaping: California’s Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO), or a local version of it, applies to new landscapes of 500 sq ft or more and rehabilitated landscapes of 2,500 sq ft or more that need a permit or plan check.
- Retaining walls over 4 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing, or walls holding back a slope or driveway, need a building permit and usually an engineer.
- Patio covers and pergolas attached to the house need a permit. Small detached structures may be exempt from a building permit, but zoning setbacks and height limits still apply.
- Wildfire zones: hillside areas in Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Los Altos Hills and the Tri-Valley foothills often fall in Wildland-Urban Interface areas with ember-resistant material rules for structures near the house.
- Protected trees: many cities, including Palo Alto, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Cupertino and Lafayette, require a permit to remove or dig near protected trees.
- Driveway work that touches the sidewalk or curb needs an encroachment permit from the city.
Rules change and vary street by street, so we confirm the current requirements for your parcel before design is final.
How a Backyard Project Works With Us
- Site visit: we walk the yard, check access, slopes, drainage, utilities and trees.
- Design: layout, materials and a clear scope you can review before anything is ordered.
- Permits: we prepare drawings and submit to your city, with engineering where needed.
- Build: demolition, grading, underground utilities, base and structures, then finishes and planting.
- Walkthrough: final inspection sign-off and a punch-list walk with you.
Areas We Serve for Outdoor Living
We build outdoor living spaces throughout the Bay Area, from Lamorinda and the Tri-Valley to San Jose and South County. Every city has its own permit counter and rules, and our city pages explain them:
Orinda · Lafayette · Moraga · Walnut Creek · Alamo · Danville · San Ramon · Dublin · Pleasanton · Livermore · Fremont · Union City · Newark · Milpitas · San Jose · Santa Clara · Sunnyvale · Mountain View · Cupertino · Saratoga · Los Gatos · Palo Alto · Los Altos · Menlo Park · Morgan Hill · San Martin · Gilroy
See all Bay Area service areas.
Outdoor services: Pools & Spas · Outdoor Kitchens · Pavers & Hardscape · Artificial Turf & Landscaping · Pergolas & Patio Covers · Retaining Walls
Also from Axiom: ADU Builders · Garage Conversions · Home Additions · New Custom Homes · Kitchen Remodeling · Portfolio
Outdoor Living FAQ
Do I need a permit for a backyard remodel in the Bay Area?
It depends on the work. Pools, spas, gas and electrical lines, attached patio covers, and retaining walls over 4 feet need permits. Pavers and turf often do not, but driveway approaches, larger landscapes under MWELO and work near protected trees can. We check your city’s rules during design.
Can you build my outdoor project at the same time as an ADU?
Yes. Building the ADU and the yard together lets us share excavation, run utilities once and plan paths, drainage and privacy screening around the new unit.
Which cities do you serve for outdoor work?
We work from Orinda, Lafayette and Walnut Creek through Danville, San Ramon, Pleasanton and Fremont to San Jose, Los Gatos, Morgan Hill and Gilroy, plus the Peninsula.
Are you licensed?
Yes. Axiom Renovation Inc. is a California licensed general contractor, CA Lic. #1105006, based in San Jose.