Drainage First, Then a Patio: Bonita
This finished project was a $40k-$47.5k build.
Project Gallery
The turf lawn meets the paver field along the back of the house, edged by a curved soldier-course border.
The paver walkway runs down the side yard to the gate, past the wine barrel and potted planters along the fence.
The seating circle from the shed corner, Adirondacks and side tables on the ashlar pavers, with the terraced retaining wall wrapping behind.
From the upper grade the whole yard reads at once, paver field, seating circle, turf lawn, and the succulent-bowl border along the wall.
Project Snapshot
Project Story
Overview
In Bonita, a backyard that couldn't hold water became interlocking pavers, an artificial turf lawn, and 120 linear feet of buried drain line with seven surface drains. The drain network went in before a single paver came off the pallet. Eight working days on site, finished across an eleven-day calendar span.
Water used to sit in the yard for days and now it just drains and we use the patio., Vincent F., Bonita
The Challenge
- After heavy rain, water pooled in the courtyard and along the fence gate because the site had no surface drainage at all.
- The existing paver patio had deteriorated to the point of requiring full demolition before any new work could begin.
- The backyard offered no usable lawn space, with bare ground and hardscape leaving nowhere for casual outdoor activity.
What Changed
How INSTALL-IT-DIRECT Helped
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Design & Build
The Plan
Paver layout: interlocking concrete pavers in a modular ashlar/random-rectangular pattern covering the main patio area and a curved perimeter walkway
Turf placement: synthetic turf panels installed in the central lawn field and surrounding turf inserts, with a soldier-course paver mow strip at turf edges
Drainage design: four subsurface drains in the turf field, two courtyard drains, and one pop-up drain at the fence gate, all tied into 120 linear feet of buried drain line graded to discharge
Downspout integration: existing downspout connected to the new drain system to prevent concentrated discharge near the foundation
Retaining wall and planting beds: segmental block wall along the rear perimeter with river-rock-filled planting borders
Infill material: Imperial Camofill antimicrobial/pet infill applied to all turf areas by power broom
The Build
Demo and Site Work
Crew removed the deteriorated existing paver patio, hauled debris, and rough-graded the backyard. A compact track loader was used to move and level subgrade material.
Drainage Installation
After demo, the drain network went in: 120 linear feet of drain line, six drain caps across the turf and courtyard areas, and one pop-up drain at the fence gate. The downspout was tied into the system before backfill.
Base Prep and Paver Installation
Crushed aggregate base was compacted and screeded. Pavers were set in the ashlar pattern across the main patio field, then the curved walkway and soldier-course border were completed. Retaining wall blocks and river-rock borders were set in parallel.
Turf, Infill, and Final Checks
Turf panels were rolled out, seamed, and power-broomed with Imperial Camofill antimicrobial infill. Mow-strip alignment and DG compaction wrapped on the last build day, followed by a walk-through the next morning.
Investment
What would a similar project cost in Bonita?
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a paver patio and artificial turf installation cost in Bonita, CA?
A backyard project like this one in Bonita (91902) with interlocking pavers, synthetic turf, a retaining wall, and a drain system typically falls in the $40,000 to $47,500 range. Drainage requirements, demo scope, and patio size are the biggest cost drivers. This project also included roughly 120 linear feet of drainage work added during pre-construction planning.
Does an HOA in Bonita allow artificial turf?
California Civil Code Section 4735 prohibits HOAs from banning artificial turf outright. An HOA may impose quality and appearance standards, such as pile height or seam requirements, but cannot use those standards to effectively block installation. If your HOA has restrictions on record, they are likely void under state law.
What kind of drainage is needed under an artificial turf backyard?
On this Bonita lot, the site required four subsurface drains in the turf field, two courtyard drains, and a pop-up drain at the fence gate, all connected to 120 linear feet of buried drain pipe. The existing downspout was also tied into the system. California residential code requires hardscape to drain at least 6 inches over the first 10 feet away from the foundation, which dictated how the paver field was sloped.
How long does a paver and turf backyard renovation take in Bonita?
Most San Diego paver-and-turf projects of this scale run 4 to 8 weeks depending on access and drainage requirements. This Bonita build wrapped in about 8 working days of on-site work, with the drainage design finalized during pre-construction so the crew could go straight from demo into install.
What is Imperial Camofill turf infill and why is it used for pet areas?
Imperial Camofill is an antimicrobial infill used in artificial turf installations where pets will use the lawn. It controls odor and inhibits bacteria growth in the turf fibers. It is applied by power broom after the turf panels are seamed and secured, which is the process the crew used on this Bonita project.
Can an existing paver patio be demolished and replaced with new pavers and turf?
Yes. On this project, the existing clay-paver patio was fully demolished, debris was hauled off, and the subgrade was re-graded before new interlocking concrete pavers and synthetic turf were installed. A full demo-and-replace approach lets the crew correct drainage slope issues that a surface overlay cannot fix.
Your Outdoor Project in 3 Simple Steps
Design
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Build
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Enjoy
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Your Project Manager
Alan Munoz
Alan has worked across many outdoor-living trades over the years, building broad hands-on expertise. He's passionate about customer service and brings care and attention to every project he takes on.
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