A Fletcher Hills Backyard, Rebuilt After the Rains

Project Snapshot

Location Fletcher Hills, El Cajon (92020)

Style Modern

Timeline 121 working days (September 18, 2025 to March 12, 2026)

Price Range $50k-$55k

Pavers: ORCO Holland 4×8, 865 sf. Wall scope: ORCO AB Standards with concrete footing. Sod: tall fescue, 1,145 sf. Lighting: 10 Pro-Trade PTH1 path lights with transformer, wire, and timer. Irrigation controller and valve-zone work included.

The project source includes behind-wall drainage and yard drainage components coordinated with the patio, wall, lawn, and irrigation scope.

The crew was on site from September through early March, with a January wall rebuild after rain-driven settling at the top course.

Project Story

Overview

Held a Fletcher Hills hillside through a winter rebuild with 865 sf of ORCO Holland 4x8 pavers and an ORCO AB Standards segmental wall on a poured concrete footing. Behind the wall, a perforated French drain handles runoff; the 1,145 sf lawn area sits above on prepped soil with new irrigation valves and controller work. Ten Pro-Trade PTH1 path lights on a transformer and timer carry the yard into the evening.

Our backyard came through the winter rains in one piece for the first time.

— Gayle S., El Cajon

The Challenge

“We just bought the home, and the backyard felt unfinished and hard to actually use day-to-day.”

What Changed

And then in January, the rains kept coming, and the top of the wall began to settle. The crew came back. The wall came down. A second wall went in — Allan Block standards, eighteen inches of concrete footing, Geogrid every other course. By spring the wall was holding, and the homeowners kept the firm.

How INSTALL-IT-DIRECT Helped

In Fletcher Hills, El Cajon, the lots sit on the back side of a post-war slope where the houses face the street and the back yards fall toward the canyon. The homeowners had just bought the house, and the first heavy rain after the move-in pushed water toward the foundation. Troy walked the slope on a Tuesday in September. Steve had drawn the order earlier in the summer: drainage first, then wall, then 865 square feet of ORCO Holland to actually inhabit. The work started on the eighteenth.

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Design & Build

The Plan

865 sf ORCO Holland 4×8 paver patio laid on a compacted aggregate base with screeded bedding sand.
ORCO AB Standards segmental retaining wall on a continuous concrete footing, with a perforated French drain behind the wall to relieve hydrostatic pressure.
1,145 sf of tall fescue sod over amended soil prep, with new irrigation controls covering the lawn.
Lighting layout coordinated against the plan before pavers were set so wire pulls and fixtures land at the documented positions.

See the 2D plan drawing

The Build

Demo and site preparation

Crews broke ground on the eighteenth of September with demo and grading. The order of operations the designer set was drainage first — the perforated French-drain line had to go in before any wall course came up.

Hardscape installation

Eighteen inches of concrete footing for the wall, then the first courses of ORCO AB Standards block, with the perforated drain line and gravel sleeve set against the back face. The paver field went down after the wall was up — 865 sf of ORCO Holland 4×8 over a compacted base.

Landscape and finish

Soil prep and the tall fescue sod went in, with irrigation controls and ten Pro-Trade path lights on a timer. The punchlist closed in early March — after a January wall rebuild added time to the original window, on the same drain line the September trench had already laid.

Investment

What would a similar project cost in El Cajon?

Toggle components on/off to estimate your project

Pavers & Base $16,500 – $18,000

Walls & Hardscape $10,500 – $11,500

Sod & Soil $9,000 – $10,000

Other Materials & Labor $6,500 – $7,000

Demo & Site Work $2,500 – $3,000

Irrigation & Conduit $2,500 – $3,000

Decorative Rock $1,500 – $1,500

Steps $1,000 – $1,000

Estimated Total

Frequently Asked Questions

How was the investment broken down for this project?

The total investment was $52,700. Typical range for this scope in 92020 is $50,000–$55,000. The largest components were Pavers & Base (~$17,100), Walls & Hardscape (~$11,000), and the lawn area with soil prep (~$9,400). The remaining categories — demo, irrigation, decorative rock, steps, and finish materials — account for smaller line items.

How long did this Fletcher Hills project take?

Crews were on site from September 2025 to early March 2026 — about 121 working days end-to-end, including a January wall rebuild after rain-driven settling at the top course. The original build window was about six weeks; the rebuild added time but was carried by the firm.

What was included in this Fletcher Hills backyard project?

Pavers & base (~$17,100), walls & hardscape (~$11,000), the lawn area with soil prep (~$9,400), other materials & labor (~$6,600), demo & site work (~$2,800), irrigation & conduit (~$2,500), decorative rock (~$1,800), and steps (~$1,000). Total: $52,700.

Your Outdoor Project in 3 Simple Steps

1

Design

We listen to your vision, assess your space, and create a custom design that fits your lifestyle and budget.

2

Build

Our experienced crews bring the design to life with premium materials and expert craftsmanship.

3

Enjoy

Step into your transformed outdoor space and start making memories with family and friends.

Your Project Manager

Troy MacMillan

A San Diego native with more than 20 years in landscape construction, Troy brings seasoned craftsmanship to every build. A devoted husband and father of two, he carries the same care from the job site to his weekend farm.

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