Coastal Curb Appeal in Ocean Beach, San Diego
Overview
IID rebuilt the front and side yards of a raised coastal home in Ocean Beach, installing new retaining walls with stucco finish, interlocking pavers in a herringbone pattern, artificial turf, drainage, and mulch beds. The project required navigating a city setback rule for wall height before construction could begin, and added scope mid-project after a client walkthrough. The result is a clean, low-maintenance yard that holds the grade, drains properly, and looks sharp from the street.
Quick Facts
City San Diego
Neighborhood Ocean Beach
Constraints/Challenges A 25-foot setback rule at the house corner limited solid wall height to 3 feet, requiring direct coordination with the city before construction could start. The condition of an adjacent neighboring wall required adding approximately 30 linear feet of new footing and wall as a change order to stabilize the soil base under the turf area. Root grinding and removal was outsourced to prevent project delays.
Goals The homeowner wanted to replace a failing mix of old pavers, overgrown beds, and patchy grass with a cohesive, low-maintenance hardscape and turf installation that would hold the slope, drain properly, and give the front yard real curb appeal from the street.
Scope 415 sf Angelus Courtyard Combo pavers (herringbone), 287 sf cinderblock retaining wall with stucco (2 sides), 120 ln ft concrete footing, 575 sf SGW Nature's Best artificial turf, 9 ln ft Country Manor steps, 255 sf stabilized Desert Gold DG, 307 sf mulch, 30 ln ft perforated drainage pipe, 1 pop-up drain
Style Coastal
Timeline About 8 weeks
Price Range $64k-$78k
The Challenge
- The front and side yards were a mix of crumbling old pavers, patchy natural grass, and overgrown planting beds that made the property look neglected from the street.
- A neighboring wall in poor condition threatened to undermine the soil retention needed beneath the planned turf area, putting the new installation at risk.
- A city setback rule flagged before construction started required an inspector site visit and city coordination, delaying the project start by several weeks.
How Install It Direct Helped
Market Context
Neighborhood Context
The Plan
Layout centered on a raised patio at the home entry with herringbone-pattern Angelus Courtyard Combo pavers in 60mm, bordered by a soldier course and framed by stucco-finished cinderblock retaining walls
Cinderblock retaining wall system — 287 sf face, 2-side stucco finish — with a 12×12 concrete footing running 120 linear feet to ensure structural stability on the sloped lot
Neighboring wall condition triggered a change order adding approximately 30 ln ft of new footing and wall to prevent soil and base movement beneath the turf area
Drainage designed with 30 ln ft of 3-inch triple-wall perforated pipe with filter sleeve, two 45/90-degree PVC elbows, and one PVC pop-up drain; surfaces graded for code-compliant flow away from the foundation
575 sf of SGW Nature’s Best artificial turf installed with turf blades facing Saratoga Street per client direction; SGW Green Sand antimicrobial infill added for longevity and odor control
255 sf of stabilized Desert Gold decomposed granite and 307 sf of standard forest-floor mulch (2-inch depth) complete the planted bed areas alongside SGW weed cloth barrier
The Build
Construction began with city coordination to resolve the wall height setback, followed by root grinding and tree removal outsourced by the client. Demo of existing hardscape, pavers, and planting beds came next using a compact track loader. Retaining wall footing and cinderblock wall construction followed, with the first material delivery from Modern Builders arriving at the start of wall build. Paver base prep — subgrade compaction, 4-inch Class II road base in 2-inch lifts, 1-inch screed sand — ran concurrently with wall work. Paver installation in herringbone pattern with soldier-course border followed. A mid-project client walkthrough added wall columns, bullnose, and additional pavers as a change order. Turf sub-base prep, weed cloth, poly board edging, and SGW Nature's Best installation completed the soft surfaces. DG and mulch bed areas finished last.
Pre-walk completed with scope, JCS, and access routes verified before mobilization. Staging area release signed by client. DIG Alert completed before any excavation. Retaining wall footings, rebar, and block installation verified against city codes and ICPI guidelines. Excavation depths confirmed for paver areas (7.5 inches from final grade). Drainage system verified for schedule 40 PVC, proper fittings, and flow to drain cap at grade level. Paver installation checked for straightness, 1/16–1/8-inch joint gap, flatness, and bond beam clearance. Final inspection walk completed with foreman, PM, and client; completion certificate signed.
Drainage: 30 ln ft of 3-inch triple-wall perforated pipe with filter sleeve, 2 PVC fittings (45 and 90 degree), 1 PVC pop-up drain set at grade level. Schedule 40 PVC confirmed and Oatey primer/cement used on all fittings. Drain cap height verified at grade for positive flow. Electrical conduit sleeves installed during paver base phase for future low-voltage lighting. Sprinklers tested before and after installation with no leaks found. No gas line work on this project.
The Result
Front yard of a residential property cleared to mostly bare soil with a few shrubs along the house and a white picket fence at the street. The space appears staged for landscape work such as pavers or artificial turf installation with no materials or equipment currently on site, suggesting pre-construction/site survey conditions.
Completed paver patio with multiple riser steps and segmental retaining walls overlooking a synthetic turf lawn. Interlocking pavers appear compacted and finished on a raised terrace with a lower turf area; residential exterior and parked vehicles are visible in the background.
Corner front yard with a white picket fence showing patchy natural turf and exposed soil near the house; an AC condenser and some loose debris are visible next to the foundation. No crew or equipment is present, suggesting the photo documents existing site conditions prior to work.
Finished segmental retaining wall with capstone borders a recently installed paver patio adjacent to a concrete public sidewalk and curb ramp. The work appears complete with neat joints and installed coping, and a small patch of natural grass remains in the foreground.
Completed paver patio with multiple riser steps and segmental retaining walls overlooking a synthetic turf lawn. Interlocking pavers appear compacted and finished on a raised terrace with a lower turf area; residential exterior and parked vehicles are visible in the background.
Newly installed artificial turf in a narrow side yard adjacent to an interlocking paver walkway and patio under a raised deck. A concrete block segmental retaining wall with wood fence above runs along the right side; site appears clean and at or near final completion.
Residential job site showing a newly installed interlocking paver patio with curved multi-step transition and matching risers, adjacent to a newly laid artificial turf lawn. House exterior and a planted shrub bed are visible; edges between turf and pavers are clean and installation appears finished.
Finished residential paver patio and walkway installed in a herringbone pattern adjacent to newly installed artificial turf. Covered patio columns and a low masonry yard wall are visible, indicating a completed landscape and hardscape installation in the side/back yard.
Finished segmental retaining wall with capstone borders a recently installed paver patio adjacent to a concrete public sidewalk and curb ramp. The work appears complete with neat joints and installed coping, and a small patch of natural grass remains in the foreground.
Segmental retaining wall and low seat wall constructed with interlocking pavers and capstones forming a raised patio/planter area adjacent to a residential home. Concrete sidewalk and turf in front indicate exterior front-yard installation nearing or at completion.
Installed artificial turf covering a narrow side yard adjacent to a residential exterior, flanked by a segmental retaining wall with paver cap. The turf appears finished with a uniform pile and clean transitions around porch pillars and landscaping.
Completed backyard area showing interlocking pavers forming a curved walkway/patio under a covered patio with structural posts. Installed artificial turf is abutting the paver edge, creating a clean transition between the turf and pavers adjacent to the home's exterior.
Investment
What would a similar project cost in San Diego?
Toggle components on/off to estimate your project
Frequently Asked Questions
A project combining retaining walls, interlocking pavers, artificial turf, and drainage in San Diego's coastal neighborhoods generally runs $60,000 to $85,000 or more, depending on wall scope, access conditions, and the area of each surface. This project included 287 sf of stucco-finished cinderblock wall, 415 sf of pavers, and 575 sf of artificial turf, which put it in that range. The investment breakdown on this page shows how cost allocates across the major components.
Active construction on this Ocean Beach project ran approximately 8 weeks from first demolition to final inspection. The timeline included demolition, retaining wall construction, paver base prep and installation, a mid-project scope addition (wall columns and bullnose), artificial turf installation, and mulch and DG bed completion. Scheduling and city coordination added time before the build started.
Retaining walls in the City of San Diego require a building permit when they exceed 3 feet measured from the top of the footing to the top of the wall (per City of San Diego Information Bulletin IB-220). This project also encountered a specific 25-foot setback rule at the house corner that limited solid wall height to 3 feet in that zone, requiring direct coordination with the city and an inspector site visit before construction could proceed. IID worked through that process proactively so the homeowner did not have to navigate it alone.
SGW Nature's Best artificial turf requires very little upkeep. An occasional rinse to clear dust or debris, a light brushing once or twice a year to keep the blades upright, and periodic checks on the infill level are generally all that's needed. The antimicrobial SGW Green Sand infill installed in this project helps control odor and bacteria long-term. There are no sprinklers to adjust, no fertilizer, and no mowing.
On this project, 30 linear feet of 3-inch triple-wall perforated pipe with a filter sleeve was installed beneath the turf and paver areas to move subsurface water away from the foundation. A PVC pop-up drain was set at grade level to handle surface flow. All hardscape surfaces were graded to direct water away from the house in compliance with California residential drainage requirements. The drain cap height was field-verified during installation to confirm positive flow before the site was closed up.
Yes. Sloped lots in coastal neighborhoods like Ocean Beach often require retaining walls to establish a level patio area and manage the grade change. On this project, a cinderblock retaining wall with stucco finish and a 120 linear foot concrete footing held the slope while creating a raised patio at the home entry. The paver base was then built up properly with compacted road base in 2-inch lifts and a screeded sand bed before the Angelus Courtyard Combo pavers were laid in a herringbone pattern.
Your Outdoor Project in 3 Simple Steps
Design
We listen to your vision, assess your space, and create a custom design that fits your lifestyle and budget.
Build
Our experienced crews bring the design to life with premium materials and expert craftsmanship.
Enjoy
Step into your transformed outdoor space and start making memories with family and friends.
Your Project Manager
Patrick Diehl
Install It Direct has been building pavers, retaining walls, artificial turf, and drainage systems across San Diego County for over 15 years. Every project is managed by a dedicated PM and backed by IID's On-Time Guarantee. This Ocean Beach project is one example of how the team handles complex scope, city coordination, and mid-project changes without losing momentum.
More Projects
Backyard Built for Living, Mission San Luis Rey
Oceanside
Hillside Backyard Oasis in Ramona, CA
Ramona
Backyard Reinvented in 4S Ranch, San Diego
San Diego
Backyard Reimagined in Stone Canyon, San Marcos
San Marcos
Backyard Reimagined, Encinitas
Encinitas
A Backyard Built to Last, 4S Ranch, San Diego
San Diego
Ready to Transform Your Outdoor Space?
Let's discuss your project and bring your vision to life.