Hillside Backyard Oasis in Ramona, CA
Overview
Install It Direct turned a large, drought-stressed hillside lot in Ramona into a functional outdoor retreat with nearly 3,000 sf of artificial turf, Angelus Rustic Wall Stone retaining walls and paver stairs, a 445 sf paver patio, drainage, and stabilized DG paths. The project wrapped up in about four weeks of active construction.
Quick Facts
City Ramona
Neighborhood Ramona
Constraints/Challenges Steep hillside lot with multiple grade changes requiring regrading and drainage solutions across a large area; existing concrete driveway had pre-existing cracking requiring documentation before mobilization; client had not finalized wall block and paver selections prior to start, requiring a rescheduled pre-walk; drainage punch list required coordination with a separate gutter company for final downspout connection; large property required gopher mesh installation across approximately 3,858 sf; site access limited crew parking to off-concrete areas to protect existing driveway surface.
Goals The homeowners wanted to transform a large, sloping hillside property from drought-stressed natural grass and bare dirt into a low-maintenance, year-round green yard that could handle Ramona's dry summers without constant irrigation. They also wanted defined outdoor structure, retaining walls that tamed the slope, and proper drainage so the property would perform as well as it looked.
Scope 2,865 sf Imperial Desert Rye 65 artificial turf with gopher mesh; 445 sf Angelus Courtyard Combo paver patio; 512 sf Angelus Rustic Wall Stone retaining walls and steps with 6 capped columns (20" wide); 6 ledge lights on columns with step lighting; 233 lf PVC drainage; 548 sf stabilized Desert Gold DG; 16 Belgard Moduline 24x24 stepping stones; 57 lf concrete mow strip
Style Rustic
Timeline About 4 weeks
Price Range $80k-$99k
The Challenge
- The backyard was covered in drought-stressed natural grass that turned brown every summer, leaving large areas of bare dirt on a sloped hillside that was unusable and difficult to maintain.
- Without a drainage system, water ran uncontrolled across the graded slopes and pooled near the house exterior, threatening to erode the hillside and undermine the property over time.
- The steep grade and lack of retaining structure made the backyard functionally unusable for outdoor living, with no defined areas for seating, circulation, or entertaining.
How Install It Direct Helped
Market Context
Neighborhood Context
The Plan
Layout was designed around the hillside’s natural grade changes, using Angelus Rustic Wall Stone to create terraced retaining walls that step down the slope, with 6 capped columns (20″ wide) anchoring the staircase runs and providing visual structure at key transitions.
Imperial Desert Rye 65 artificial turf was selected for its durability in Ramona’s hot, dry climate and installed over gopher mesh (approximately 3,858 sf of mesh coverage) to protect the turf base from burrowing pests common in the area.
A 233 lf PVC drainage system was designed to collect and convey surface runoff from the terraced turf areas; 5 drainage pop-ups and 10 drain caps were installed, with a final gutter company connection planned to tie the downspout line into the drain network.
Angelus Courtyard Combo pavers (60mm) were laid for the primary patio area, with 16 Belgard Moduline 24×24 concrete stepping stones set in concrete providing a walking path along the pool deck edge.
Decomposed Granite in Desert Gold (stabilized) was installed in 548 sf of path and transition areas, providing a warm-tone natural material complement to the wall stone and turf.
Low-voltage lighting was specified under NEC Article 411: 6 Pro-Trade PT-LL2-BZ-LED ledge lights (12V, bronze aluminum) were mounted on each retaining wall column cap, with additional step lighting on every other stair tread; 30 lf of electrical conduit was trenched to serve the lighting system.
A concrete mow strip (57 lf, pavers set on edge in concrete) defines the turf boundary and provides a clean transition between the turf field and paved or DG areas.
The Build
Week 1: Site mobilization, material delivery staging, and documentation of pre-existing concrete cracks on the driveway. Demo and rough grading began once the first progress payment was collected. Week 2: PVC drainage installation (trenching, pipe run, fittings), concrete mow strip installation, and gopher mesh rollout. Base preparation for the paver patio and retaining wall footings began concurrently. Week 3: Angelus Rustic Wall Stone retaining wall and column construction, paver stair installation, Angelus Courtyard Combo paver patio installation, and stepping stone placement along the pool deck. Turf installation began on the prepared base areas. Week 4: Imperial Desert Rye 65 turf installation completed, Imperial Camofill infill applied, stabilized DG paths installed, drainage pop-ups and drain caps installed, low-voltage lighting conduit trenched and fixtures placed. Punch list corrections including pallet leveling completed before the certificate of completion was issued.
Pre-construction: Pre-existing concrete driveway cracks documented with photos before mobilization to protect IID from liability. Pre-walk: Product selections for wall block and pavers were locked in during a rescheduled pre-walk after the original pre-walk was canceled due to undecided material choices. Mid-project: Drainage installation reviewed and pop-up locations confirmed. End of project: Pallet leveling and site cleanup verified before the certificate of completion was submitted. Post-completion: CRC staircase compliance reviewed internally following a question raised at project close.
Drainage: 233 lf of PVC drain pipe installed in trenches running parallel to the pool deck and across the terraced turf areas; 5 drainage pop-ups and 10 drain caps installed; a final downspout-to-drain connection was left for a separate gutter company per the client's agreement. Electrical: 30 lf of conduit trenched for low-voltage landscape lighting serving 6 column ledge lights and step lights on the staircase runs. No gas line work was included in this project.
The Result
Rear yard of a single-family residence showing a large expanse of dormant natural grass and an existing concrete patio/slab adjacent to the house. Site appears to be pre-construction with no pavers or artificial turf installed and access from sliding doors on the house elevation.
Residential backyard showing a completed pool and attached spa edged with concrete coping and surrounding artificial turf. The installation appears finished around the pool and patio area with lounge chairs and a covered porch, while an adjacent graded dirt area and shed suggest additional site work pending.
Wide site photo of a residential backyard showing an existing drought-stressed natural grass lawn with patchy areas adjacent to the house. The house exterior, white fence and nearby trees with a mountainous backdrop are visible, indicating a clean site before demolition or installation work.
Completed residential backyard showing newly installed artificial turf and a segmental retaining wall with stone capstones and pillars overlooking a valley at sunset. The site appears finished with clean turf surface and no equipment on site.
Completed residential backyard showing newly installed artificial turf and a segmental retaining wall with stone capstones and pillars overlooking a valley at sunset. The site appears finished with clean turf surface and no equipment on site.
Residential backyard showing a completed pool and attached spa edged with concrete coping and surrounding artificial turf. The installation appears finished around the pool and patio area with lounge chairs and a covered porch, while an adjacent graded dirt area and shed suggest additional site work pending.
Finished artificial turf lawn installed adjacent to a residential pool with stone wall and capped pillars along the property edge. Turf appears uniformly installed with clean edge transition to the pool deck and surrounding stonework, indicating a final installation stage.
Residential backyard showing a completed artificial turf installation surrounding an in-ground pool with visible stone coping and pool deck. Clean finished edges and unobstructed mountain views indicate project closeout with no equipment or materials on site.
Finished artificial turf installed across a residential backyard with a low segmental retaining wall and capped pillars at the terrace edge. The installation appears clean and level, showcasing the completed landscape with expansive valley views beyond.
Finished residential backyard with newly installed artificial turf adjacent to the home's exterior. Clean, uniform synthetic turf field with tidy perimeter and no visible equipment, showcasing a completed landscape with mountain views.
Investment
What would a similar project cost in Ramona?
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Frequently Asked Questions
A project of this scope in Ramona typically falls in the $80,000-$99,000 range. The main cost drivers are the amount of artificial turf (nearly 3,000 sf here), the extent of retaining wall and stair work needed to manage the hillside grade, and the drainage system required to move water off the terraced areas. Smaller projects with less wall work and a flat lot can come in considerably lower.
This project ran about four active build weeks, which is typical for a scope of this size. Hillside projects can take longer than flat-lot installs because each phase — grading, drainage, walls, paving, and turf — depends on the previous one being solid. Material delivery timing and weather can also affect the schedule, but IID works to protect the schedule from the start.
Yes, and Ramona hillside properties are actually a great fit for artificial turf. Natural grass on a slope struggles to establish, burns out in summer heat, and often erodes during rain events. The Imperial Desert Rye 65 installed here was secured over gopher mesh across the entire area, infilled with antimicrobial Camofill, and edged with a concrete mow strip to hold everything in place on the grade. It stays green and low-maintenance year-round regardless of slope.
In unincorporated San Diego County, retaining walls with an exposed height of 3 feet or less generally do not require a building permit. Walls taller than 3 feet, walls that support surcharge loads (like driveways or fences), or tiered walls that together exceed 6 feet in total height do require a permit. The exact wall height for this project is not documented in the available data, so this is worth confirming with the County if you have a similar scope.
On a sloped property, unmanaged surface water is a real problem — it erodes base material, undercuts walls, and can pool against the foundation. For this project, IID installed 233 lf of PVC drain pipe running through the turf area, collecting water through 5 drainage pop-ups and discharging it at controlled exit points. The turf base itself is also permeable, so rainfall moves through the turf and into the drainage system rather than pooling on the surface. Grading was designed to direct water away from the home structure per California residential code requirements.
Gopher mesh is a heavy-gauge galvanized wire mesh installed directly on the compacted subgrade before the turf base goes down. In Ramona and other inland San Diego areas, ground squirrels and gophers are common and will burrow up through artificial turf from below, damaging the installation and creating lumps in the surface. Approximately 3,858 sf of gopher mesh was installed on this project — covering the entire turf footprint and then some — to protect the investment for the long term.
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
Troy MacMillan
Install It Direct has been building outdoor spaces across San Diego County for over a decade, with hundreds of artificial turf, retaining wall, and paver projects completed across all types of terrain. For hillside properties like this one in Ramona, IID brings the full scope in-house: grading, drainage, walls, paving, turf, and lighting, all managed by a single project team from pre-walk to completion certificate.
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