Thirty-Six Stone Pillars Hold a Sabre Springs Front Yard
Project Gallery
Completed backyard pavers, wall, and artificial turf in San Diego.
Residential front yard showing a finished interlocking paver patio and adjacent artificial turf. Segmental retaining walls with capstones and stone pillars frame the turf and driveway, with paver walkway and driveway integration visible. Installation appears complete and ready for project closeout.
Front-yard site photo showing a completed segmental retaining wall with capstones forming a raised bed containing artificial turf. Interlocking pavers form the approach and low seat walls, with decorative crushed-rock mulch and a visible utility box; work appears finished and tidy.
Finished interlocking paver patio with a curved artificial turf area in a residential backyard. Segmental retaining wall and raised planter with a palm are installed along the property line, showing clean edges and completed hardscape work.
Finished interlocking paver driveway and adjoining patio with newly installed artificial turf and a low segmental stone retaining wall facing the street. The pavers are laid in a mixed ashlar pattern with clean joints and landscaping/plantings in place around the customer home exterior.
Residential backyard showing a completed artificial turf installation with clean, uniform turf field and defined perimeter edging. Raised planting beds and a low retaining border with a fence and metal railing enclose the space, indicating finished landscape work ready for final inspection.
Finished residential backyard showing a full artificial turf installation with clean edges and smooth surface. Turf is installed adjacent to a concrete patio/covered area and planter beds with a low retaining wall and perimeter fence visible.
Project Snapshot
Project Story
Overview
Thirty-six Angelus Rustic Wall stone pillars rise from 105 lf of segmental wall footing, framing 985 sf of Angelus interlocking pavers across this Sabre Springs front yard. A 120 lf SDR35 drainline, six brass drain caps, ten Pro-Trade LED ledge lights, and an AZ river-rock accent finish a build delivered in 11 working days.
The stone pillars and the ledge lights make the front of the house look completely different at night.
The Challenge
- The existing concrete and brick hardscape had deteriorated and no longer provided a clean, functional surface for the front yard and patio areas.
- Surface water had no structured path away from the house, leaving the patio and adjacent areas without reliable drainage.
- There were no walls, no edging, and no defined edge between yard and street.
What Changed
How INSTALL-IT-DIRECT Helped
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Design & Build
The Plan
Primary paving surface: Angelus Heartland Paver 60MM in a standard pattern covering 900 sf, with Angelus Slate Stone 6×9 60MM (distressed finish) used as an accent for the remaining 85 sf
Segmental walls built with Angelus Rustic Wall Stone on a 105-linear-foot concrete footing, topped with stonewall cap units; 36 pillars built to 20-inch by 20-inch footprint with cap courses
Drainage system: 120 linear feet of 3-inch SDR35 drainline, 6 brass 5-inch square drain caps, and 2 plastic downspout connections routed to direct surface water away from the foundation
Low-voltage lighting: Pro-Trade 150W stainless steel TR1 transformer with 10 Pro-Trade LL1 7-inch ledge lights in bronze with stainless steel mounting plates, wired with 12/2 low-voltage cable
Existing irrigation valve relocated within 25 feet of original position to accommodate new hardscape layout
24 linear feet of paver-on-edge set in concrete with Weston Wall as a border restraint; AZ river rock accent strip (30 sf) added to the planting bed area
See the 2D plan drawing
The Build
Demo and Site Setup
The crew removed 213 sf of concrete with wire mesh and 80 sf of brick and clay tile set in concrete. Approximately 4 yards of soil were hauled off site. Stump and root removal was completed as part of the demolition scope.
Grading and Base Prep
After demo, the crew excavated and set string lines for wall footings and paver field grades. Trenches for the drainage system and wall footings were opened along the property edges. The existing irrigation valve was relocated during this phase.
Drainage and Wall Footing Installation
A 12-inch by 12-inch concrete footing was poured across 105 linear feet to support the segmental walls. The 3-inch SDR35 drainline was laid in the open trenches and connected to 6 brass drain caps and 2 plastic downspout connections.
Wall and Pillar Construction
Angelus Rustic Wall Stone was coursed up on the concrete footings to form the segmental walls. Thirty-six pillars were built to the 20-inch by 20-inch footprint, each finished with stonewall cap units. Paver-on-edge border sections (24 lf) were set in concrete along the wall runs.
Paver Installation
The paver field was screeded and 985 sf of pavers were laid across the patio, walkway, and driveway areas. Angelus Heartland 60MM units covered the primary field; Angelus Slate Stone 6x9 60MM distressed units were used for the accent areas. Jointing sand was swept in to complete the field.
Lighting, Turf, and Final Work
Ten Pro-Trade LL1 ledge lights were mounted and wired back to the Pro-Trade 150W transformer using 12/2 low-voltage cable. The small artificial turf area was installed and edged. AZ river rock was placed in the planting bed accent strip. The 4-foot wood gate was hung to complete site access. Irrigation was tested and adjusted following final installation.
Investment
What would a similar project cost in San Diego?
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a paver patio with segmental walls cost in Sabre Springs San Diego?
A project of this scope in the 92128 area, covering roughly 985 square feet of interlocking pavers with 105 linear feet of segmental walls, 36 pillars, a drainage system, and low-voltage lighting, typically falls in the $50,000 to $60,000 range. Cost drivers include wall linear footage, number of pillars, drainline length, and site demo requirements. Simpler paver-only installs without walls run considerably less.
Do interlocking pavers in San Diego require a permit?
Permitting for paver patios and landscape walls varies by jurisdiction and site conditions. Homeowners can confirm current requirements with their local building department before a project begins.
How is drainage handled under a paver patio near the house foundation?
The paved surface is graded to slope water toward drain caps, which connect to an underground drainline routed away from the foundation. On this project, 120 linear feet of 3-inch SDR35 drainline and 6 brass drain caps handled surface water.
What maintenance do Angelus interlocking pavers require?
Angelus interlocking pavers are low-maintenance. Occasional sweeping and re-sanding of joints every few years keeps the surface stable. Individual units can be removed and replaced if damaged, without disturbing the surrounding field. The distressed-finish Slate Stone units used as accents on this project hide minor surface wear well over time.
How long does a paver and retaining wall project take in San Diego?
Most San Diego paver and segmental wall projects of this scale run 10 to 15 working days depending on site access, drainage scope, and wall complexity. This project in Sabre Springs was completed in 11 working days.
Can low-voltage landscape lighting be added to a paver and wall project in San Diego?
Yes. Low-voltage ledge lights mount directly into segmental walls and connect to a transformer via buried low-voltage cable. This project used 10 Pro-Trade LL1 bronze LED ledge lights wired to a 150-watt transformer.
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Design
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Build
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Enjoy
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Your Project Manager
Patrick Diehl
Born and raised in San Diego, Patrick has managed residential, commercial, and high-rise builds, with a specialty in hardscape. A licensed real-estate agent and certified home inspector, he's committed to delivering every project with quality, compliance, and on-time results.
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