An Encinitas Backyard Built for Evenings

This Encinitas project with 1,663 sf of Belgard interlocking pavers, an L-shape outdoor kitchen with concrete countertops, and a 418 sf insulated pergola landed in the $80,000 to $95,000 range fully installed. Scope drivers include kitchen complexity, wall square footage, gas line length, and drainage requirements. Paver-only projects without a kitchen or pergola typically run $20 to $35 per sf installed.

Yes. A gas line for an outdoor fire feature typically requires a Simple MEP permit under the California Plumbing Code, with the line trenched at proper depth and continuous tracer tape installed. On this project, 88 lf of gas line connected at four points including the meter and fire pit. Retaining walls over 3 feet in San Diego typically require a building permit per City (verify with your local building department and your project's grading plan for the requirements that apply to your site).

This project installed 68 lf of 3-inch SDR35 solid drainpipe for surface water collection and 46 lf of French drain pipe (3-inch perforated triplewall with filter sleeve) directly behind the new retaining wall to relieve hydrostatic pressure. Twelve drain caps connect downspouts and collection points to the system. Paved surfaces were graded so surface water drains away from the house toward approved exits.

This project ran approximately 12 weeks from first dig to final completion. That timeline included retaining wall construction, gas line rough-in, pergola delivery and setting, kitchen countertop pour, and lighting wire-out across front and back yard areas. Projects with fewer structural elements typically complete in 4 to 6 weeks.

The primary field used Belgard Dimensions 18 in the 3-piece pattern across 1,285 sf, with Belgard Catalina Grana Large installed in accent areas for an additional 378 sf. Belgard Moduline 24x24 stepping stones were set in the turf zone. All joints were filled with NextGel polymeric sand in gray. The outdoor kitchen and retaining walls used Belgard Melville block and cap throughout for a consistent material palette.

The lighting system includes 14 Pro-Trade LL2 7-inch ledge lights, 6 Pro-Trade SL2 9-inch surface-mounted LED step lights, a 150W Pro-Trade TR1 stainless steel transformer, and a smart socket timer for automatic scheduling. All wiring runs from a single 250 lf roll of 12/2 low-voltage wire. The system was installed and wired for low-voltage landscape lighting.

The $80,000 to $95,000 range covers all hardscape (1,663 sf of Belgard Dimensions 18 pavers plus 18 Moduline stepping stones), 292 sf of Melville segmental retaining wall with 134 lf of cap, 52 lf of Country Manor steps, the 418 sf insulated pergola with four recessed LED lights, the L-shape outdoor kitchen carcass with Melville stone veneer and poured concrete countertop with four appliance cutouts, the natural gas fire pit with 88 lf of trenched gas line at four connection points, 68 lf of SDR35 drain and 46 lf of French drain pipe, the low-voltage lighting system (14 ledge lights, 6 step lights, transformer, timer), demo and excavation, and all site work. Component-level cost ranges in the estimator below show category breakdowns; the full project investment landed in the $80,000 to $95,000 range fully installed (excludes sales tax, permit fees, design hours, and photography).