New Paver Pool Deck in Loma Portal, San Diego
Overview
A Loma Portal homeowner replaced an aging pool surround with 1,733 square feet of Angelus Courtyard interlocking pavers, curved bullnose steps, a 130 sf artificial turf insert, and a new channel drain. The old rock pool slide was demolished and hauled away. Work covered the full pool deck, spa, side yard walkway, and adjacent patio.
Quick Facts
City San Diego
Neighborhood Point Loma (92107)
Constraints/Challenges Pool deck access required coordinating paver installation around active pool and jacuzzi equipment work. A pool cover vault needed to remain accessible, and the shower drain had to be rerouted mid-project after the original line was found to conflict with the new layout. A 9-lf concrete sawcut was required at the back door threshold.
Goals The homeowner wanted to replace a dated pool surround and remove an old rock slide, replacing everything with a clean interlocking paver deck, curved steps, and low-maintenance turf accents around the pool and spa.
Scope 1,733 sf Angelus Courtyard Combo 60MM pavers, 42 lf bullnose steps, 130 sf SGW Nature's Best artificial turf, 50 lf SDR35 channel drain, rock pool slide demo
Style Modern
Timeline About 13 weeks
Price Range $50k-$62k
The Challenge
- The existing pool surround was worn and mismatched, making the backyard feel neglected every time the homeowner stepped outside.
- The old rock pool slide occupied space and could not be safely worked around, blocking the layout the homeowner wanted for the new deck.
- Water had no defined exit path from the pool deck, and saturation in the foundation area halted construction until a proper drainage line could be designed and installed.
How Install It Direct Helped
Market Context
Neighborhood Context
The Plan
- Angelus Courtyard Combo 60MM pavers selected in a modular running-bond pattern to cover 1,733 sf of pool deck, spa surround, side yard walkway, and adjacent patio
- Curved bullnose steps (42 lf) built to transition from the upper patio level down to the pool edge, coordinated with pool coping installation
- 130 sf SGW Nature's Best artificial turf insert placed as an accent strip beside the steps and pool perimeter
- 50-lf 3-inch SDR35 drain line with 3 plastic drain caps routed to carry surface water away from the foundation per CRC R401.3
- 9 lf of concrete sawcut at the back door threshold to create a clean transition between the new paver field and the existing slab
- NextGel polymeric sand (gray) used throughout to lock joints and resist washout in poolside conditions
The Build
Rock pool slide demolished and hauled away. Existing brick and clay tile removed in targeted areas (50 sf). Concrete sawcut at the back door. Porta potty and staging area established. Pre-install checklist cleared before crews mobilized.
Plumbers trenched and installed the shower drain, which required an overnight push and a reroute after the original line conflicted with the paver layout. The 50-lf SDR35 channel drain was added as a change order and tied into the system before the paver base was finalized.
Paver crew installed 1,733 sf of Angelus Courtyard Combo 60MM across the pool deck, spa surround, side yard walkway, and patio. Pool coping was set in coordination with the pool crew. A pool cover vault was kept accessible throughout. Soldier border course laid at perimeter; mid-project site walk identified a bulge in the soldier border that was corrected before joints were sanded.
Curved bullnose steps (42 lf) built at the pool edge. SGW Nature's Best turf (130 sf) installed in the accent strip with green antimicrobial sand infill. Joints filled with NextGel gray polymeric sand and compacted.
Site walk identified a gap at the BBQ corner and cracked brick near the pool cover enclosure. Both were corrected using veneer material and targeted removal. Joint spacing and alignment checked at the sliding glass door threshold and pool coping edge. Final payment collected at completion.
The Result
Backyard pool area showing brick pavers used for pool coping and curved paver steps into the water. The exposed concrete pool deck has multiple visible cracks that have been routed and filled with a contrasting sealant, with surrounding landscaping and patio furniture in view.
Finished backyard pool deck and patio featuring interlocking pavers with a three-step curved bullnose stair leading down to the pool. A small artificial turf lawn and a block wall/retaining wall frame the area; pavers appear clean and the installation looks complete.
Residential backyard showing an in-ground swimming pool with clear water and a brick paver coping along the pool edge. Surrounding concrete pool deck and adjacent patio area connect to the house exterior; landscape includes boulders and palm trees and a pool vacuum hose in the water. Photo appears to document existing conditions prior to renovation.
Residential backyard showing a completed paver pool deck with a curved set of paver steps and an adjacent artificial turf insert. Interlocking pavers and clean joints are visible around the pool coping, with outdoor furniture and a hose indicating post-completion touchups.
Backyard showing a completed interlocking paver patio with curved multi-step segmental steps leading down to a swimming pool with visible mosaic tile and stone coping. Adjacent synthetic turf and finished hardscape indicate a completed landscape installation with clean joints and tidy site conditions.
Backyard pool deck featuring interlocking concrete pavers with an integrated spa and clear coping around the pool. A narrow strip of artificial turf borders the patio and a recessed fire pit bowl with exposed burner assembly sits in the foreground, indicating near-complete work pending final punchlist items.
Backyard pool deck showing a completed paver patio and integrated pool coping around a rectangular in-ground pool. Artificial turf abuts the paver field and wicker seating, pool hose and equipment are present indicating a finished residential exterior installation.
Narrow residential side-yard showing a completed interlocking paver walkway installed between a concrete/segmental block wall and a house with an adjacent storage shed. Photo shows clean joints and a finished surface with trash bins and a cardboard box staged alongside, indicating post-installation site conditions.
Finished backyard pool deck and patio featuring interlocking pavers with a three-step curved bullnose stair leading down to the pool. A small artificial turf lawn and a block wall/retaining wall frame the area; pavers appear clean and the installation looks complete.
Residential backyard showing a completed paver pool deck with a curved set of paver steps and an adjacent artificial turf insert. Interlocking pavers and clean joints are visible around the pool coping, with outdoor furniture and a hose indicating post-completion touchups.
Investment
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Frequently Asked Questions
A pool deck paver project in San Diego typically falls between $25 and $40 per square foot installed, including base prep, coping coordination, and drainage. This Loma Portal project covered 1,733 sf with bullnose steps and a channel drain system, landing in the $50k to $62k range. Scope drivers include pool equipment access, whether a drain reroute is needed, and the size of the step system.
A project of this size, 1,733 sf with steps, turf, and drainage, runs about 10 to 13 weeks when pool equipment coordination and any plumbing work are factored in. Pure paver installation on a clear site is faster, but pool deck projects require waiting on coping deliveries and scheduling around pool crews and plumbers.
Replacing an existing pool deck surface with pavers generally does not require a building permit in San Diego. However, if new gas lines are added for a fire feature, or if retaining walls exceed 3 feet, separate permits are required. This project included a plumbing reroute for a shower drain, which was coordinated with the appropriate licensed trade.
Yes. California Civil Code Section 4735 prohibits HOAs from banning artificial turf outright. HOAs may set reasonable quality and appearance standards, but cannot use those standards to effectively prohibit synthetic grass. The 130 sf SGW Nature's Best turf installed here is a low-maintenance, pool-compatible product.
Angelus Courtyard Combo 60MM pavers are a common choice for pool decks in San Diego. The 60mm thickness handles foot traffic and pool equipment loads, the modular format allows tight cuts around coping, and the textured finish resists slipping when wet. NextGel polymeric sand locks the joints and holds up to frequent pool splashing.
Pool decks need surface water directed away from the home's foundation per CRC R401.3, which requires a minimum 6-inch drop in the first 10 feet from the structure. On this project, 50 linear feet of 3-inch SDR35 drain line with three plastic caps was installed across the deck. The shower drain also had to be rerouted to work with the new paver layout before the base was finalized.
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Your Project Manager
Patrick Diehl
Install It Direct has completed paver pool deck projects across San Diego's coastal neighborhoods, including repeat clients in Loma Portal and Point Loma. The team coordinates directly with pool crews and licensed plumbers to keep complex pool deck replacements on schedule.
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