Holding the Hillside in Ramona
This finished project was a $95k-$110k build.
Project Gallery
The finished Imperial Desert Rye turf lawn sweeping to the pool, a capped Rustic Wall Stone pillar in the foreground.
Sunset over the finished Angelus Rustic Wall Stone terraces — capped pillars and turf stepping down toward the valley.
Project Snapshot
Project Story
Overview
On a ranch hillside above Ramona, a 1990s home had spent two decades watching its lawn brown off every summer and its grade shift every winter. Thirteen working days in August 2024 later, 2,865 sf of Imperial Desert Rye 65 turf was sitting over 3,858 sf of gopher mesh, Angelus Rustic Wall Stone terraces stepped the grade between the pool deck and the slope, a PVC drainage system moved surface runoff to pop-up drains, and the valley was, for the first time, the thing you noticed when you walked out the back door.
Absolutely loving it all — already telling friends about the team.
The Challenge
- Drought-stressed natural grass across roughly 3,858 sf of slope went brown every summer, leaving bare-dirt patches with no usable surface.
- Water ran uncontrolled across the grade and pooled near the house, with no managed path off the hillside each winter.
- No retaining structure existed where Angelus Rustic Wall Stone walls and stepped stairs were ultimately needed, so nothing held grade and the valley view was hidden behind dead lawn.
What Changed
How INSTALL-IT-DIRECT Helped
Over 1,000 five-star reviews and 1,500+ San Diego homeowners served.
Before & After
The Bartlett property is all about the view. Before, the hilltop was dry grass with pool equipment sitting out in the open. After, a clean-lined pool sits in an artificial-turf surround that runs to the edge of the lot, leaving nothing between the water and the valley.
Design & Build
The Plan
Three working levels handle the 8-10 ft drop: pool deck up top, terraced turf in the middle, low walls and DG paths at the bottom.
Two runs of Angelus Rustic Wall Stone segmental wall step the grade at the property’s natural inflection points; 2,865 sf of Imperial Desert Rye 65 turf sits on 3,858 sf of gopher mesh for inland ground-squirrel pressure.
Angelus Courtyard Combo 60mm pavers across the 445 sf patio, with 16 Belgard Moduline 24×24 stepping stones set in concrete along the pool deck path.
548 sf of stabilized Desert Gold DG holds the transition zones, and a 57 lf paver-on-edge mow strip locks the turf-to-DG edge.
Drainage: PVC drain system with pop-ups and drain caps collecting from the terraced turf areas, with a planned gutter-downspout tie-in.
Lighting: Pro-Trade ledge lights on column caps plus step lighting on every other tread, served by 30 lf of conduit.
See the 2D plan drawing
The Build
Phasing
Days 1-2: Site setup, material staging, demo, and rough grading. Days 3-5: PVC drainage installation (trenching, pipe run, fittings), concrete mow strip, and gopher mesh rollout, with base preparation for the paver patio and retaining wall footings running concurrently. Days 6-9: Angelus Rustic Wall Stone retaining wall, column construction, and paver-stair installation; Angelus Courtyard Combo paver patio; stepping-stone placement along the pool deck. Days 10-13: Imperial Desert Rye 65 turf installation, Imperial Camofill infill, stabilized DG paths, drainage pop-ups and drain caps, and low-voltage conduit trenched with fixtures placed. Final leveling and cleanup were completed before sign-off.
Key Inspections
Pre-walk: Wall block and paver selections were locked in during the pre-walk before work began. Mid-project: Drainage installation reviewed and pop-up locations confirmed. End of project: Turf leveling and site cleanup verified before final sign-off.
Utilities
Drainage: PVC drain pipe trenched parallel to the pool deck and across the terraced turf areas; drainage pop-ups and 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 column ledge lights and step lights on the staircase runs. No gas line work was included.
Investment
What would a similar project cost in Ramona?
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a project like this cost in Ramona or San Diego County?
A project of this scope in Ramona typically falls in the $95,000-$110,000 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.
Do retaining walls on a hillside require a building permit in San Diego County?
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.
Does artificial turf work on a sloped hillside lot like this?
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.
How does the drainage system work with artificial turf on a slope?
On a sloped property, unmanaged surface water erodes base material, undercuts walls, and pools against the foundation. For this project, IID installed a PVC drain pipe system running through the turf area, collecting water through drainage pop-ups and discharging it at controlled exit points. The turf base is also permeable, so rainfall moves through the turf and into the drainage system instead of pooling on the surface. Grading was designed to direct water away from the home structure per California residential code requirements.
How long does a hillside turf and retaining wall project take to complete?
This project ran approximately 13 working days (~2.5 weeks of active construction), 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.
What is gopher mesh and why is it important in Ramona?
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
A San Diego native with more than 20 years in landscape construction, Troy brings seasoned craftsmanship to every build. A devoted husband and father of two, he carries the same care from the job site to his weekend farm.
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