What the homeowners wanted
The owners wanted a patio large enough for hosting and shade over their seating area.
They also have two dogs that had turned the back yard into bare sand. They needed a clean surface that held up to pets without heavy maintenance.
What was in the way
The lot sloped toward the house instead of away from it. Standing water stayed along the rear fence line for days after rain.
The original concrete slab sat straight on sand without a compacted base, which caused it to crack and settle.
Irrigation lines ran directly through the new patio area. The HOA also required structural approval for the pergola before footings could be poured.
“The lot drained toward the house, the rear fence line held standing water for days after a storm, and the existing slab had been poured straight onto sand with no compacted base.”
How it was built
We removed the old slab and 8 inches of sand. The grade was re-cut to fall away from the house toward a French drain connected to the rear easement.
Irrigation lines were moved outside the patio footprint. We placed 6 inches of crushed concrete base and compacted it in lifts.
Footings for the 12x16 cedar-stained aluminum pergola were poured below the paver base so the structure rests on its own foundation.
We laid 1,180 square feet of Tremron Olde Towne pavers in the Sierra blend. The 640-square-foot pet turf section was installed on its own drainage base using 1.5-inch pet-rated turf with zeolite infill.
We finished the project with 14 low-voltage landscape lights on a transformer and set up a dog-wash spigot on a pergola post.
The result
The work took 11 working days. The yard now carries water to the rear easement and provides a 1,180-square-foot patio, a 12x16 shaded pergola, and a 640-square-foot pet turf lawn.
Common questions about projects like this one
How long did this San Pablo project take to complete?
The project took 11 working days to finish.
What pavers were used for the patio in San Pablo?
We installed 1,180 square feet of Tremron Olde Towne pavers in the Sierra blend color.
How was the standing water fixed on this lot?
We removed 8 inches of sand and the old slab, sloped the grade away from the house, and installed a French drain running to the rear easement.
What artificial turf was used for the two dogs?
We installed 640 square feet of 1.5-inch pet-rated turf over a drainage base with zeolite infill.
What size is the aluminum pergola?
The pergola is a 12x16 cedar-stained aluminum structure built on footings poured below the paver base.