Backyard Landscape Plans and Recommendations

[lnc]

I have no interested in reading the 100+ pages of HOA guidelines.  I read a few random pages and fell asleep.

Oh come on ZeroLot, I was waiting for you to write a full summary/synopsis on HOA guidelines; its only 100+ pages.

 

[jmoney74]

I want to just put up some planters in my yard with some fake grass and trees.  Need some elevated ones since the back of the yard is on a slope. 

 

[homer_simpson]

I want to just put up some planters in my yard with some fake grass and trees.  Need some elevated ones since the back of the yard is on a slope.

Go the greenhouse and take what you need.  I'll take the patio set from the common area... meet you at your home in 5, go!

 

[dealcatcher]

1.  Echo Family (Jo) - 949.533.4055

Is echo a korean guy. Kinda skinny. Baseball cap. White van?

.
Yup same guy. This guy seemed really nice when I met him but I did a little more investigation because his aggressive door-to-door approach seemed suspect. I checked a good number of his previous jobs and spoke directly with the homeowners. Most complained about how frustrating it was dealing with the guy and that they wouldn't use him again. They said it was a headache dealing with him.

-Couldn't keep commitments. Said he'd be on the job on certain days, but never showed.
-Sometimes hard to get a hold of.
-Randomly showed up in your backyard with new prospective clients w/o asking calling first.
-Very difficult to communicate with. He doesn't speak English very well. One time I told him I couldn't meet him at the house until a certain time, but I get a phone call from him 15 mins later saying that he was at my house. I told him I wasn't going to be home!
-Uses the same orange colored stone veneer at his jobs.
-Someone saw him cutting stone material in half and using at the house next door. The first homeowner shouldn't have paid for the stone at both houses. They should have split the cost if he was going to reuse. And what was he thinking installing the same stuff next door?
-Someone saw him not installing rebar under the concrete as stated in the contract.
-Someone saw him skipping the footing underneath his pilasters. Footing is needed to keep the pilaster stable and secure.
-This guy does tons of houses in Irvine, but only because he's super cheap. Anytime you have someone that hits volumes like he does, you sacrifice quality and customer service.

You get what you pay for. Hope you find this useful.

 

[bones]

dot dot dot

 

[studio]

1.  Echo Family (Jo) - 949.533.4055

Is echo a korean guy. Kinda skinny. Baseball cap. White van?

.
Yup same guy. This guy seemed really nice when I met him but I did a little more investigation because his aggressive door-to-door approach seemed suspect. I checked a good number of his previous jobs and spoke directly with the homeowners. Most complained about how frustrating it was dealing with the guy and that they wouldn't use him again. They said it was a headache dealing with him.

-Couldn't keep commitments. Said he'd be on the job on certain days, but never showed.
-Sometimes hard to get a hold of.
-Randomly showed up in your backyard with new prospective clients w/o asking calling first.
-Very difficult to communicate with. He doesn't speak English very well. One time I told him I couldn't meet him at the house until a certain time, but I get a phone call from him 15 mins later saying that he was at my house. I told him I wasn't going to be home!
-Uses the same orange colored stone veneer at his jobs.
-Got caught charging one homeowner for stone that he ended up cutting in half and using at the house next door. The first homeowner shouldn't have paid for the stone at both houses! They should have split the cost if he was going to reuse. And what was he thinking installing the same stuff next door???
-Got caught by a neighbor not installing rebar unde the concrete as stated in the contract. Shady in my opinion.
-Got caught skipping out on footing underneath his pilasters. Footing is needed to keep the pilaster stable and secure.
-This guy does tons of houses in Irvine, but only because he's super cheap. Anytime you have someone that hits volumes like he does, you sacrifice quality and customer service.

You get what you pay for! Hope you find this useful.

I have also contacted him...  agree on most of above.  When I ask him when you can start.  He told me June/July timeframe.  I was so mad, after wasting time with him.

 

[notTHEoc]

a

 

[qwerty]

When u have a 10 ft deep backyard, you don't have much usable space to begin with. u put grass on there u don't have much usable space left for any kind of furniture.

 

[bones]

[q.

 

[bones]

.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Feels like trend is towards lot more hardscaping these days in the backyard and less grass. I get the maintenance and environmental benefits and it's a little more usable with patio furniture, etc.

But am I missing something on why less grass these days? Outside of all the maintenance, it's a good play surface if you have kids and it looks better. Not to mention just a fraction of the upfront cost

The problem is you can't ignore the maintenance factor. Sure, upfront cost is less... but the ongoing cost, esp if you hire qwerter ( ), is significant.

One solution would be the artificial turf. No need for a sprinkler system and can be child and/or pet proof.

But like qwerter says, in new builds, not much room for grass.

 

[dealcatcher]

When u have a 10 ft deep backyard, you don't have much usable space to begin with. u put grass on there u don't have much usable space left for any kind of furniture.

Ditto. And if you did put grass, your mower would take up 1/4 of your yard. lol. Unless you want to pay a gardener, but considering the size, it feels kind of pathetic to do so.

 

[eyephone]

If you want grass, get grass. I would shy away from artificial grass. People have mix opinions when it comes to artificial grass.

For me - I'm planning to get pavers and add a planter. Planters make good extra seats when you have a party.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

If I had a new small backyard build... I would put pavers or concrete all the way to the walls and lay down an artificial grass "rug" on top of it.

P.S. qwerter doesn't plant grass because of the toxicity transfer risk.  >

 

[qwerty]

If I had a new small backyard build... I would put pavers or concrete all the way to the walls and lay down an artificial grass "rug" on top of it.

P.S. qwerter doesn't plant grass because of the toxicity transfer risk.  >

hey grass has short roots - they said not to plant long roots. so im good.

 

[nosuchreality]

I know it depends on what you want... But what do people usually spend on landscaping backyard?

Such a hard question to answer.  Depends on so many factors:  size of backyard, how much hardscape, building any structures, etc, etc.  Just to give you an idea, I'm on a 5500+ sf lot in PP and for what I want to do - prob $45k-60k (quoted based on rough design).  We're building one structure, building out the front yard, built in BBQ, building some planters for veggie garden, decent grass area, no concrete (mainly using stone and/or pavers).

Bones, for perspective, would you know the "usable area" of your front/backyard ?  Ours is about the same sq ft lot and around 2400 sf usable yard area.  We were budgeting around $20K-$25K, so somewhat shock with the $45K-$60K estimate  :'(

Sure.  My usable backyard is about 35 feet deep by 60 feet with a 15' front yard setback from sidewalk.  So it sounds similar to yours?  Are you building anything?  I'm guessing we'll prob end up closer to $60k than $45k. 

To be honest, $20k is really light for that size yard.  I spent $15k in my old PS condo's side yard. 

$20K will basically only do plants and sprinklers in that size yard.

Any basic hardscape add in and you go $40-$50K pretty quick.

Anything nice/unique or trendy and you're $60K+

Bones do you mean a retractable canopy or those louvered pergola type thing that open and closes the slats like a window blind?  The only retractable canopy things I've seen are always bolted on to the house and frankly, look like a makeshift bolt on.

 

[qwerty]

if you were doing all pavers for a 35x60 yard gopavers.com can do it for $21K (@ $10/sq ft). at my place they did about 1400 sq ft in four days.

 

[bones]

[quo.

 

[bones]

.

 

[qwerty]

if you were doing all pavers for a 35x60 yard gopavers.com can do it for $21K (@ $10/sq ft). at my place they did about 1400 sq ft in four days.

Yea but who wants pavers in their entire 35x60 yard?

Oh I agree was just trying to give an example to the previous post about basic hardscaping adding 20k. Is about 25 ft deep, 35 must be nice.