Trained landscape architect
Backyard renovation in Kernersville, NC
A backyard renovation for your Kernersville home: water sorted first, then the patio or deck, beds and lawn.
Free written estimate before work starts
- Trained landscape architect.
- Since 2000 in business.
- Licensed and insured.
- Certified arborist on staff.
Getting the order right
| Phase | What happens | Why it comes here |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Grading and drainage | What happens: Ground set to fall away from the house, about six inches over the first ten feet; runoff given a swale, a dry creek bed or a drain line | Why here: Everything after it sits on dry, stable ground |
| 2. Patio, deck and walks | What happens: Hard surfaces built and set | Why here: Equipment can still cross the yard without crushing new plants or sod |
| 3. Trees and beds | What happens: Shade trees and bed lines set around the seating | Why here: Plants are chosen for the sun each spot gets once the seating is fixed |
| 4. Lawn last | What happens: Seed or sod once the heavy work is done, ideally in early fall | Why here: New grass is not driven over before it roots |
| 5. Room for later | What happens: Sleeves for lighting wire or an irrigation line laid in | Why here: Cheap to plan now, costly to add after the lawn is down |
Trades we bring together
One plan and one crew for the parts a backyard usually needs. A renovation pulls in patios and hardscaping, deck building and the rest of our landscaping work.
- Grading and drainageLow spots regraded and runoff led away from the house.
- Patios, walls and fire pitsStone and pavers on a compacted base.
- DecksWhere the yard slopes or the back door sits high.
- Planting and sodTrees, beds and a new lawn, in that order.
- IrrigationLines laid before the lawn goes down.
- LightingLow-voltage path and patio lights, wired while the ground is open.
Budgeting a backyard renovation
A refreshed planting plan is a far smaller job than a new patio, walls and lawn, and phasing spreads the work out.
- Size and scope
- How much of the yard changes, and how many features go in.
- Grading and drainage
- A yard that slopes toward the house or holds water needs earthwork before anything else.
- Patio or deck materials
- Natural stone, pavers, wood or composite each cost differently to buy and install.
- Access
- A fenced yard or a narrow side gate means more work by hand and smaller equipment.
- Plants and lawn
- Tree and shrub sizes, and whether the lawn is seeded or sodded.
- One phase or several
- Building in stages spreads the work out; the plan keeps each stage from undoing the last.
Planning a renovation around the seasons
Summer and late winter are good months to plan: dry spells show where beds bake, and the wet spots stand out after winter rain. Hardscape and grading can be built from spring through fall whenever the clay is not soaked.
For a tall fescue lawn, aim to finish the heavy work by late summer so seed or sod can go down in September into October. Trees and shrubs also do best planted in fall.
Plan in summer
Draw the layout while the yard's problems are in plain view.
Build hardscape in fall or spring
Grading and stone go in whenever the clay is not soaked.
Plant in fall
Trees, shrubs and fescue root best from September on.
Start with how you want to use the yard
Most backyard projects begin with one thing: a patio, a fire pit, a lawn the kids can actually play on. Built alone, that one thing often fights the rest of the yard. The patio ends up where water collects, or the new lawn is torn up a year later to run a drain line.
A renovation looks at the whole space first. Where do you want to sit in the evening, and where does the sun land then? Where do the dogs run? What does the yard look like from the kitchen window? Once that is clear, we lay out the patio or deck, the paths, the beds and the lawn so they work together.
On a Kernersville lot the plan nearly always starts with the ground. Red clay drains slowly, and many backyards slope toward the house. Getting the grade and drainage right first is what keeps every other part of the project dry and level.
Can a backyard be redone in phases?
What does a backyard renovation include?
Whatever your yard needs to work as one space: grading and drainage, a patio or deck, walkways, beds, trees, lawn, and wiring for lighting. Most projects use some of these, planned together.
Can I do it in phases?
Yes. With one plan for the whole yard, you can build the drainage and patio this year and the beds and lawn next year without redoing anything.
Patio or deck on a sloped yard?
A gentle slope can be leveled for a patio, sometimes with a low retaining wall. A patio of pavers, stone or brick needs very little upkeep beyond a sweep and the odd reset paver. On a steep slope, or where the back door sits well above the ground, a deck is usually simpler, though wood wants cleaning and sealing every few years.
How do I fix a soggy backyard?
Find where the water comes from and where it can go. Regrading, a swale or a dry creek bed, and loosening compacted clay usually solve it. A drain line handles the stubborn spots.
Do I need a permit for a deck in Kernersville?
A deck attached to the house usually needs a building permit from the Town of Kernersville. Ground-level patios, beds and plantings usually do not. The town's development office can confirm before work starts.
Plan your backyard with us
Tell us about the job. We come out, look at it with you and put a price in writing. Nothing starts until you approve it.
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Request a free written estimate
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