Your outdoor project planning checklist

A good outdoor project starts well before anyone picks up a shovel. The homeowners who end up happiest with their yards usually did a little homework first: they knew how they wanted to use the space, they knew what was wrong with it now, and they had a budget range in mind.

This checklist helps you pull that together before your free on-site assessment. None of it needs to be perfect. Rough notes and phone photos are plenty.

1. Decide what the yard is for

Start with how you want to live outside, not with materials. List everything you would like the yard to do, then sort the list into must-haves and nice-to-haves.

• Dining: how many people, and how often?
• Lounging, a fire pit or an outdoor kitchen
• Play space for children, or a dog run
• Extra parking, an RV pad or wider driveway
• Storage and bins in the side yard
• Less maintenance and a lower water bill

This list does more to shape the design than anything else, and it helps us suggest the right material for each area. Our guide to choosing concrete, pavers or turf can help.

2. Measure roughly and take photos

You do not need exact measurements. We measure properly at the assessment. But rough numbers help you think about size and budget.

• Pace out or measure the main areas you want to change
• Measure your narrowest gate or side yard, since it decides what equipment can get in, which affects cost
• Take photos from the back door and main windows, the views you see every day
• If you can, take photos during or right after rain to show where water collects
• Measure your outdoor furniture if you plan to keep it, so the patio fits it

3. Note what is wrong now

Problems you already know about are much cheaper to solve in the plan than after the new surface is in. Write down anything like:

• Puddles, soggy areas or water running toward the house
• Cracked, sunken or lifted concrete
• Tree roots near paths or the driveway
• Slopes, steps or uneven ground
• Known pipes, sewer lines, septic tanks or irrigation lines
• Old footings, stumps or buried concrete you have noticed

4. Collect a little inspiration

Save five to ten photos of yards, patios or finishes you like, and add a note about what you like in each: the color, the pattern, the layout or the feel. It is just as useful to save a photo of something you do not want. Consider the style of your home too, since the right finish for a Spanish-style house differs from one for a mid-century home.

5. Set a budget range

A range, even a wide one, helps us suggest the right materials and scope instead of designing something you would never build. Our hardscape cost guide shows typical Orange County prices per square foot.

If the full plan is more than you want to spend right now, phasing works well. Do the underground work, such as base and drainage, and the main surfaces first, then add lighting, extra areas or upgrades later.

6. Check the rules

• HOA: if you have an association, find its architectural guidelines and the committee's meeting schedule. Approval often takes longer than construction.
• Permits: most flat patios and paths do not need one, but retaining walls, driveway approaches at the street and drainage changes often do. See our permits guide.
• Front yards: many cities limit how much of a front yard can be paved and how wide a driveway can be.

7. Think about timing

If the yard needs to be ready for a party, a graduation or a sale, tell us early. Allow time for the assessment and estimate, any HOA approval or permits, and material orders. Remember that a new concrete driveway needs about a week before you can park on it, while pavers can be driven on right away.

What happens at the assessment

We walk the yard with you, go over your list, and measure the space. We check drainage, access, soil and anything under the old surface we can see, and talk through material options and a rough plan. Afterward you get a written estimate that lists the materials, base depth, drainage and other details, so you can compare it fairly with other bids. The visit is free, and there is no obligation.

Questions to ask any contractor

• Is your license active? You can check any contractor at cslb.ca.gov.
• Are you insured, and can you send a certificate of insurance?
• What base depth and drainage are included in this price?
• Who pulls the permits, if any are needed?
• What is the payment schedule? In California, a home improvement down payment cannot exceed $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less.
• What warranty do you offer, and is it in writing?
• Who will be on site, and who do I call with questions?

Our guide to what belongs in a project estimate explains how to read the answers.