How much does an exterior living project cost?

Our entry-level Premier projects — patio, outdoor living room, fire pit, planting — start around $60k. Elite backyards with outdoor kitchens, spas, and wellness features start around $250k, and fully bespoke resort builds with pools start at $500k+. Your walkthrough pins down where your property and wish list actually land.

Do you serve my area?

We build in Berkeley and the East Bay hills, Lamorinda (Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda), the 680 Corridor (Walnut Creek, Alamo, Danville, San Ramon), and San Francisco and the Peninsula. Our office is in Danville. Not sure if you're in range? Ask — the answer is usually yes.

Designer or builder first?

Both. A designer keeps the vision clear, and the builder turns the details into construction plans and brings the project to life. As a design-build team, you get both under one contract.

Do we need an architect and engineer?

In most cases, yes. Cities often require updated drawings and site plans for permits, and engineers are needed for structural elements such as foundations, retaining walls, and decks to make sure everything is safe and built correctly. We coordinate all of it.

How long will it take?

Pre-construction and design: 3 to 6+ months. Building: 2 to 10+ months. Your scope of work — structural and design complexity — determines where you land, and you'll see the timeline in writing before construction starts.

Do you handle permits?

Yes. We handle the submission of your plans to the local authorities to obtain the necessary building permits and secure permission to build — including the notoriously slow East Bay jurisdictions.

Do pavers need to be perfectly level?

Not always. Pavers should be properly leveled and graded for drainage so water flows away from the home, preventing pooling and surface movement over time. Proper installation is what keeps your outdoor space safe, functional, and long-lasting.

What's your availability?

We work with a limited number of clients per year so quality is never sacrificed and you get real attention from our team. If the timing fits, we'll tell you. If it doesn't, we'll tell you that too.

Case Studies

From dirt, to done.

Six Bay Area yards, start to finish — same crew, same phone number, and every step in between.

Richmond, CA

A bare hillside becomes a backyard resort

ScopeRetaining walls, flagstone patio, putting green, drought planting, decomposed-granite fire-pit seating, exterior outlets, railroad-tie steps, and lighting.

Aerial view of the finished Richmond, CA backyard with patio, putting green, and repainted home by Casa de RJ — Drag the handle — the same lot, bare dirt to backyard resort.

Aerial view of the same Richmond, CA backyard as bare dirt before landscaping — Drag the handle — the same lot, bare dirt to backyard resort.

The work

Steel posts set for new retaining walls on a Richmond, CA hillside backyard — Steel posts anchor the retaining walls into the slope.

Aerial of curved patio and putting green groundwork with compacted base rock in Richmond, CA — Curves cut in — base rock compacted for patio, green, and paths.

Flagstone patio installation in progress in Richmond, CA by Casa de RJ — Flagstone goes down over the prepared base.

Finished flagstone patio with lounge and dining areas overlooking the Bay in Richmond, CA by Casa de RJ — Flagstone lounge, dining under string lights, and the whole Bay to look at.

Backyard putting green, new lawn, and flagstone patio behind a remodeled Richmond, CA home by Casa de RJ — A putting green and new lawn where the dirt was.

East Bay Hills

A deck in the trees, engineered from the ground up

ScopeConcrete piers drilled into the hillside, steel and timber structure, two levels of composite decking, a timber pavilion roof, covered walkway, and wire-panel railings.

Weathered wooden stairs and landing at an East Bay hillside property before a deck rebuild by Casa de RJ — The old stairs and landing — weathered past their life.

The work

Mini excavator drilling pier holes on a wooded East Bay hillside for a new deck — An auger rig drills the pier holes into the slope.

Concrete piers and steel beams supporting an East Bay hillside home during deck construction — Concrete piers and steel carry the new structure.

Deck framing and concrete pier forms along the rear of a shingled East Bay home — The frame takes shape along the whole rear of the house.

Two-level composite deck with wood and wire railings wrapped around oak trees at a green shingle East Bay home by Casa de RJ — Two levels of composite decking, wrapped around the oaks.

Timber pavilion covered deck lounge with wire-panel railings in the East Bay by deck builder Casa de RJ — A timber pavilion roofs the upper lounge.

Composite deck dining area with bench seating in the treetops at an East Bay home — Dining in the treetops.

Covered composite deck walkway with timber framing at an East Bay hillside home — The covered run connects every room to the outside.

III

Berkeley, CA

A corner bungalow, front to back

ScopeDemo of the old slab and chain-link, flagstone entry walk, drought-tolerant front garden, raised beds, lawn, and a redwood-and-corrugated-steel privacy fence.

Berkeley, CA corner bungalow behind a chain-link fence with an overgrown yard before remodel by Casa de RJ — A tired corner lot behind chain-link.

The work

Aerial of a Berkeley, CA bungalow during exterior remodel and yard demolition — Roof, exterior, and yard opened up at once.

Crew demolishing the old patio slab behind a Berkeley, CA bungalow — The old slab and clutter cleared to bare ground.

Drought-tolerant front yard landscaping with natural stone walkway at a modern Berkeley, CA home by Casa de RJ — Cedar, flagstone, and a pollinator garden where the fence was.

Backyard lounge with corrugated-steel and redwood privacy fence, raised beds, and lawn in Berkeley, CA by Casa de RJ — Out back — a lounge, lawn, and raised beds behind a corrugated-steel fence.

Albany, CA

From overgrown slope to terraced garden

ScopeExcavation, timber retaining walls, stairs, gravel courtyard, and drought-tolerant planting.

Aerial view of an overgrown, unusable backyard slope in Albany, CA before landscaping by Casa de RJ — Overgrown and unusable — the drone shot tells the whole story.

The work

Cleared and excavated backyard slope with old stone wall during construction in Albany, CA — Brush and junk out, the slope cut open.

Timber retaining wall construction terracing a hillside backyard in Albany, CA — New timber walls carve the hill into level terraces.

Terraced timber retaining walls with new planting and a gravel courtyard in an Albany, CA backyard by Casa de RJ — Planted terraces step up to the old stone wall.

Gravel courtyard with new stairs and terraced retaining walls behind a modern Albany, CA home by Casa de RJ — A usable gravel courtyard and new stairs where the mud used to be.

East Bay

A courtyard reclaimed

ScopeDemo of the failing brick courtyard and old spa, stamped-concrete patio, timber retaining, new lawn, and slope planting.

Before & demo

Bare dirt backyard with an old hot tub behind an East Bay home before remodel by Casa de RJ — The before — dirt, a dead spa, and nowhere to sit.

Demolished brick patio rubble in a courtyard during an East Bay backyard remodel — The failing brick courtyard comes out.

Stamped concrete courtyard patio with outdoor dining at a remodeled East Bay home by Casa de RJ — Stamped concrete, clean lines, and dinner outside again.

Patio with timber retaining walls, lawn, and mulched hillside planting at an East Bay home by Casa de RJ — Timber walls hold the hill; the lawn gets its space back.

San Francisco, CA

A narrow city lot, layered in

ScopeRegrading a narrow city lot — concrete terraces and stairs, decomposed-granite paths, a fire-pit lounge, and layered drought-tolerant planting.

Aerial of new concrete terraces and stairs taking shape in a San Francisco backyard — Drag the handle — overgrown end to end, then terraces, stairs, and structure poured in.

Aerial of the same narrow San Francisco backyard overgrown before landscaping by Casa de RJ — Drag the handle — overgrown end to end, then terraces, stairs, and structure poured in.

San Francisco backyard at dusk with a fire-pit lounge, decomposed-granite paths, and layered planting by Casa de RJ — At dusk — the fire-pit lounge, lit and planted.

Decomposed-granite paths through layered drought-tolerant planting in a San Francisco backyard by Casa de RJ — Gravel paths wind through the new planting.

Start My Transformation

Built for the life outside.

Licensed General Contractor

Design-Build, One Team

High-End Residential Focus

Every home has a story. Yours shouldn't stop at the back door.

Ask yourself

What we build

Patios & Hardscape

Decks & Railings

Pergolas & Shade

Planting & Privacy

Fire & Outdoor Kitchens

Water Features & Pools

Backyard Wellness

Lighting, Sound & Fencing

Three ways in

What happens next

Pre-Construction Agreement

Finalize the Design

Submit for Permits

Construction Contract

Permits Approved

Construction Begins

Built nearby, built to last

From dirt, to done.

Richmond, CA

East Bay Hills

Berkeley, CA

Albany, CA

East Bay

San Francisco, CA

Start with a property walkthrough

Questions we hear every week

Turning dreams into reality. Enjoyed best with sunshine.