Case study
A Terraced Backyard Built Into a San Mateo Hillside
San Mateo paver, turf and retaining wall project with Calstone hardscape, drainage, planting and low-voltage lighting. Sequoia Outdoor project (94402).
- Location
- San Mateo
- Scope
- Artificial Turf
- Investment
- $230,000–$265,000
The challenge
The backyard was a mossy slope of bare soil, gravel paths, and old raised planter boxes, steep and awkward with little usable flat ground for the family.
Water ran the wrong way across cracked side-yard concrete and off the downspouts, with no real drainage tying the yard together.
The front yard looked tired and disconnected, with brick-edged beds, a low wall, and shrubs that no longer matched the house or the work planned out back.
Our approach
Sequoia Outdoor built the project around the grade. Because the hillside had to be held before anything could sit level, the curved Calstone segmental walls went in first, set on geogrid with drainage run behind them, and those walls fixed the terrace levels everything above and below followed. The upper terrace became the paver patio, the middle a raised turf lawn and planting beds, and the lowest step a decomposed-granite play area, so a slope that had been unusable turned into three flat zones stacked up the hill. The drain network went in with the walls and pavers rather than after, routed to tie the downspouts and area drains into the homeowner's storm-drain work, and the low-voltage lighting was the last layer, set into the steps, wall faces, and deck eave.The outcome
The finished backyard steps up the hill in three levels. A decomposed-granite play area sits at the bottom, the turf lawn and planting terraces in the middle behind the curved wall faces, and the paver patio on top, where the steps climb to the deck and its cable railing. The walls that hold it all look like clean, continuous curves rather than retaining structure, the dark paver border ties the patio to the paths, and after dark the fixtures pick out the steps, wall caps, and deck edge. Out front, the same segmental walls and stairs terrace the entry beds, so the street side and the backyard finally match as one property.
The plan
Hold the hillside first: curved Calstone AB segmental walls on geogrid, capped and coped, front and back, with perforated pipe and drain rock behind them.
Set 2,352 sq ft of Calstone Quarry Stone, Versailles, and Belgard Quarziti pavers across the upper patio and paths, edged with a dark contrasting border band and locked with polymeric sand.
Raise the lawn on the middle terrace with 402 sq ft of TD So Natural artificial turf and 455 sq ft of sod, plus 73 plantings, mulch, and decorative-rock beds stepping down to a decomposed-granite play area.
Run a 370-linear-foot, 3 in SDR-35 drain network under the hardscape, with downspout adapters, area drains, and pop-up emitters, sequenced with the homeowner's storm-drain work.
Light the finished yard with 43 low-voltage fixtures, path, ledge, up- and down-lights on a dimmable Vista WiFi transformer, set into steps, walls, and the deck eave.
Build highlights
Retaining Walls Go In First
Curved Calstone segmental walls go up course by course on geogrid, with perforated pipe and gravel backfill behind the block, setting the terrace levels everything else follows.
Stair Forms and Reinforcement
Wood forms and steel reinforcement are set for the concrete stair footings that connect the terraces.
Concrete Step Cores Poured
The poured step cores are leveled and cured before the finished paver treads and wall caps go on.
Before and after
Project gallery
Frequently asked questions
What does a similar paver, turf and retaining wall project in San Mateo cost?
A similar San Mateo project with pavers, turf, sod, retaining walls, drainage, irrigation, lighting, and planting typically runs around $217k to $265k, depending on access, wall scope, drainage routing, and material selections.How long did the project take?
Active construction ran about eight weeks, from demolition in late March 2024 to final completion in mid-June, with a short break mid-project for material procurement. A hillside build sequenced like this one, with walls, drainage, pavers, planting, and lighting each in order, generally runs six to ten weeks on site depending on wall scope and site access.Why build the retaining walls before anything else?
On a sloped lot, the walls set the levels every other surface depends on. Here the curved Calstone walls were built first, on geogrid with drainage behind them, so the paver patio, turf lawn, and planting terraces each had solid, level ground to sit on. Building finished surfaces before the grade is held is how patios crack and lawns slump later.Does a San Mateo project with walls or drainage need permits or HOA review?
It depends on wall height, drainage discharge, electrical scope, and property rules. For a yard with retaining walls, drain pipe, and low-voltage lighting, review the plan with the local building department or HOA before construction, and confirm current requirements with a licensed contractor or attorney.What maintenance comes with artificial turf, pavers and drainage?
Artificial turf needs periodic rinsing, grooming, and debris removal. Paver joints, drain grates, pop-up emitters, planted beds, and low-voltage fixtures should be checked seasonally so surface water keeps moving and the lighting stays even.Project topics
Project location
Approximate neighborhood near San Mateo. The pin is displaced by approximately 150 metres to protect client privacy.