Case study

Large-Format Paver Patio and Redwood Screen in Redwood City

In a Redwood City backyard, a corner of raised garden beds became a large-format paver patio: 684 sq ft of pavers in all, with three square grate drains, an 18 ln ft redwood slat screen, a low veneered block wall, a 64 sq ft concrete slab and new elfin thyme and dymondia groundcover.

Location: Redwood City
Scope: Drainage
Completed: June 2026
Project size: 745
Investment: $34,900–$41,700

Full project details

Timeline: Sold April 28, 2026. Build ran June 1 to June 24, 2026 (24 calendar days), with two approved change orders. Project closed out June 29, 2026.

The challenge

Before this project, a back corner of this Redwood City yard held raised metal garden beds and trellises on gravel, with a low wall of stacked blocks edging the planting along a dark board fence and a tall hedge beyond.

The space was not functional and lacked cohesion with the rest of the property. The plan was to bring in new landscape and hardscape that would complement work already done on the property, and to make the space more usable with pavers, planting and additional hardscape.

Our approach

Sequoia Outdoor turned the garden corner into a paved patio and added hardscape and planting to make the space more usable. Three black 6 in. NDS square grate drains were set in the paved area and connected with 40 ft of 3 in. SDR-35 drain pipe, and 53 ft of 1 in. PVC conduit was trenched and backfilled, with wiring and connection by an electrician not included. Over geotextile fabric, the crew laid 684 sq ft of large-format pavers, 16 in. and larger, and locked the joints with G2 Alliance polymeric sand. An existing wall or footing was demolished and hauled away, and a new low wall of 41 CMU blocks went up, faced with veneer and finished with 27 ln ft of wall cap. A 64 sq ft, 6 in. concrete slab was formed, reinforced with rebar, placed with a trailer pump and broom finished. Along the side fence, an 18 ln ft redwood side screen, 8 ft tall and built from 2x2 redwood, went up, and the work also included 43 ln ft of pressure-treated 2x6. Around the yard, 279 sq ft of pea gravel was stabilized, 61 sq ft of decorative rock went down over weed cloth, 2 in. of soil was removed across 176 sq ft, and 864 elfin thyme plugs and 123 sq ft of dymondia were planted.

The outcome

The garden corner is now a large-format paver patio holding a spa and chairs around a fire bowl, with three square drain grates set flush in the paving. The 8 ft redwood slat screen stands along the side fence, a low veneered wall fronts the planting along the back fence, and the same pavers run down the side yard past a planting strip. Elsewhere in the yard, a bed crossed by a line of stepping stones is planted with elfin thyme and dymondia. The build ran June 1 to June 24, 2026, and the project closed out June 29.

Investment mix

Rounded from the signed proposal. Map pins show an approximate neighborhood.

Large-format pavers, 684 sq ft of 16 in. and larger, over geotextile fabric with polymeric joint sand$17,500–$21,000
Redwood screen fence, 18 ln ft and 8 ft tall$4,900–$5,700
Low veneered block wall: 41 CMU blocks with veneer and 27 ln ft of wall cap, plus removal of an existing wall or footing$3,900–$4,600
Concrete slab, 64 sq ft and 6 in. thick, with rebar, broom finish and pump placement$2,700–$3,300
Drainage and conduit: three 6 in. square grate drains, 40 ft of 3 in. drain pipe and 53 ft of 1 in. conduit$2,600–$3,100
Groundcover planting: 864 elfin thyme plugs and 123 sq ft of dymondia$2,400–$2,800
Stabilized pea gravel, 279 sq ft, and 61 sq ft of decorative rock over weed cloth$900–$1,200

Total investment$34,900–$41,700

Before and after

Before — raised metal garden beds and a trellis on gravel in front of a dark board fence, flowering trees and a tall hedge — Facing the back fence, same board fence and tall hedge in both photos: raised garden beds and trellises on gravel gave way to large-format paving with seating, and a low veneered wall now fronts the planting along the fence.

After — chairs around a fire bowl on large-format pavers, with a low veneered wall and planting along the same fence and hedge — Facing the back fence, same board fence and tall hedge in both photos: raised garden beds and trellises on gravel gave way to large-format paving with seating, and a low veneered wall now fronts the planting along the fence.

Before — raised garden beds with trellises on gravel at the back corner, lattice-topped side fence on the left — At the back corner, same board fence and tall hedge in both photos: the garden beds became open paving around the spa, with a square drain grate in the surface and a redwood slat screen along the side fence.

After — spa on a large-format paver patio with a square drain grate, redwood slat screen on the left and the same fence and hedge behind — At the back corner, same board fence and tall hedge in both photos: the garden beds became open paving around the spa, with a square drain grate in the surface and a redwood slat screen along the side fence.

Project gallery

Bed of elfin thyme and dymondia with a line of stepping stones beside large-format pavers, a backyard cottage beyond — Elfin thyme and dymondia planted as groundcover in a bed crossed by a line of stepping stones.

Thyme and dymondia groundcover bed with stepping stones, edged by large-format pavers, with a dining table under a wood shade frame — The same groundcover bed seen from the paving, with the stepping stones leading toward the dining area.

Narrow side yard paved in large-format pavers between a dark board fence and a stucco wall, with the redwood screen at the far end — The same large-format pavers run down the side yard to the patio, past a planting strip and a band of gravel along the fence.

Large-format paver patio with chairs around a fire bowl, three square drain grates and a planting bed along a stucco wall, white shed beyond — Across the patio toward the shed, with the three square drain grates set flush in the paving.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a large-format paver patio like this cost in Redwood City?

This project ran between $34,000 and $39,000 as built: the signed contract plus the changes approved during the build, covering 684 sq ft of large-format pavers with three square grate drains, an 18 ln ft redwood slat screen, a low veneered block wall, a 64 sq ft concrete slab, conduit, stabilized pea gravel and decorative rock, and elfin thyme and dymondia groundcover. That as-built range is the project cost. The line-item table on this page allocates the same scope against our 2026 price book rather than reproducing the contract, and every line carries its own low and high, so adding the extremes together produces a wider band ($34,900 to $41,700) than the as-built range itself. Read the table as where the work sat, not as a second price. This project's line items price the paver installation, fabric and joint sand, and the installation of the wall veneer and cap; the pavers, veneer and wall cap themselves are not itemized as material. Figures are rounded for client privacy. Our project minimum is $25,000. See how this project compares across everything we have published on the Bay Area landscaping cost index.

What exactly was installed?

684 sq ft of large-format pavers, 16 in. and larger, over geotextile fabric with G2 Alliance polymeric joint sand; three black 6 in. NDS square grate drains with 40 ft of 3 in. SDR-35 drain pipe; 53 ft of 1 in. PVC conduit, trenched and backfilled, with wiring and connection by an electrician not included; a low wall of 41 CMU blocks (8x8x16) faced with veneer and topped with 27 ln ft of wall cap; a 64 sq ft, 6 in. concrete slab, formed, reinforced with rebar, placed with a trailer pump and broom finished; an 18 ln ft redwood side screen, 8 ft tall, built from 2x2 redwood; 43 ln ft of pressure-treated 2x6; 279 sq ft of stabilized pea gravel; 61 sq ft of decorative rock over weed cloth; 864 elfin thyme plugs; and 123 sq ft of dymondia (silver carpet). Site prep removed an existing wall or footing and 2 in. of soil across 176 sq ft, with disposal.

How long did it take?

The build ran June 1 to June 24, 2026: 24 calendar days, with two approved change orders. The project was sold April 28 and closed out June 29, 2026.

Do large-format pavers cost more to install?

Usually, yes. Pavers 16 in. and larger are heavier and less forgiving than standard sizes. Each unit spans more of the bedding layer, so the bed has to be screeded flatter to keep the edges even, and the larger units take more care to handle, cut and keep in line. Our price book adds a large-format installation premium for pavers 16 in. and larger, and on this project it applied to all 684 sq ft, laid over geotextile fabric with G2 Alliance polymeric sand in the joints.

What does a redwood slat screen add along a fence?

A slat screen is a run of horizontal boards set with gaps between them. Standing in front of an existing fence, it adds height and a warm wood face, blocks direct sightlines while still letting light and air through, and sets one part of a yard apart without building a solid wall. Here, an 18 ln ft redwood side screen, 8 ft tall and built from 2x2 redwood, stands along the side fence next to the spa.

Why plant elfin thyme and dymondia instead of lawn?

Both are low, spreading groundcovers that stay short without mowing. Elfin thyme forms a tight green mat and dymondia spreads into a flat silver-green carpet; both handle light foot traffic, and both need less water than lawn once they are established. They go in as plugs or small plants that knit together over time, which is why a newly planted bed shows a grid of separate clumps at first. On this project, 864 elfin thyme plugs and 123 sq ft of dymondia went in, including a bed crossed by a line of stepping stones.

Project topics

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