Finished paver patio beside the composite deck with gravel planting beds, path lights, and a stone seat wall beyond.

A Hillside Backyard Built Around the Willow

On a hillside lot in San Bruno, an aging concrete patio and a patchy, dried-out lawn gave way to a full outdoor living build organized around the property's mature weeping willow. The work pairs a multi-pattern Techo-Bloc paver patio with stacked-stone seat and retaining walls, a cedar pergola, and a stone-clad outdoor kitchen, all tied together with low-voltage lighting, new drainage, and a planted decomposed-granite border.

Location
San Bruno
Timeline
Winter to early summer 2026 (about 62 active build days)
Style
Modern Mediterranean

The Problem

Our backyard was a cracked concrete patio and a lawn that never really filled in, so most of the space went unused.

Water ran toward the house off the slope, and we wanted it handled before we put money into a new patio.

We wanted real outdoor rooms for cooking and sitting, built around the willow instead of cutting it down.

Our Approach

The crew started by solving the slope and water before any finish work went in, trenching new drain lines, dry wells, and a sump system, then built up from there: stacked-stone walls to terrace the grade, a multi-pattern paver patio sized to the yard, a cedar pergola for shade off the back of the house, and a stone outdoor kitchen with a grill and a countertop pizza oven. Lighting, planting, and a small spillway water feature finished the space, and the build was sequenced so work kept moving while the paver material was in transit.

The Plan

Designed the layout around the existing weeping willow, using it as the anchor for the patio and seating instead of removing it.

Addressed grading and drainage first: PVC drain lines, two dry-well leaching systems, and a sump pump with basin to move water off the slope and away from the house.

Terraced the grade with stacked-stone Techo-Bloc Prescott walls (including a long freestanding wall and a built-up seat wall) with concrete caps.

Set a multi-pattern paver field (Blu 60/80 slate, Villagio, and Westmount) over a compacted base, finished with polymeric joint sand.

Built a cedar pergola, a low TimberTech deck, and a stone-clad outdoor kitchen, then layered in low-voltage lighting and planting.

The Build

The Result

The finished yard reads as a set of connected outdoor rooms under the willow: a wide multi-tone paver patio, a long stacked-stone seat wall with planting pockets, a cedar pergola off the house, and a stone outdoor kitchen with a grill and a countertop pizza oven. A decomposed-granite border with new plantings and path lighting wraps the space, and a small spillway water feature adds movement near the seating.
Stone-clad outdoor kitchen island with a stainless grill and countertop pizza oven and a white concrete cap, on a... After
Pre-construction side-yard/patio corner: old aggregate concrete patio, brick-bordered planter with overgrown shrubs, side... Before
Stone outdoor kitchen with a built-in grill and a countertop pizza oven beside the paver patio.

Gallery

Investment Range

Toggle components on or off to estimate your project at a similar scope in San Bruno.

  • $122,500 – $140,500
  • $60,000 – $69,000
  • $44,500 – $51,500
  • $40,000 – $46,000
  • $33,500 – $38,500
  • $27,500 – $32,000
  • $24,000 – $28,000
  • $17,000 – $20,000
  • $9,500 – $11,500
  • $6,500 – $8,000
Estimated total

Estimates only — actual investment depends on site conditions, material selections, and scope.

FAQs

How much does a large paver patio and outdoor living project cost in San Bruno?
This San Bruno design-build landed in the mid-to-high six figures (roughly $365k–$446k) for a full outdoor living scope: 3,000+ sq ft of pavers, stone walls, a pergola, an outdoor kitchen, drainage, lighting, and planting. Cost scales with square footage, wall and grading work, and how many built features (kitchen, pergola, water feature) are included. Get a site-specific estimate for your own yard.
Do I need drainage work before installing a paver patio on a slope?
On a sloped lot, yes in most cases. This project trenched new PVC drain lines, two dry-well leaching systems, and a sump pump with basin before the patio went in, so water moves off the slope and away from the house. Verify current grading and drainage requirements with a licensed contractor for your specific lot.
Can a patio be designed around an existing tree?
Yes. This backyard was laid out around a mature weeping willow rather than removing it, with the patio and seat wall positioned to keep the tree as the centerpiece. Designing around a healthy mature tree is usually preferable to removal and keeps shade and character in the yard.
What goes into a stone outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven?
This outdoor kitchen is a stacked-stone-clad island with a built-in gas grill, a countertop pizza oven, storage drawers and access doors, a compact refrigerator, and a stone countertop. A kitchen like this needs a solid masonry base, a finished countertop, and gas and electrical rough-in coordinated with the rest of the build.
How long does a full backyard design-build like this take?
This San Bruno build ran from winter into early summer 2026, roughly 16 weeks on the calendar with about 62 active on-site work days. Timelines vary with weather, material lead times, and scope; large multi-feature builds with walls and an outdoor kitchen take longer than a patio alone.
What paver brand and patterns were used?
The patio uses Techo-Bloc pavers in multiple patterns and tones (Blu 60/80 slate, Villagio, and Westmount) set over a compacted base and finished with polymeric joint sand, with a cobble border defining the patio edge.

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