Landscape design-build in Millbrae, California
Landscape Design & Build in Millbrae, CA
Millbrae is two cities north of Sequoia Outdoor’s base in San Mateo, and our project records show one completed Millbrae construction project, pavers, a wall and planting across the front, side and back yards, finished in June 2026, with a second Millbrae project signed; the paver patio and planters photographed below were finished the same month. We design and build the whole yard as one coordinated project: pavers, walls and steps, decks and pergolas, outdoor kitchens, planting, drainage and lighting.
Millbrae protects every tree ten inches across, on any lot, and asks for a permit before a quarter of one is pruned or its root zone is dug, so a patio near a mature tree is drawn around the roots first. East of El Camino Real the lots are flat and the questions are base and drainage; on the hillside streets to the west the grade, the walls and the fire map come into it. Whether you want a focused improvement or a full outdoor living build, the process begins with the site, your priorities and a realistic scope.
Construction projects start at $25,000. Design is quoted separately. Qualifying design fees may be credited toward construction.
Millbrae snapshot
Service area
Millbrae, Peninsula & South Bay
Completed Millbrae construction projects
1, from company project records, and 1 signed
Documented Millbrae work
1 photographed build; written case study pending
Construction project minimum
$25,000
Review footprint
80 review listings and recommendations across six platforms as of 2026-08-30
One Millbrae Build, Photographed on Site
The completed Millbrae construction project in our records, photographed after completion, with the completion month and the project size the record gives. It has no written case study yet, so no scope beyond the photographs and no price is quoted for it here; the pricing section below gives what our records show, and the case studies nearby carry published ranges because they have write-ups.
Why there is no Millbrae range here. A published range on this site is the sum of a written-up project’s cost rows, rounded from its signed proposal. This project has no write-up yet. Browse every documented Sequoia project.
Three published case studies in San Mateo, Hillsborough and San Bruno
San Bruno borders Millbrae to the north, Hillsborough and Burlingame to the south and west. Each has its own tree, drainage and permit rules, and each range is the sum of that project’s published cost rows, rounded from its signed proposal: not Millbrae pricing and not a quote for another property. See the full case-study library.
San MateoA Cleaner Front Yard With Stronger Edges
A corner-lot front and side yard rebuilt with a curved paver walkway, artificial turf, river-rock borders, drainage, irrigation, path lighting and planting, completed January 2026.
HillsboroughPavers, Turf and Walls in Hillsborough
Belgard paving, artificial turf, retaining walls, drainage, lighting and planting areas across the property, completed July 2024.
San BrunoA Hillside Backyard Built Around the Willow
A 3,182 sq ft hillside backyard: paver patio, stone walls, an outdoor kitchen, planting and lighting around a mature willow, completed May 2026.
Planning a Landscape Around Your Millbrae Property
Six things worth settling before materials are chosen. The tree rule reaches every lot with a mature tree; the hillside and fire items apply above El Camino.
Ten inches across, any species, and the root zone
Under Municipal Code Chapter 8.60 a significant tree in Millbrae is a tree of any species measuring ten inches in diameter, 31.4 inches around, at 54 inches above natural grade. A Tree Pruning Permit is required before work on any street tree or protected private tree; routine trimming of less than a quarter of the tree’s mass needs none, and the pruning permit itself carries no fee. Removal or relocation needs a Tree Removal Permit with an arborist report from a certified arborist, and the code sets replacement ratios: two trees for one under 18 inches in diameter, three for one between 18 and 24, four (or one 48-inch box tree) above 24. The clause that governs hardscape is the tree protection zone, one and a half times the canopy dripline, inside which trenching, grading and excavation are to be avoided, so a patio or driveway near a mature tree is drawn around it. In an emergency a dangerous tree may be dealt with first and the permit obtained within 72 hours. We do not employ a certified arborist; where a report is required it comes from a private arborist. Tree permits and Chapter 8.60.
Flat by the Bay, climbing to the west
East of El Camino Real most Millbrae lots are flat, and there the question is the base and the drainage under a patio or driveway. West of it the streets climb, and on a sloped lot the walls that hold the grade and the drain lines behind them come before any finish. The City’s own permit exemptions mark the scale: a retaining wall of four feet or less measured from the bottom of the footing needs no building permit unless it supports a surcharge, and a replacement sidewalk or driveway not more than 30 inches above grade needs none either; above those, a permit is in the schedule, and Public Works has a separate grading and hauling permit for earthwork. Substantial grading, drainage changes, walls or structures may need review or professional input. We design and build landscapes; we do not provide geotechnical engineering, and where that expertise is needed it comes from a licensed professional named in the scope. Building permits.
Sidewalks, driveway approaches and drains to the street
To perform any work in the City right-of-way, and the City’s own examples are removing or replacing a sidewalk or a driveway approach, a property owner or their contractor must first obtain an encroachment permit. A drain line to the gutter is the same category. Applications go to Public Works by email or in person at the Engineering Division, fees and deposits follow the City fee schedule, and inspections are booked at least 24 hours ahead, so the permit belongs in the schedule before the driveway does. Encroachment permits.
Central County Fire and the 2025 map
Fire code in Millbrae is enforced by Central County Fire, which also serves Burlingame and Hillsborough. It publishes the 2025 state hazard map for the city’s own jurisdiction, adopted at a public hearing. Where a parcel is mapped Very High, 100-foot defensible space is mandatory, Wildland-Urban Interface building standards apply to new construction and renovations, and the designation is disclosed when the property is sold. The practical effect on a landscape plan is what goes in the first five feet against the house: non-combustible surfaces rather than mulch and planting. No landscape makes a property fireproof. Check your address on the map before the design assumes either way. Central County Fire hazard zones, the City’s fire page and the state viewer.
A City utility, BAWSCA rebates, and a landscape ordinance
Millbrae runs its own water utility as a BAWSCA member agency, so conservation rebates are claimed as a Millbrae water customer. Through BAWSCA’s Lawn Be Gone program Millbrae pays $2 per square foot of lawn converted to a water-efficient landscape, with a $300 rain garden option, and the program requires a Notice to Proceed from the water provider before the lawn comes out; it publishes a separate artificial turf fact sheet, so confirm eligibility before the design assumes a rebate. Rain barrels and cisterns are rebated up to $200 combined for San Mateo County residents. The City’s Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance applies to new landscapes of 500 sq ft or more and rehabilitated landscapes of 2,500 sq ft or more that involve a permit, plan check or design review. Water conservation, the landscape ordinance, Lawn Be Gone and rain barrel rebates.
Online only
Millbrae requires every building permit to be submitted through its Online Permit Portal; hard-copy applications are not accepted, and the application asks for the scope of work, the parties and the electronic submittals before plan check begins. Which permits a landscape project needs depends on the scope: a retaining wall above four feet or carrying a surcharge, a deck or pergola, gas and electrical for an outdoor kitchen, a drainage connection and a significant tree can each involve a different review, and a building-permit exemption does not remove an encroachment or tree permit. Wood fences not over seven feet and sheds under 120 sq ft are exempt. Confirm the set for your address before construction. Building permits.
Requirements depend on the property and the proposed work, and not every item above applies to every project. Confirm what applies to your address with the City before construction. Local guidance reviewed 5 September 2026 on ci.millbrae.ca.us, ecode360.com (Millbrae Municipal Code), bawsca.org and ccfd.org.
One coordinated plan for the entire outdoor space
Each linked page carries the scope it covers, its pricing floor and the completed projects behind it. Mowing, cleaning and ongoing garden maintenance are not services we sell.
Design, backyard and front yard
How the design phase works and what it costs, then gathering spaces, planting, lawn areas and circulation drawn as one scheme rather than a list of features.
Pavers: driveways, patios, walkways and pool decks
Base, drainage and levels settled before the pattern is chosen. A driveway approach or a drain to the gutter is an encroachment and needs a City permit.
Retaining walls and steps
Level changes evaluated alongside drainage and structural requirements rather than after them, and around any significant tree’s protection zone.
Outdoor kitchens, bars and fire
Cooking, serving and fire features placed within the layout, with gas and electrical routed during base work.
Lighting, shade and water
Evening use, shade and sound considered as part of the plan, not added at the end.
Artificial turf
Where a low-water lawn makes sense and where it does not, including rebate eligibility.
Budget and design fees
What does a Millbrae landscape project cost?
Construction and design are contracted separately, so they are quoted separately and shown separately here.
Sequoia Outdoor offers a free initial one-hour onsite consultation, and the presentation that follows it is free as well. Concept plans start at $1,000, and more detailed design work is quoted according to the project. Construction projects have a $25,000 minimum, and qualifying design fees may be credited toward construction: if you enter into a construction contract with us within 30 days of your final design being delivered, an amount equal to the design fee is deducted from that contract.
The completed Millbrae construction project in our recordsAbout $65,000Pavers, a wall and planting across the front, side and back yards, completed June 2026. One project is not a base for an average, so none is given. The construction minimum is $25,000.
The three published case studies nearby$75,000 to $431,000A San Mateo corner-lot front yard at $75,000 to $90,000, a Hillsborough pavers, turf and walls project at $240,000 to $275,000 and a San Bruno hillside backyard at $377,500 to $431,000, each range the sum of its own published cost rows. Not Millbrae pricing and not quotes for another property.
The eventual price depends on scope, access, grading, drainage, materials, structures, utilities, planting, approvals and other property-specific requirements. In Millbrae the items most likely to move a budget are a significant tree, which adds an arborist report and replacement trees to any removal, and a hillside lot, where the walls and the drainage can cost as much as the finishes.
Ask for the split before you commit. A proposal should separate design services, construction, specialist work such as arborist input or engineering, and anything excluded. If those sit in one number, you cannot tell what a change to one of them costs.
What 16 signed proposals cost shows the full spread across the Peninsula and South Bay.
Pricing reviewed 5 September 2026.
From first visit to completed landscape
- 01
Initial consultation
The property, your priorities, intended use, timing and investment expectations.
- 02
Site discovery
Access, grade, drainage, existing trees, utilities, structures and the other visible constraints.
- 03
Concept and design
Layout, features, materials and planting direction, to the design scope you selected.
- 04
Scope and construction proposal
The work Sequoia will perform, with assumptions, allowances and exclusions identified.
- 05
Approvals and preparation
Which City or County, fire, utility, engineering, arborist or other approvals may apply, and which of those services are inside the scope. Sequoia does not perform every specialty itself.
- 06
Construction and walkthrough
The approved scope coordinated, progress communicated, and the finished work reviewed with you.
The scheduled completion date is confirmed after the preconstruction walkthrough, not at the initial consultation. Schedule credits apply only to qualifying company-controlled delays and remain subject to the signed agreement and its exclusions. Read the schedule-credit terms.
Every claim here links to the thing that backs it
Sequoia Outdoor’s website currently reports 80 review listings and recommendations across six platforms as of 2026-08-30. That is a count of listings and recommendations, not of customers and not of Millbrae projects. Read the review archive. The license is CSLB #1099847, verifiable on the state board’s register. The project count and figure on this page come from our own project records and are stated as such. The on-time schedule credit is subject to its complete published terms.
Millbrae landscape design and build FAQs
Does Sequoia Outdoor work in Millbrae?
Yes. Sequoia Outdoor is based in San Mateo, two cities south, and serves Millbrae from there. Our project records show one completed Millbrae construction project, photographed on this page, and a second signed. Design deliverables and construction work are defined and priced through their respective agreements.
Is the initial consultation free?
Yes, and so is the presentation that follows it. The initial one-hour on-site visit and the live walkthrough of your options and pricing are both free. Design work is separate, with concept plans starting at $1,000 and further deliverables quoted for the project.
What does a landscape project in Millbrae cost?
The completed Millbrae construction project in our records signed for about $65,000: pavers, a wall and planting across the front, side and back yards, completed June 2026. One project is not a base for an average. The three published case studies nearby, in San Mateo, Hillsborough and San Bruno, are published at $75,000 to $431,000, each the sum of its own cost rows. Construction projects start at $25,000.
Which trees are protected in Millbrae?
Any tree of any species measuring ten inches in diameter (31.4 inches around) at 54 inches above natural grade, under Municipal Code Chapter 8.60, plus street trees. A Tree Pruning Permit is needed before pruning a quarter or more of a protected tree, and a Tree Removal Permit with an arborist report before removing or relocating one, with two to four replacement trees depending on the size of the tree removed.
Can you build a patio or driveway near a protected tree in Millbrae?
Often, if the design starts from the tree. The code defines a tree protection zone of one and a half times the canopy dripline and says trenching, grading and excavation inside it are to be avoided, so the base, the edge and the drainage are laid out around that zone before the pattern is chosen. We do not employ a certified arborist; where an assessment is required it comes from a private arborist named in the scope.
Do I need a permit for a new driveway approach, sidewalk work or a drain to the street?
Yes. Any work in the City right-of-way, including removing or replacing a sidewalk or a driveway approach, needs an encroachment permit from Public Works before it starts, applied for by email or in person at the Engineering Division, with fees and deposits per the City fee schedule.
Is my Millbrae property in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone?
Check the map. Central County Fire, which serves Millbrae, Burlingame and Hillsborough, publishes the 2025 state hazard map for the city’s jurisdiction. In a Very High zone, 100-foot defensible space is mandatory, Wildland-Urban Interface building standards apply to new construction and renovations, and the designation is disclosed on sale. For a landscape plan the first five feet against the house matter most. No landscape makes a property fireproof.
Can I get a rebate for replacing my lawn in Millbrae?
Yes, for a planted conversion. Through BAWSCA’s Lawn Be Gone program Millbrae pays $2 per square foot of lawn converted to a water-efficient landscape, with a $300 rain garden option, and a Notice to Proceed is required before the lawn comes out. Rain barrels and cisterns are rebated up to $200 combined. We install both planted landscapes and artificial turf, so the rebate is part of the decision, not an afterthought.
Can I see examples of your Millbrae work?
Yes. The completed Millbrae project is shown on this page as photographs, with the completion month and the project size from our records, and no scope or price beyond that. Three case studies nearby in San Mateo, Hillsborough and San Bruno are published in full, with before-and-after photographs, cost rows and published ranges.
Does Sequoia guarantee the completion date?
Sequoia publishes an On-Time Schedule Credit policy. The scheduled completion date is confirmed after the preconstruction walkthrough, not at the first consultation. Credits apply only to qualifying company-controlled delays and remain subject to the signed agreement, its exclusions and the complete published terms.
The Burlingame page · Millbrae tree permits · Millbrae building permits · Encroachment permits · Case studies · On-Time Schedule Credit terms
Millbrae and the Cities Around It
Three things are worth confirming for your own address before design begins, because each changes who reviews the work: whether any tree near the work is ten inches across, whether the plan touches the right-of-way, and whether the lot sits on the hillside west of El Camino where the grade and the fire map change.
Let’s Plan Your Millbrae Landscape
Tell us what you want to change, how you hope to use the space, and the investment range you are considering. We will visit the property, discuss the appropriate design scope and explain the next step.
Construction projects start at $25,000. Design is quoted separately.