Builder's Special to Homeowner's Dream
With areas around the Portland region growing by leaps and bounds, new houses spring up quickly. Builders are focused on completing the structures to put roofs over heads and sometimes the yard seems like an afterthought. Our job is to transform the basic into beautiful.
This Happy Valley backyard is a typical suburban sloped lot with a tiny cement patio covered by the overhang from the upper floor deck and surrounded by a simple lawn. The space was large but unusable. It was a blank canvas that needed interest and a purpose.
Our client was ready for a complete yard transformation. They wanted to recreate the feel of an Oregon high desert resort where they could entertain friends, relax in the hot tub or by the fire pit, and get more use from the large space.
The easiest approach for this project was to simply remove what was there and start from scratch. The only other initial renovation was to trim some existing columns that supported the deck to allow for placement of the patio.
We removed the patio and lawn and leveled the ground to create a flat surface for the hardscape. A narrow stairway that led down from the front yard had to be replaced with a ramp to allow for easy transport of supplies and equipment.
With the yard emptied, we focused on shoring support along the extreme slope with retaining wall blocks that were brought in one at a time, set level, and stacked against the hill. From there we began adding the features.
Irrigation for the lawn was already in place. We converted it to a drip system and added zoning between the flat and sloped areas of the yard that would require different amounts of water. Drainage by the back fence was already in place.
Belgard Arbel pavers were chosen for their durability and look. Unlike typical square or rectangular pavers, this type emulates the random shape of a slate patio. Boulders were placed overlapping the edges of the patio to enhance the desert feel.
We custom-built the natural gas firepit using the same wall block as was used in the retaining wall. A specially ordered curved cast concrete was used for the cap so the fire pit would be completely circular.
Our Happy Valley clients ordered the hot tub and our team installed it using a crane that stretched out over the house. Under and around the hot tub area we’d used a deep gravel base to ensure the area wouldn’t settle under the additional weight.
While the soil and sunlight of the yard would accommodate many plants, we chose grasses, bushes, and similar plants with texture to add to the high-desert feel the clients wanted. We also installed a tall tree as a focal point and the clients added planters.
The yard is practically maintenance-free. It simply requires standard plant care of trimming back grasses in the fall, sweeping pavers, and checking for moss growth along the walls, along with irrigation system checks and winterizing.
Access to the site was our biggest challenge as the side yard was just 4 feet wide compounded by the 9-foot elevation drop between the front yard and back. Removing the existing stairway and putting in a temporary ramp eased the problem and we replaced the ramp with a new stairway when we were finished in the backyard.
Our team designed and built a fun and functional space to replace a typical new build yard with no purpose that was largely unusable. The family backyard is now an outdoor living area that our Happy Valley clients and their friends have enjoyed ever since.
