Outdoor Living Projects: Compare Full Service Yard Bids

A big outdoor upgrade often starts with a simple wish. You want a patio where chairs sit flat. You want a path that stays dry in winter. You want lighting that does not glare into the living room. Then you start planning, and you realize the job touches masonry, wiring, irrigation, drainage, and carpentry. If you hire the wrong mix of trades, the yard ends up with uneven finishes and finger pointing.

In Monterey County and San Benito County, weather adds pressure. Coastal fog keeps surfaces damp longer, which encourages slippery algae on stone. Inland heat spikes water demand and stresses new plantings. Many lots also sit near oaks, so roots, leaf drop, and shade affect both design and maintenance.

The best bids do more than list a price. They show how the team will sequence trades and protect your home. This guide helps you compare proposals for outdoor living spaces with fewer surprises.

Start with function, not features
Begin with what you want the yard to do on a normal week.
• Seating for a certain number of people
• A cooking zone that stays away from foot traffic
• A play zone that stays visible from inside
• A quiet corner with shade and a view
• Storage for bins, tools, and pool toys if you have them

When you name functions first, you avoid costly add ons later. A fire feature changes clearances. A pergola changes drainage and footings. A built in grill changes gas routing and electrical needs.

Demand a site plan that respects grade and water
Water problems ruin outdoor work. Ask each bidder to show how water moves across the yard after the project.
Look for:
• Slope arrows on patios and paths
• Drain inlet locations
• Downspout routing
• Discharge points that avoid sending runoff to a neighbor
• Notes on how the crew handles heavy rain during the build

If your lot includes a slope, ask for a section drawing that shows finished elevations. Hills feel gentle when you walk them, yet they move water fast during storms.

Treat hard surfaces as a structural system
Stone and pavers look like finish work, yet they behave like structure. Base prep controls settling, wobble, and cracked joints.
Ask bidders to spell out:
• Excavation depth for each surface type
• Base material, thickness, and compaction method
• Edge restraint type and placement
• Joint material and joint depth
• Where the crew plans to add expansion gaps

For steps, ask about riser height consistency. A small variation creates trip risk. For seat walls and retaining walls, ask about drain rock, pipe, and outlets behind the wall.

Confirm trade coordination in writing
Outdoor living spaces often include these moving parts:
• Masonry for patios, walls, steps, and veneer
• Electrical for lighting, outlets, and low voltage runs
• Carpentry for pergolas, decks, and privacy screens
• Irrigation work for new planting zones and valve placement
• Plumbing or gas work for grills and fire features

Ask each bidder to describe who performs each trade. Some firms keep trades in house. Others use subs. Either path works when the plan stays clear. Problems start when the bid hides trade scope or leaves it “by owner.”

Use a simple sequence test
Ask the bidder to walk through the work order, start to finish, in plain language. A solid sequence sounds like a story with clear handoffs.
A typical sequence includes:

Mark utilities and protect access paths.

Demo and rough grading.

Underground work, drainage, sleeves, conduit, irrigation lines.

Footings and wall bases.

Hard surface base prep and surface install.

Carpentry and structure builds.

Planting soil prep and install.

Irrigation heads, drip, and controller setup.

Lighting fixtures and final aiming.

Final grade touch ups and cleanup.

If a bidder jumps straight to stone setting without describing underground work, treat that as a warning.

Ask for material mockups where the eye matters
Outdoor work spans many finishes. Two stones with similar color behave differently in fog or full sun. One grout stains. Another stays clean.
Ask for:
• Stone and paver samples in natural light at your site
• A plan for sealing, with brand and timing noted
• A jointing method that matches the material
• For wood structures, a finish schedule and hardware notes

In coastal zones near Monterey, salt air and wind push grit into joints. A good plan addresses easy rinsing and drainage gaps.

Build a planting plan that fits irrigation zones
Planting success depends on matching water needs to zones. A mixed bed with one thirsty plant and one drought tolerant plant pushes waste and stress.
Ask the bidder to group plants by:
• Sun exposure, full sun, part shade, deep shade
• Water needs, low, medium, higher establishment needs
• Mature size, with spacing that avoids constant pruning
• Root behavior near paving and walls

If you want low water use, ask for mulch depth and soil amendment notes. Those details matter as much as the plant list.

Compare scope using third party descriptions
When you line up bids, cross check service scope so you do not miss a trade that your project needs. For example, the company report for Jerry Allison Landscaping, Inc. describes a full service outdoor approach that includes design, installation, maintenance, and the ability to build features such as decks, patios, outdoor kitchens, and pergolas, which helps you verify that a proposal covers both finish work and the systems beneath.

Use a final decision checklist
Before you pick a provider, run these checks.
• The bid lists drainage routing and finished slope directions.
• The bid lists base prep details for every hard surface.
• The bid states who performs electrical, gas, and carpentry work.
• The bid shows valve, drain, and cleanout access points.
• The bid includes a plant plan grouped by sun and water needs.
• The bidder explains the sequence without vague leaps.

Outdoor upgrades feel rewarding when you plan them like a small construction project, not a garden refresh. Focus on water, structure, and trade coordination. Those basics keep your new patio, pergola, or outdoor kitchen aligned with the way you live, in foggy coastal weather or hot inland afternoons.