How do you come up with a landscape plan?
A landscape plan starts with a site walk to read sun, slope, drainage, and soil, then moves to a scaled base plan, a concept layout, and a 3D rendering before any crew breaks ground. In San Diego that first walk usually takes us 60 to 90 minutes on site.
Last updated: July 2026
Most people come to us with a folder of photos and no idea how the pieces fit their actual yard. That is fine. The plan is where it gets sorted.
The site walk comes first
We measure the lot, note where the sun sits at 4pm, and find where water goes when it rains. In Carmel Valley and Del Mar that last one matters more than people think. A flat-looking backyard often drops two feet across 40 feet, and that grade decides where a patio can go.
We check soil too. Coastal sand near Cardiff drains fast. Inland clay off I-15 holds water. Same plant, two very different irrigation plans.
From scaled base plan to 3D rendering
Next we draw the yard to scale. Then a concept layout: where the patio, the lawn, the beds, and the paths land. Once that reads right, we build a 3D rendering so you can see the backyard from your kitchen window before we pour a footing.
The rendering is not a sales gimmick. It catches problems. A pergola that shades the one warm corner. A firepit too close to a fence. We fix those on screen, not in concrete.
| Phase | What happens | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Site walk | Measure, read grade, soil, sun, drainage | 60 to 90 minutes |
| Base plan | Scaled drawing of existing conditions | 3 to 5 days |
| Concept | Layout of hardscape, lawn, beds, paths | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 3D rendering | Walkable view, revisions, plant palette | 1 to 2 weeks |
What does a landscape design cost in San Diego?
A design package for a standard residential yard runs a few thousand dollars, scaled to lot size and how much hardscape is involved. Larger estate properties in Rancho Santa Fe or La Jolla cost more because there is more to draw and more grade to solve.
That fee buys you a buildable plan. Contractor-ready drawings, a plant list, and a materials plan a crew can price and build without guessing.
Why we do not skip straight to planting
We tried the fast version early on. It costs more later. A yard planted without a drainage plan floods a bed in the first real rain. A patio set without reading the grade cracks in year two.
And a plan gives you leverage. You can price it, phase it, and build the hardscape this year and the planting next spring if the budget needs it.
If you want to see how a plan turns into a finished yard, look through our project gallery or read about our landscape design process. When you are ready to walk your yard, call Evan at 858.617.9038.