This backyard transformation turned a dirt lot into a complete backyard paradise with landscaping, a retaining wall, pool build, covered patio, artificial turf, solar pool heater, landscape lighting, and smart string lights. The entire process took more than two years to complete and included major excavation, concrete work, plumbing, shotcrete, tile, plaster, turf installation, stucco, painting, lighting, and final finishing touches.
This backyard project started as a plain dirt lot and became a fully finished outdoor living space. The transformation included a large pool, retaining wall, patio cover, artificial turf, palm trees, bushes, drip irrigation, solar pool heating, LED lighting, and smart outdoor string lights.
The work was completed in phases over more than two years. Some parts were handled by professionals, while other parts involved a lot of manual labor. The project started with landscaping and slope removal, then moved into retaining wall construction, pool excavation, plumbing, rebar, shotcrete, tile, patio concrete, plaster, solar heating, turf, lighting, and a covered patio.
The first step was adding bushes along the back retaining wall to give the backyard some life. After that, the slope needed to be removed. The slope was 78 feet long, and the only tools used were shovels, a jackhammer, and wheelbarrows.
When the digging was finished, about 30 tons of rock and dirt had been removed. This took roughly two weeks to complete. Looking back, hiring an excavator would have saved a huge amount of time and labor.
After the slope was removed, it was time to build a retaining wall across the full 78-foot length of the backyard. Before construction could begin, a hole was cut through the brick wall to provide backyard access.
The crew marked the line for the concrete footing, then used an excavator to dig the trench. Rebar was installed along the bottom of the trench to provide strength and stability. After that, concrete was poured for the footing.
The first row of concrete blocks was placed directly into the wet concrete. This first row is critical because it needs to be level and straight. If the first row is not correct, the entire retaining wall can end up crooked.
Once the wall was built, the back side was sealed with a waterproof membrane to help prevent water from seeping through. Then the wall was backfilled before additional landscaping was added.
Before starting the pool construction, palm trees, bushes, drip irrigation, and rock ground cover were added. Doing this before the pool build helped avoid a bigger mess later.
Once the plants, irrigation lines, and rock were installed, the pool location could be marked. The pool design included a wet deck, bubbler, stairs, a large shelf, and a waterfall.
The pool measured 36 feet long, 13 feet wide, and 6 feet deep at the deepest point. Digging the pool took four days. During the excavation process, the crew hit caliche, a very hard rock commonly found in Las Vegas.
The caliche had to be broken apart and scooped out. This added extra labor and cost. In the video, the caliche removal was charged at $135 per hour, and it was hard enough to break two machines during the process.
After excavation, the pool moved into the plumbing phase. The first system installed was the in-ground pool cleaner, which automatically cleans the bottom of the pool.
The pool included 22 pop-up cleaners divided into six stations. While the pool pump is running, the in-ground floor cleaner also runs, helping keep the pool clean with very little manual work.
Additional plumbing was installed for the skimmer, returns, drain, and waterfall. All pipes lead to the side of the house, where the pool pump and large pool filter are located.
Once plumbing was complete, the rebar crew installed the steel reinforcement. The crew started early in the morning and finished before noon, which matters in Las Vegas summer heat.
Next came the shotcrete. The entire pool area was protected before concrete was sprayed into place. One crew member sprayed the concrete while the rest shaped the pool, stairs, shelves, and waterfall ledge.
After the concrete was placed and shaped, it needed to cure for seven days. During that curing period, the concrete was watered twice a day. After curing, the pool tile was installed. The chosen tile had a marble-style look, giving the pool a clean, classic appearance. Once the tile was grouted and cleaned, the LED pool light was installed.
The pool deck and patio required a lot of concrete work. First, the ground had to be flattened and prepped. Then two-by-fours were installed to frame the patio area. This preparation took about two days.
Once the patio was ready, the concrete was poured, spread, leveled, smoothed, and brushed. Drainage lines were also added so water could run off properly. This stage required a large crew and took the entire day.
The final pool surface was Caribbean Blue quartz plaster. Before spraying the finish, the pool had to be cleaned and prepped. Once the surface was ready, the quartz plaster was sprayed on, shaped, smoothed, and worked repeatedly as it dried.
After the plaster was complete, the pool was filled with water. It took about 24 hours to fill the pool with approximately 18,000 gallons of water.
A solar pool heater was installed to help heat the pool during the summer. The system works by sending pool water up to the roof, where it passes through plastic tubes heated by the sun. The warm water then travels back down to the pool pump and returns to the pool.
The system includes a thermostat, allowing the pool temperature to be set and maintained. In the video, the pool is kept between 85 and 91 degrees, which is comfortable for swimming.
Artificial turf was installed on the side of the house and around the pool. The turf was rolled out, cut to size, secured with nails, and seamed together. The main reasons for choosing artificial turf were lower maintenance and water savings. A bonus benefit is fewer bugs compared with real grass.
Before the turf was added around the pool, the retaining wall was stuccoed and painted to match the house. This transformed the plain concrete block wall into a much cleaner and more finished-looking backdrop.
LED lights and smart RGB string lights were also added. The lights are controlled by remote, can be scheduled, and offer different color modes and brightness levels. The goal was to make the backyard automated, with lighting that turns on and off automatically.
The covered patio was installed to add shade near the shallow end of the pool. Without it, the backyard pool deck gets hit by direct sun all day.
The patio cover installation took one day. It was built to handle Las Vegas heat and wind, and it also included a gutter to pull rainwater away from the patio. Additional dimmable white lights were installed on the patio cover and added to the same automated schedule as the other outdoor lights.
The final backyard cost came to $83,400. These prices were based on the 2020 and 2021 project timeline, so current costs may be higher due to inflation, material prices, labor rates, and local market conditions.
| Backyard Project Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Retaining wall | $8,000 |
| Plants on both retaining walls | $4,000 |
| Pool with pool deck | $55,000 |
| Solar pool heater | $3,000 |
| Artificial turf and painted stucco wall | $10,000 |
| Covered patio | $3,000 |
| Landscape lighting | $400 |
| Grand Total | $83,400 |
This backyard transformation shows how a plain dirt lot can become a complete outdoor living space with the right planning, patience, and investment. The project included major hardscape work, pool construction, landscaping, lighting, shade, and automation.
The full cost of $83,400 included the retaining wall, plants, pool and pool deck, solar pool heater, artificial turf, stucco wall, covered patio, and landscape lighting. While prices have likely increased since this project was completed, the breakdown gives homeowners a helpful real-world example of what a full backyard transformation can involve.
This is our amazing backyard transformation. We transformed this dirt lot into a backyard paradise. This includes all landscaping, the pool build, the covered patio, and all the landscape lighting. This entire process took over two years to complete.
Now let's start at the beginning of this process. The first thing we did was plant some bushes on the back of the retaining wall to give the backyard some life.
Next, we had to dig out the slope, which was 78 feet in length. The only tools we used were shovels, a jackhammer, and wheelbarrows. Lucky for me, my son was very helpful. He worked many hours helping dig the slope out.
When it was all said and done, we removed about 30 tons of rock and dirt. This took about two weeks to complete. We had no idea it would be this much work. If I had known that, I would have hired an excavator to do all the hard work.
After removing the dirt, it was time to build a retaining wall that runs the entire length of our backyard, which is 78 feet.
First, we had to cut a hole through our brick wall to access the backyard. Then they spray painted a line through the backyard where the concrete footing needed to be.
Next, they brought in an excavator to dig out the trench for the concrete footing. Looking back, I should have hired this excavator to dig out our entire slope. It would have taken one day instead of the two weeks it took us.
After the trench was dug, they inserted rebar along the bottom of the trench. This provides strength and stability for the retaining wall. Then it was time for the concrete pour.
The first layer of concrete blocks went directly into the concrete. It is very important to get this level and straight. If it is not level, the whole wall will be crooked.
Once the first layer of concrete blocks was done, they started building the wall. This process took about one day to complete. They were pretty quick, and I have to admit, it was fun to watch. It is definitely an art form.
If you live in Las Vegas and want to build a retaining wall in your backyard, I will have the company's information listed in the description below.
Near the end of this video, I will also have a full price breakdown of everything we put in this backyard. This includes the pool, retaining wall, patio cover, lights, and landscaping. You might be surprised by the price we paid for this backyard paradise.
Keep in mind that all of these costs were from 2020 and 2021. As you know, things have gone up in cost because of inflation and shortages, so keep that in mind.
After they finished building the retaining wall, they sealed the back of it with a waterproof membrane. This helps prevent water from seeping through the wall.
Now it was time to backfill the wall before adding any plants. We added palm trees, bushes, and more drip irrigation.
I definitely wanted to plant these bushes before the pool building process. Trying to plant all these bushes after the pool build would have been a huge mess.
Once we finished planting the bushes, installing the irrigation lines, and adding the rock ground cover, we could mark the spot for the pool.
At one end of the pool is the wet deck and bubbler. Then there are stairs that go into the pool, and we created a large shelf with a waterfall.
This pool is 36 feet long and 13 feet wide, with a deepest point of 6 feet. Now it was time to dig a very big hole.
Once again, this was definitely a fun process to watch. It took two guys four days to dig out this pool.
At this point, they framed the pool with wood and steel rods. You can also see where the shelf is going to be for the waterfall.
Then they hit the dreaded caliche, which is very hard rock. They had to break up the rock and scoop it out. We had quite a bit of caliche, and I believe they charged $135 an hour to remove it.
They had to keep breaking up the caliche and scooping it out over and over again. It even broke two machines because that is how hard the material is.
What you are watching here is the last day of the pool dig. They are almost done. All they have to do is scoop out the deep end, which is about 6 feet deep.
Once the hole was dug, we were off to plumbing.
The first thing installed was the in-ground pool cleaner. This system cleans the bottom of the pool automatically.
As you can see, they heat the PVC pipes, which allows them to curve the pipes. Once the pipe is set, they pour water on it to make it hard again. It is a pretty cool process.
The entire pool plumbing process took about three days. This included all the pipes, the pool pump, and the pool filter.
There were PVC pipes going everywhere, but most of these pipes were for the in-ground pool cleaner. We have 22 pop-ups throughout the pool, and these pop-ups are arranged in six stations.
While the pool pump is running, the in-ground floor cleaner is running as well. This means the pool is clean all the time, and the best part is that I do not have to do a thing. This was well worth the price.
The rest of the pipes are for the skimmer, return, drain, and waterfall. All of these pipes lead to the side of the house where the pool pump is located.
On the side of the house, we have our pool pump, large pool filter, and large solar pool heater. We will show the solar pool heater installation later in the video, but that was a separate installation.
After the pool plumbing was finished, it was time for the rebar. There was a lot of it. These guys showed up at about 7:00 in the morning and were done before noon, which is a good thing because in Las Vegas in July, it is about 110 degrees during the day.
Next, it was time for the shotcrete. There is a lot of prep work with the shotcrete process because you do not want this stuff flying around. They enclosed the entire pool to protect my house and the landscaping.
Then came the concrete truck. This process is pretty amazing. Somehow, they hook a hose up to the concrete truck, and I am guessing it is pressurized because that concrete comes out fast.
As one guy sprays the concrete into the pool, the other guys begin to form the pool. It is really fun to watch how they build the stairs, shelves, and ledge for the waterfall.
Anytime you can watch concrete flying out of a hose and then being shaped into a pool, that is pretty cool.
This process took one day to complete, and it took seven guys to get it all done. After the concrete was sprayed into the pool, the rest of the crew began shaping it. As the concrete dried, they smoothed everything out and rounded the corners.
It does not have to be perfect because the blue quartz plaster will go over it. The concrete needed to cure for seven days, so I watered the concrete twice a day for seven days.
After the concrete cured, it was time for the tile installation. We chose a pool tile that looks like marble and has a Greek-style look.
They added wood planks along the bottom where the tile would rest during installation. These planks acted as a guide and made the tile easier to install.
They also tiled the waterfall. Once they were done installing the tile, they went back and grouted it. After the grout was finished, they wiped everything clean.
Once the tile was complete, they installed the LED pool light. That part was pretty quick.
Next, it was time to pour the patio. We have a lot of square feet of patio, but first they had to prep it and get it flat. It took a lot of guys all day to get this done.
Once the ground was flat, they added two-by-fours to frame the patio. This process took about two days just to prep.
After the patio was prepped, they began pouring the concrete. This was amazing to watch, and it took a lot of guys to get it done. They started early in the morning and finished when the sun went down.
Once again, this is definitely an art form. Watching how they spread the concrete, flatten it, level it, smooth it out, add drainage lines, and then brush it was a sight to behold. They did a fantastic job.
Now it was time for the last step of the pool build, which was the quartz pool spray. We chose Caribbean Blue, a beautiful color.
Before they sprayed the quartz plaster, they had to prep the pool by removing debris and washing off the concrete. Once the concrete was clean, they began spraying the quartz plaster.
It reminded me of shaving gel coming out of a hose. After they sprayed on the Caribbean Blue quartz plaster, they began shaping it and smoothing it out.
As the plaster began to dry, they kept working it, smoothing it out, waiting, and then smoothing it again until it was all done. Once again, it was awesome to watch.
Once the plaster was complete, I could add the water. It took 24 hours to fill the pool with about 18,000 gallons. The pool build was done.
Next was the solar pool heater installation. The solar pool heater heats our pool for free in the summer.
The water from the pool travels up to the roof to the pool heater, which is made from plastic tubes. The sun heats these tubes, which heats the water. Then the water travels back down the tubes to the pool pump, where warm water is pumped back into the pool.
It is really that simple. The thermostat comes with the pool heater, so we can set it and forget it. We keep our pool between 85 and 91 degrees, which is very comfortable.
Now we installed some LED lights. These LED lights are controlled with a remote and are also on a timer, so once again, we can set it and forget it.
It is really amazing what a set of lights can do to a backyard. It makes a huge difference.
Next was the turf installation. They installed the turf on the side of the house first, and it took two large rolls for this install. They rolled the turf out, cut it to size, and secured it to the ground with nails.
They also had to connect the seam in the middle. They connected it and hammered it down until the seam basically disappeared.
This installation took a full day. I decided not to show the prep work where they added sand and leveled the ground because it was kind of boring to watch.
The turf looks great and feels great. What a difference some green can make.
Before installing the turf around the pool, we stuccoed and painted the retaining wall to make it look better.
It took a full day to stucco the entire wall. This was a very cool process to watch because they transformed an ugly concrete wall into something really beautiful.
After the wall was stuccoed, we let it dry for a couple of days. Then they came back and painted the whole wall. The color we chose matches our house.
It took about half a day to paint the wall. Going from an ugly concrete retaining wall to a beautiful stucco painted wall was a big improvement.
After the paint dried for a couple of days, they came back and added the turf around the pool. They cut the turf into long pieces about 12 inches wide, laid it down, and nailed it into place.
The main reasons we chose artificial grass over real grass were maintenance and saving water. A bonus with artificial turf is that there are fewer bugs. We still have a few ants, but that is really it.
Now we added some lights to the backyard. These are RGB smart lights from XM Cozy. These lights have a variety of color patterns to choose from and can be set to turn on and off at different times, so they are fully automated.
One of the main goals of our backyard paradise was to put everything on a timer. We wanted to set it and forget it.
I have to be honest, I got a bit nervous on the ladder, especially at the top of the roof, which was about 24 feet high. Otherwise, it was a very easy installation. Screw in a hook, hang the light, and you are done.
With these lights, you can adjust the brightness and change the colors to whatever you want. There are also nine different scenes. One of them is called Chase.
Now it was time for the covered patio install. We hired Coda Patios out of Las Vegas for the installation. This install took one day to complete. They were fast and efficient.
This patio cover is well built and stands up to a lot of wind and heat. The main reason we decided to put a patio cover in this location was so that when we are in the shallow end of the pool, we get a little bit of shade.
Without this patio cover, the backyard pool deck gets hammered by the sun all day with no relief.
The patio cover even has a gutter, so when it rains, the water is pulled away from the patio.
Next, we added lights to the patio cover. These are the same brand of lights we used for the house, except these are only white. However, they are dimmable, so we can adjust the brightness.
Once again, these lights are on a schedule, so they go on and off at the same time as the house lights. They are fully automated.
Now it is time for the full price breakdown for the entire backyard paradise.
The grand total was $83,400.
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