From flat slabs to hillside lots  Stout Design : Build Inc turns unused Orange County yards into outdoor spaces families actually live in. Custom patios, pools, outdoor kitchens, and pergolas. Designed and built by one licensed team since 1986.
Your Backyard Finally Built For the Way You Live.
Most OC yards sit empty despite 280 days of sunshine a year. The patio bakes with no shade. There’s no outdoor kitchen. The yard is sloped and contractors keep walking away from it. HOA rules feel impossible to navigate.
Tom Stout has been solving exactly these backyard remodeling problems since 1986. He’s worked on hillside lots in Laguna Beach and on estate properties along Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach.
Most outdoor contractors are either a design firm or a build crew. Tom holds three California licenses — general contractor, landscape contractor, and pool contractor. The team that designs your outdoor space is the team that builds it. One contract. One point of contact. One person who answers when you call.
Every Backyard Remodeling Service
No subcontractors sourced from a list. No handoffs between crews. The people who design your outdoor space are the same people on your job site every day.
Custom Patios & Outdoor Living Areas
Covered patios, pergolas, and shade structures designed for how your family actually uses the space. We build with materials suited to your specific OC location coastal lots near Huntington Beach need sealed, salt-resistant surfaces.
Outdoor Kitchens & Fire Features
Built-in grills, concrete or stone countertops, sinks, refrigerators, and gas fire pits. Everything designed as one cohesive outdoor living environment not individual pieces bolted together. For material specs and cost-per-sqft breakdowns, see our dedicated hardscape page.
Custom Patios & Outdoor Living Areas
Covered patios, pergolas, and shade structures designed for how your family actually uses the space. We build with materials suited to your specific OC location — coastal lots near Huntington Beach need sealed, salt-resistant surfaces.
Pergolas, Shade Structures & Seating
Freestanding and attached pergolas, shade sails, and built-in seating walls. OC's year-round outdoor climate makes covered seating the single highest-used feature in any backyard remodeling project we complete.
Hillside & Sloped Lot Solutions
Terraced outdoor living areas, retaining walls, grading, and drainage for lots with grade changes. Most contractors walk away from slopes over 4 feet. We have built on hillside properties in Laguna Beach, Aliso Viejo, and San Clemente where the grade change exceeded 8 feet.
When to Start Your OC Backyard Remodel Season by Season
Orange County’s mild climate means construction runs year-round. But timing your project right saves money, avoids permit delays, and gets your outdoor space ready when you actually want to use it.
Best availability, permit offices less backlogged. Start now, enjoy the space by spring.
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast
High demand — schedule early. Best for planting native landscapes after install.
Peak season. Longer lead times. If you want a summer outdoor space, start your backyard remodeling project the previous fall
Before & After Three Outdoor Spaces We Transformed
Back Bay, Newport Beach Complete Backyard Overhaul
A family on Bayside Drive had a 1970s home with no connection between interior and exterior. The rear yard was unused despite year-round weather that demanded an outdoor living space.
We redesigned the kitchen to open toward the rear yard, added bi-fold doors that erased the indoor-outdoor boundary, and built a covered outdoor kitchen with a gas firepit. Every permit pulled through the City of Newport Beach. HOA sign-off in week two. Project time: 14 weeks. The family now spends most evenings outside.
Bluebird Canyon, Laguna Beach Hillside Backyard Transformed
An 8-foot grade change across a 40-foot span. Most contractors walked away. We designed a terraced outdoor living area with a plunge pool integrated into the lower tier, natural stone retaining walls that matched the home’s exterior, and California native plantings requiring almost no irrigation once established. Total project time: 11 weeks.
Seapoint Street, Huntington Beach Two Projects, One Team
A kitchen remodel and a master bathroom refresh running simultaneously — three other contractors said it couldn’t be done. We ran both projects with one project manager. Total outdoor and interior disruption: under three weeks.
Our Process
Permits, Licensing, and Your Protection
Every project we build is fully permitted and properly closed. Permitting protects your investment, your insurance coverage, and your ability to sell your home on your terms. We handle permit submission, tracking, inspection coordination, and final sign-off as part of our standard scope.
 Our CSLB license and bond information are available before any contract is signed. Verify any contractor at cslb.ca.gov. Confirm the license is active and the class covers your project scope. Request a certificate of workers’ compensation. Under California law, no contractor may ask for more than 10 percent or $1,000 upfront, whichever is less.
Stout Design Build vs. Other OC Backyard Contractors
Over 5,000 licensed general contractors operate in Orange County. Here’s what separates the ones worth hiring.
| What Matters | Stout Design Build | Typical OC Contractors |
|---|---|---|
| GC + Landscape + Pool license | âś“ All three active | Usually one, sometimes two |
| Permit management | âś“ Fully handled | Often extra cost or not offered |
| HOA submission package | âś“ Included, first-round approval focus | Often left to homeowner |
| Same design & build team | ✓ Always | Rarely — separate subcontractors |
| Hillside lot experience | ✓ Extensive — Laguna, Aliso, SJC | Most walk away from grade changes |
| Same-day response | ✓ Yes | 48–72 hrs average |
ADU Construction and Garage Conversions
California AB 2221 opened the door for homeowners across Orange County to add income-producing space. Huntington Beach offers a Pre-Approved ADU Plan Program under California AB 1332 for a 1-story detached 490 square foot ADU. Using the pre-approved plan saves design time and speeds permit issuance. Newport Beach ADU plan check fees range from $850 to $1,700 for conversions with building permit fees of $850 to $2,100 after approval. Coastal Zone properties in Newport Beach may also require a Coastal Development Permit.
 Irvine ADU projects contact the Planning Division at planning@cityofirvine.org or 949-724-6308. Irvine’s Pre-Approved ADU Standard Plan Program streamlines plan check. San Clemente ADU submittals go to City Hall at 910 Calle Negocio during business hours. Laguna Beach ADU projects require Coastal Development Permit review in most cases. We handle all permit coordination and agency review processes.
Licenses, Awards & Where to Find Us
CSLB Licensed General Contractor (B) — State of California
Licensed Landscape Contractor (C-27) — California
Licensed Pool Contractor — California
30+ Years Serving OC Homeowners — Since 1986
Kansas State University — Horticulture Degree (Tom Stout)
Certified Irrigation & Soil Management Specialist
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a backyard remodel cost in Orange County?
Do I need a permit for a backyard remodel in OC?
Can you work on HOA-governed properties?
How long does a backyard remodeling project take in Orange County?
Do you handle sloped and hillside lots?
Begin Your Green Journey
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