The first question everyone asks about a backyard remodel is what it costs. The honest answer is that it depends on your yard, and anyone who quotes you a price before seeing it is guessing. But “it depends” isn’t useful on its own, so here’s how the money actually works.
What moves the number most
Size. A 300 square foot patio and a 700 square foot patio are different projects. Materials scale with size, and so does the base preparation underneath, which is where much of the labor lives.
Materials. Concrete pavers are the value play. Clay brick costs more. Natural stone like bluestone costs the most and looks like it. On decks, pressure-treated wood is the entry point and composite runs meaningfully more up front, then saves you the staining every couple of years.
Site conditions. A flat, accessible backyard is the easy case. Slopes need grading or retaining walls. Tight access means smaller equipment and more hand work. Poor drainage has to be solved before anything gets built on top of it, because water is what wrecks hardscape in this climate.
The features. Seating walls, steps, lighting, a fire pit, an outdoor kitchen: each one adds real money and real use. This is where a remodel becomes yours instead of a copy of the neighbor’s.
Rough anchors, honestly framed
Every yard is different, so treat these as orientation, not a quote. In our area, straightforward paver patios generally land in the low five figures once you include proper base work. Decks typically start in the mid teens and climb with size, height, and composite surfaces. Full backyard remodels that combine a patio, fire feature, and plantings usually run well into five figures, spread across whatever phases you choose. When we quote, every line is itemized, so you see exactly where the money goes and what you could trim.
The phasing trick
Here’s the part most people don’t know: you don’t have to build it all at once. The smart move is designing the whole backyard up front, then building in phases. Patio this year, outdoor kitchen next year, plantings the year after. Each phase fits the master plan, nothing gets torn up and redone, and the budget spreads across seasons. Designing once and building three times costs far less than designing three times.
Where people waste money
Two places. First, cheap base work. A patio that heaves after two winters costs more to fix than it did to build right. Second, hiring three separate contractors who never talk to each other, so the fence crew drives over the new beds and the landscaper cuts into the finished patio. One plan, one crew, one sequence protects everything you’ve already paid for.
Getting a real number
The only accurate price is one that comes after someone walks your yard, measures it, and listens to how you want to use it. That visit is free with us. Call (224) 321-4462 or reach out here, and if you want to see what a full project looks like first, have a look at our backyard remodels page.