This review is long overdue. We hired Miguel and his company, Creative Turf, to do a backyard…read morehardscape job almost two years ago and could not be happier with how everything went from start to finish. I have hired many contractors over the years, many of them top-notch in their trades. But I have honestly NEVER seen such a gritty, non-stop, hard-working group of guys in my life. Their work ethic was the best I have ever seen. Our yard was decent prior to hiring them (when it was cleaned up), but it had areas with a lot of dirt and gravel, and the grass required heavy maintenance for a smaller yard. We also had a lot of insects like flies and small bugs that lived in the grass, so spending time outside was usually brief. We wanted to get rid of our natural grass, the original concrete patio, an old hot tub pad, and the gravel-covered dirt areas to update everything. The list of things we wanted included: Complete Demo: They removed more than 12 inches of dirt so we could change the pitch of the yard for better drainage. Concrete Work: Digging and pouring concrete footings for a future patio cover. Electrical Prep: Installing conduit sleeves with mule tape for future electrical boxes around the yard and stub-outs for the BBQ area. Wiring: Running low-voltage and speaker wire to all the planter beds. Irrigation: Installing an entirely new irrigation system. Hardscape & Turf: Installing a paver system, building planter beds, and laying turf. We had a few different contractors bid on the job. One of them was a 4-hour marathon that felt like a high-pressure timeshare pitch; another had a reasonable price but an open-ended contract, which was obviously a way to add additional upcharges. Then came Miguel. He was laid back, made us feel at ease, and was incredibly knowledgeable. He helped us come up with sensible design ideas, and his estimate was highly detailed, showing the costs for all phases of the project. He also agreed that there wouldn't be any surprise charges unless we decided to change aspects of the project along the way. On the first day, a small army of guys showed up to start the demo, and we could tell right away they were hard workers. The demo took a couple of extra days because there were way more palm roots than expected, plus buried concrete pathways and old fence-post footings from years ago that we didn't even know existed. But every day, from 7 AM until 5 PM in the heat, these guys were busting concrete with sledgehammers, jackhammering, digging, and hauling out material--all without taking more than a lunch break and a couple of quick drink breaks. We didn't have good access, so they had to do all the demo with hand tools and remove everything manually with wheelbarrows. A lot of the turf installations we had seen prior to hiring Miguel were done in a way where you could see seams or dips. The turf Creative Turf installed looks amazing; you can't see any seams or drain covers, even though we know exactly where they are. After almost two years of wear and tear with a large dog and our family trampling it, it is still holding up great. Our grandson loves running around and lying on it. The pavers were cut with precision, and you can tell they spent a lot of time getting every joint and curve just right. The planter beds turned out beautifully and have given us several new seating areas. One thing I was a little nervous about was how well the drastic change in pitch to our yard would handle runoff and drainage after a big rain. It hasn't rained much since the job was completed, but it has rained hard a couple of times, and the drainage system they built worked perfectly. It gets rid of more water than before, with absolutely no ponding anywhere like we used to get. Now we spend more time in our backyard than we ever have. There are practically no insects, and when I'm outside relaxing, I'm not staring at yard work that needs to be done. Needless to say, we highly recommend Miguel and Creative Turf, and we will absolutely hire him again when we are ready to do our front yard. P.S. We used Synlawn's Pet and Play turf for our project. Even prior to hiring Miguel, April at Synlawn mentioned he was an amazing contractor to work with. She was exactly right!

Miguel and his team did a great job. We've used them several times now - very efficient and high…read morequality. Would strongly recommend for any outdoor work. Thank you!

With the heavy rain we recently had, I was in a bit of a bind and needed a retaining wall installed…read moreASAP to keep my fence from falling over. Luis came out right away to provide a quote, which was very reasonably priced. He was incredibly responsive to all my questions and had his crew ready to go as soon as the ground dried out. The team was professional, efficient, and did an outstanding job. They had 4-5 guys on-site and completed a 55-foot-long, 3-foot-high retaining wall in just two days! They also made sure to clean up everything before leaving, which I really appreciated. Luis is awesome to work with, and the quality of the work speaks for itself. I'll definitely be using them for several more projects in the coming months. I couldn't recommend Luis and his team more highly!

Highly recommend! That could be the end of this review! But read on to find out why…read more We initially worked with a landscape architect. We liked the ideas the architect offered but not the cost as quoted by the contractor the architect referred us to. So we decided to contract our own specialists - act as our own general contractor. SD Paverscapes was one of three paver contractors we contacted. Luis was quick to respond and listened to our ideas. He provided us with a plan we loved and a price we could handle. The installation crew was absolutely first rate. It was a pleasure to watch craftsmen apply their skills! The result is fabulous! Honestly, it turned out better than we had imagined! As with ALL contractors, you - as the client - need to always be communicating with Luis. We made slight modifications to our original plan as the work progressed, but they all were fine because we were in constant dialog with Luis.

We had a great experience and would highly recommend this company! Angel and Mario were incredibly…read morehelpful throughout the entire process. Angel was excellent with communication--always quick to respond by text throughout the day and even into the evening. Their pricing was very competitive, and they worked with us to stay within our budget. Our vision for the backyard changed a few times, but Angel was flexible, patient, and offered thoughtful suggestions that made the space more functional and family-friendly for our two young girls. He was also very considerate of our schedule as parents of small children. A few months after the installation, we had a minor issue with the turf, and Angel was just as responsive and communicative as he was during the project. That level of customer service really stood out.

Angel and Frank were both great to work with. They touched base everyday during the project to…read moreinsure everything went as planned. Although the project was delayed originally, they worked through the weekend to get it done. Turf and Pavers look great! It's like we got more space added to our house.

Mike and his team were friendly, professional, and very easy to work with. They did great work at a…read morecompetitive price. They removed several dilapidated palm trees along with our lawn and replaced them with a beautiful, low-maintenance xeriscape. We had a general plan in mind, but Mike and his team provided the expertise and attention to detail that brought everything together. The end result looks fantastic, and we couldn't be happier with how it turned out. Highly recommended!

Mike and his team did a great job, very quickly. Super respectful and friendly staff. We'll be…read morehiring them again!

Mike and his team did an outstanding job on our retaining wall, front hardscape, concrete steppers,…read moreand custom planter boxes. The craftsmanship is top-notch, and every detail was thoughtfully executed. From day one, Mike was easy to work with, responsive, transparent, and incredibly focused on delivering a high-quality result. He patiently answered all of our questions and made sure every aspect of the project met his standards. If there was ever something he felt could be improved, he proactively addressed it without hesitation. All of our neighbors were so impressed that several asked for quotes themselves, and were amazed at how quickly they were able to finish the project from start to end. We couldn't recommend Mike and his team enough!

I highly recommend Cal South Premier Landscape & Hardscapes. They are very responsive,…read moreprofessional, and they did fantastic work for us. We will definitely be using them again in the future!

I hired Alterra to conduct complete re-landscaping of my front, side, and back yards. The scope of…read morework involved large sections of concrete, pavers, and low water use hardscaping. The work took place during the hottest period of the summer at my east San Diego County home. My favorable experience with Alterra began from the moment I reached out and contacted Mark for a quote. He replied the same day and was the only one to do so. The numerous other landscape businesses I contacted for a quote either responded weeks later or not at all. Other positive traits I experienced with Alterra include: * Was always very receptive, answering my calls, texts, or emails within a few hours if not immediately. * Made excellent recommendations, not in attempt to upsell but to address important issues that I would have never thought of. His recommendations for drainage systems in my yard have proven to be spot on. * His quotes were very competitive, and in most cases ended up being the exact amount that I paid. * The sub-contractors he used did excellent work, especially the concrete sub-contractor. All of his regular crew did excellent work also. They worked every day M-F, starting early and working nonstop for complete days. On several of those days the outside temps exceeded 100 degrees, but that didn't slow them down in the slightest. * Used AI photo overlays to help us come to a decision on how we wanted our yard to look. One of the most difficult steps in landscaping our yard was deciding on landscape features that both my wife and I would like. I used my camera drone to take some overhead photos of my yard, sent those pics to Mark, and he used AI overlays superimposed on my pics to illustrate how the yard would look with different features. This was a huge help in determining the way forward in getting our yard exactly how we wanted it. * His vast level of experience was readily apparent. He was able to point out challenges and issues with our plan, along with potential solutions before they started work. For unforeseen challenges and issues that arose during the work, he advised me immediately, along with possible solutions, and did not proceed without first consulting with me. My overall experience with Alterra was totally positive. We are very happy with the way our yard landscape turned out and the cost was very reasonable. Mark and his crew have a vast level of experience and a solid work ethic. I recommend Alterra for landscaping needs. DK Santee, CA

Having no prior experience with yard renovations, my wife consulted and interviewed over a dozen…read morecontractors. Mark stood out immediately for his professionalism, reliability, and honesty. While his quote wasn't the lowest, his expert advice during our consultation made all the difference. We feel incredibly fortunate to have chosen his team! Alterra completely transformed our yard with gorgeous retaining walls and over 2,000 square feet of pavers. Once the price was set, Mark handled design adjustments smoothly without raising prices mid-project. Even for extra work outside the original scope--like adjusting retaining wall heights, extending drainage, or moving heavy landscape boulders--his crew maintained top-tier standards. Mark stands behind his work 100% and makes sure you are completely satisfied before closing out a job. We couldn't be happier with our new yard and will gladly recommend Alterra to all our friends and neighbors!

Tommy and his crew redid my patio with broom brushed concrete. He gave me a fair price and I'm…read morehappy with the way it turned out! They completed the job within about 5 days. Tommy was communicative throughout the process and was patient with me while I contemplated on a few different options. He handled my project with care and attention to detail. Would definitely recommend Sun Diego Landscape and Design!!

I can't say enough good things about my experience with Sun diego landscape and design. I've had…read morebad experiences in the past with contractors but I finally found a good one. I explained my vision to Tommy and he made it come true. The Quotes I got from other contractors were requiring me to provide some of the materials, but Tommy is "one stop shopping". He took care of everything for a fair price and completed the work before my requested deadline. His team were professional and tidy and made some suggestions that were even better than my vision. I wouldn't hesitate to use this company again.

We couldn't be happier with our backyard remodel! The work was excellent, professional, and they…read morereally paid attention to detail. They even went above and beyond by adding extra lights, which made the backyard look amazing at night. Highly recommend!

We love our new backyard! Modern Yardz helped us transform a bunch of dirt into a beautiful…read morebackyard that everyone says looks like a resort. We feel like we're on vacation every day spending time in our backyard! Tristan designed and oversaw our project and he was a pleasure to work with and did a fantastic job. His design was way better than what we'd been thinking, it looks so good. He was always easy to get ahold of, was really patient with the various changes we kept making, and made sure that every detail was taken care of so that we were totally happy with the end result. I also really appreciated how he always suggested cost effective options to help us stick to our budget. And to top it all off, at the end they realized we'd overpaid by $1000 and sent us a check we hadn't even asked for or realized we were due! We highly recommend Modern Yardz; I don't write a lot of reviews but Tristan and his team did such a great job that they deserved a glowing review.