The process
Dream. Design. Build. Play.
Here's what actually happens between "we've been thinking about the backyard" and the first cannonball. No contractor jargon until it's needed.
Tell us what they love
Water? Sports? Climbing? Everything? Open the Idea Box, fill out the project builder, or just call.
We dream it up
We walk your yard, then turn your space, your family and your ideas into a plan you can picture.
We build it right
One team owns grading, drainage, water, play, turf and the details underneath.
Go play
We hand over a binder and get out of the way.
Step by step
1. Tell us what they love
Start wherever is easiest. The Idea Box takes two minutes and gives us a board of what your family gravitates to. The project builder asks about ages, yard size, what you're dreaming about and lets you upload photos of the yard. Or skip both and call (720) 555-0123. We'll reply within a couple of business days with a few questions and a time to talk.
That first conversation is 20 or 30 minutes. We want to know who's out there, how you use the yard now, what's frustrating about it, and roughly what you're hoping to invest. That last part isn't a trap. It just changes what we draw. A one-feature project and a whole-yard plan are both good projects; they're different conversations.
2. We dream it up
The yard walk
We come to the house. We measure, photograph, check where the sun is at 3pm, look at where water goes when it rains, find the utilities, and stand where you'd sit. Kids are welcome at this one; they tend to point at the right places. If a big tree is part of the plan, an arborist visit gets scheduled here.
Concept
A couple of weeks later you get a concept plan: a drawing of the yard with the features placed, a few reference images so you can picture materials, and a budget range. This is the "is this the right idea" round. Usually we get it mostly right and adjust; sometimes you look at it and realize the pool should go somewhere else entirely. Both are fine. That's what the round is for.
Design
Once the concept is settled, we develop it: specific products and materials, dimensions, surfacing, grading and drainage, irrigation, lighting, planting. If a pool or a large structure is involved, engineered drawings happen here. You'll see a plan detailed enough to price accurately and to submit for permits and HOA approval.
Proposal
A fixed-scope proposal with a clear price, a phasing plan if the project is being built over time, a schedule, and the written warranty terms for the work and the products. We walk through it together. No surprise line items.
3. We build it right
Permits and approvals
We handle permit applications and inspections for anything that needs them (pools always; structures, electrical and retaining walls sometimes) and prepare the HOA packet if your neighborhood has one. Front Range HOAs can take a few weeks; we build that into the schedule.
Sequence
Ground first: demolition, grading, drainage, utilities, footings, pool shell if there is one. Then hard surfaces: patios, courts, walls, splash pad slab. Then structures: play towers, pergolas, treehouses. Then soft surfaces: turf, surfacing, sand, planting. Then the finishing layer: lighting, water features commissioned, hardware adjusted, hoops hung. Every phase gets checked before the next covers it up.
Living with it
Construction is disruptive and we won't pretend otherwise. We fence the work zone, keep a clear path to the door, clean up daily and tell you what's happening each week. If the kids want to watch the excavator, we'll find them a safe spot.
Timelines
Rough, honest ranges: a single play area or splash pad, a few weeks on site once materials arrive. A play zone with turf, shade and a structure, one to two months. A full backyard with a pool, three to six months depending on the season, permits and weather. Colorado weather adds slack to everything from October to April. We'd rather tell you a real range than a fast one.
4. Go play
On the last day we walk the yard together and go through everything: how the splash pad controller works, how to adjust the hoop, how the pool cover closes, what to do in fall. You get a binder (and a digital copy) with product manuals, manufacturer documentation, warranties, a maintenance calendar and the as-built plan. Then we leave, and it's yours.
We check in after the first season to see what's working and what your kids have done to it that we didn't predict. That's usually the best part.
Questions parents ask
Process FAQ
Can we build in phases?
Yes, and many families do. We design the whole yard once so every phase fits, then build the toddler zone this year, the court in two years and the pool when the budget allows. Utilities and footings for later phases can be roughed in during the first one, which saves tearing things up twice.
Do you do design only?
Our best work is when we design and build, because the details underneath (drainage, footings, surfacing depth) are where play yards succeed or fail. We'll talk about design-only for specific situations.
What if we already have a landscaper or pool builder?
We can coordinate. If someone else is building the pool, we'll design the yard around it and make sure the play zone, barriers and sightlines work together. Clear scopes up front keep it clean.
How far do you travel?
We design and build along Colorado's Front Range, roughly Fort Collins to Colorado Springs and the foothills communities. Farther afield is a conversation; ask.
When should we start?
Design in fall or winter, build in spring, play all summer. Design and permitting take real time, and the build calendar fills up. If you want to be swimming or splashing in June, talk to us the previous fall.