One couple had an unusable sloped backyard that was a pain in the rear to mow and maintain so they finally decided to do something about it to make their lives just a little more convenient. They had big plans but never expected it to turn out as nice as it is now. With a little creativity, some research, and a little muscle they created an epic 800 square foot living space just off the backdoor of the barn. Take a look at this incredible transformation.
Before
You can see how the slope was too steep to be usable as it was.
They had to perfectly lay out the design they were after.
Next it was time to dig up the yard. The dog was a big help in this step.
Once the grass was gone, it was time to grade the steep slope to make it consistent.
This meant the removal of a lot of dirt. A lot!
The first load of materials came just in time.
Once the yard was dug up, they had to reroute the plumbing and drainage pipes.
Once the ground work was done, they had to pour a wall foundation out of concrete.
The first set of stairs have a unique block pattern.
Once the stairs were placed, the first wall was erected.
But there was a lot more to go.
The first wall was finished after a lot of block moving and setting.
Another view of the first wall.
A little more tricky was the rounded corner wall that flowed up onto the top terrace.
It wraps all the way around connecting to the wall.
It is still very steep, so steps were added to make 2 levels of backyard relaxation.
Finally the walls and stairs are done and set.
Here is a better view of all the connected walls.
The lower wall was raised to allow for more seating.
Time to fill the holes with substrate. They used a small gravel for drainage.
They then added wall caps and drainage to the rest of the area.
Here are the stairs after having caps placed on top.
Caps were added to the corner wall.
Delivery number 2 was right on time.
With some extra brick, they added a fire pit and filled the rest of the ground with small tumbled river rock on the bottom level.
The dog seems pleased so far.
After all the caps were placed, it was time to work on the patio on the upper level.
They had to level the sand for the pavers to lock in.
This was a lengthy process but it is starting to look amazing.
They had to individually cut each edge piece to fit perfectly.
And now to fill the paver gaps with sand to lock them in place.
All finished is an incredible backyard patio. Here is the side view.
They just need to repair the existing landscaping to make this backyard complete.
The sitting area (above) and the dining area (below).
The dog is pleased. Very pleased.
These homeowners have no experience in construction but with a little research and materials, they ended up doing all of this by hand. It turned out amazing in my opinion and I can only imagine how incredible it is to enjoy a drink on that patio watching the wind blow through the trees. If you don’t think you can do it, just research a little and give it a shot. These guys did and it turned out incredible and they saved a fortune.