Planting, drip lines and paths, chosen for your yard's sun and soil and set up for your water provider's rules.
Free site visit from our lead contractor, for homes in LA County and the Conejo Valley. Where we work
Our lead contractor walks the yard with you, listens, and checks sun, soil, slope and drainage. Then you get a written proposal for your project.
Free site visit and written proposal for homes in Los Angeles County and the Conejo Valley. Where we work
What are you planning?
Your proposal lists the work area by area, what's included, and what could change it. What the proposal covers
Find the one that sounds like your yard. Each one leads to the work that usually answers it.
Most of these start with a lawn.
01Design
A plan for the whole yard: planting, paths, drip lines and where the water goes, chosen for your sun, soil and part of town.
When people call us about landscape design
We walk the yard and listen.
The design, drawn for your yard.
Your written proposal.
The build, in the order shown further down this page.
We go over the controller and the watering schedule with you.
02Turf
Turf on a packed base that drains, with straight answers about heat, pets and shade.
When people call us about artificial grass
Up close
What sits under your feet
Straight answers, so the turf goes where it works: shade, side yards, play areas and putting greens.
No mowing and no watering. A rinse and a brush now and then keep it looking right.
In full sun it runs much hotter than real grass, so we place it where shade helps.
A base that drains and a regular rinse keep a dog run fresh.
Lawn replacement rebates cover planting, not turf. We'll tell you which fits your plan.
Drought-tolerant planting and patios that let water soak in can qualify for a rebate. Planting also stays much cooler underfoot. See drought-tolerant
03Lawn replacement
Replace a thirsty lawn with planting that suits LA's dry summers. If you're applying for a rebate, approval comes first, before any grass comes out.
When people call us about replacing a lawn
A thirsty lawn under spray heads
Planting on drip lines, made for dry summers
Drag to compare
Using less water doesn't have to mean a yard of gravel.
Native and Mediterranean plants that handle dry summers
Groundcovers you can walk past
Mulch to hold moisture in
Paths and patios that let rain soak in
Ways to catch rainwater on site
Check who your water provider is.
Apply, and wait for approval.
Only then does the grass come out.
The new yard goes in.
Before and after photos go to the program, if it asks for them.
Keep it up for as long as the program requires.
04Water
Drip lines and controllers laid out by zone and set to your water provider's rules, installed with new planting.
When people call us about irrigation
Each zone runs on its own schedule, so shade plants and sun plants each get what they need.
Water goes to the roots, with little lost to wind. Lines need a check now and then.
Fine for lawns. More water lost to wind and runoff.
IllustrationAdjust to the weather. They still need the right schedule for your provider.
IllustrationNeed cleaning, or drip lines clog.
We lay out the zones by sun and by plant type.
The lines go in after grading and before the plants.
Drip lines are checked for leaks before the mulch covers them.
The controller is set to your water provider's current schedule.
We go over how to adjust it with you.
Most of the work in a planting job happens before anything green shows up.
Grade and drainage, so water moves away from the house.
Irrigation lines, laid out by zone.
Soil prep.
Old roots and runners taken out, so the old plants don't come back.
Planting, chosen for your sun, soil and water.
Mulch and paths.
We choose plants that do well in your part of town and still look like a garden.
Planting goes in last, after drainage, walls and patios. The drip lines go in with it, and the controller is set before we leave.
On video
Most new planting starts with the ground. On this front yard of about 3,000 sq ft, the old planting came out and the ground was regraded and refilled before anything new went in.
A 3,000 sq ft front yard, cleared and regraded Old planting out, the ground regraded and fresh soil in, ready for the new yard.
The rules change by city and by water provider. These are the ones we check before design.
The City of LA limits which days and hours sprinklers can run. Other water providers set their own rules. We set your controller to your provider's current schedule.
LADWP customers may qualify for a turf replacement rebate. Approval has to come before any grass comes out, so we don't remove any until you're approved. Artificial turf doesn't qualify.
Many cities here protect native oaks, including the City of LA, unincorporated LA County and Thousand Oaks. Work in the root zone, which reaches past the edge of the canopy, can need a permit and an arborist. We check for protected trees before design.
A typical August afternoon
On a typical August afternoon, it's near 97 degrees in Woodland Hills and about 77 at Santa Monica Airport (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). We choose shade, surfaces and plants for your part of town.
California law doesn't let an HOA ban drought-tolerant plants or artificial grass, though it can set reasonable rules and review your plans. (Civil Code 4735. Not legal advice.)
As of October 2026, California's proposed Zone 0 rule for the first five feet around homes is not in effect. In fire hazard zones, we keep that strip simple and low-fuel anyway.
In fire hazard areas, the fire department inspects brush clearance each year. We plan planting you can keep up to that standard.
Since 2024, California cities may regulate artificial turf on homes. Rules differ by city. San Marino doesn't allow new artificial turf, with a small backyard exception, and the City of LA had no turf ordinance as of October 2026. We check your city's rules before design.
Artificial turf in full sun runs much hotter than real grass, and hosing it down cools it only for a few minutes. Shade and placement matter most.
The City of LA has been studying the issue (Council File 24-0602).
We confirm what applies to your property at the site visit and during design.
General information, not legal advice.
Last reviewed: October 2026.
Landscaping is often part of a larger backyard plan, which one ACE team designs, manages and builds. Any part that needs a specialty license is done by a licensed specialist, scheduled and supervised by our team, under one ACE contract.
The design and the planting plan are part of the same project, so the yard is planned once.
Your proposal lists the work area by area, what's included, and what could change it.
One ACE team runs the project, and our own crews build it. You'll know who to call.
Before we start, we agree on work hours, the gate the crew uses and how pets stay safe.
Before we call the job done, we walk the yard with you and go over watering for the new plants and care for any artificial grass. If a question comes up later, call or text us.
... to completely redo our backyard in Studio City, and the result exceeded our expectations. The new pavers and artificial turf changed the whole look of the space, and the drip irrigation was a great addition for keeping everything low maintenance. ... I still can't believe how beautiful it looks now.
They installed turf and pavers in my backyard, and the entire project was completed quickly and professionally. The crew kept the work area clean throughout the process, and the quality of the finished product exceeded my expectations.
Ace Design & Build completely transformed our backyard in Brentwood. We had them install new pavers, update the landscaping and plants, and rework the entire outdoor space. The difference is incredible, it went from outdated to a beautiful extension of our home. ... We love the finished space and have been spending so much more time outside.
Less water and less mowing, but not none. Plants still need pruning, beds need weeding and fresh mulch, drip lines need a check now and then, and hillside lots may have brush clearance rules. We plan for the amount of upkeep you want.
Possibly. LADWP and other water providers in the region offer turf replacement rebates for planting that uses less water. Approval has to come before any grass comes out, and artificial grass doesn't qualify. Some programs won't accept a lawn that's already dead, so check before you stop watering. Programs change, so use your provider's official tool to see what you may qualify for.
In full summer sun, it gets much hotter than real grass, enough to be uncomfortable barefoot. Hosing it down cools it only for a few minutes. Shade and placement matter most. If an area gets full afternoon sun, planting or a shaded patio may suit it better.
It depends on your water provider. In the City of LA, LADWP assigns watering days by address and doesn't allow sprinklers in the middle of the day. Other cities and water districts set their own rules, and they change, so check your provider's current schedule. We set your controller to it.
In fire hazard areas, what's right next to the house matters most: dry plants, wood mulch and anything that burns easily. As of October 2026, California's proposed Zone 0 rule for the first five feet is not in effect, but we keep that strip simple and low-fuel anyway. We check the current rules for your zone before design.
It can be, with the right base. Dog urine needs a base that drains and regular rinsing, or the turf can start to smell. Some infills handle it better than others. We talk it through at the visit.
Not in the City of LA, as of October 2026. The city has been studying the issue (Council File 24-0602), but no ordinance had passed. Since 2024, California cities may set their own rules, and some do: San Marino doesn't allow new artificial turf, apart from a small backyard exception. We check your city's rules before design.
It doesn't have to. We choose plants that do well in your part of town, layer them, and leave room for them to fill in.
Yes. In California, a landscape architect is licensed by the state, and only a licensed landscape architect can use that title. A landscape designer isn't licensed under that title. Which one a project needs depends on what the plans have to show and on your city, so we check what your city asks for. General information, not legal advice.
Free site visit and written proposal for homes in Los Angeles County and the Conejo Valley. Where we work
What are you planning?
After you ask
Licensed in California
ACE Design & Build
License #1132942 (Class B, General Building). Check it on the CSLB website.
5-star reviews on Google
Insured. Workers' compensation insurance for our crews.
Who does the work. One ACE team designs and manages your project, and our own crews build it. Any work that needs a specialty license, like a pool shell or electrical, is done by a licensed specialist, scheduled and supervised by our team, under one ACE contract. How the work gets done
Where we work. Serving Los Angeles County and the Conejo Valley
Written contracts. The CSLB consumer guide explains what a California home improvement contract should include. We go over ours with you before you sign.
One project