Everything outside the four walls of your home
Large-Scale & Complex Projects
For an exceptionally large property transformation, the pool is only one part of the job. Richard Lusk Landscape and Design brings everything outside the four walls of your home into one coordinated design-build scope: pools and spas, water features, hardscape and softscape, with the site work that connects them. You have one contractor accountable for the complete exterior project.
Large-scale exterior work, in progress
An entire exterior taking shape
Excavation, formed edges, trees and multiple work areas extend across the property, showing the scale of a coordinated exterior construction project.
Architectural water features and finish details
Long water-feature basins, stone edges and adjoining construction are developed together along the house, connecting structural work with the final material layout.
Plan the ground work before the finishes
Broad excavated areas and changes in level run beside the home. The layout of the exterior work is established before paving and planting close the site.
Equipment access is part of the plan
A crane operates beside the residence while the exterior remains open for construction, illustrating the space needed for major equipment and material handling.
Select a photograph to explore the details at full size.
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Ideally suited to exceptionally large projects
We excel when an exterior project brings many demanding elements together. A major pool, extensive paving, water features, walls and mature planting each affect the space, access and work required by the others. Our broad exterior construction scope makes us ideally suited to these projects: we plan the property as a whole and carry that coordination through construction. The photos on this page show the scale of the work behind a complete exterior transformation.
The complete exterior, under one construction scope
Pools and spas. Water features and fountains. Driveways, terraces, steps and other hardscape. Trees, planting, lawns and other softscape. We bring these elements together with grading, drainage, retaining walls, irrigation, lighting and the supporting utilities. Outdoor kitchens, fire features and outdoor living areas can be included in the same coordinated scope. We define the work around your property and goals, so the finished exterior functions and feels like one complete project.
Why one exterior contractor can be more cost effective
Cost control starts with how the work fits together. Coordinated mobilization, excavation, trenching and deliveries can reduce repeated equipment visits, duplicated setup and avoidable rework. Drainage, irrigation sleeves and lighting conduits can be planned before paving goes down. Major trees and equipment can reach their locations while access remains open. One contractor can make these decisions across the entire exterior budget, helping you understand the total cost and the effect of each choice on the other parts of the project.
No gray areas in the scope
Before construction, we define the included work, material responsibilities, connections between trades and decisions that need your approval. The transition from pool coping to deck, the connection between a retaining wall and its drainage, and the meeting of planting beds and paving all belong in that discussion. A clear scope identifies who supplies, installs and coordinates each part. Design changes are documented so the field work and budget follow the same approved direction.
No finger-pointing. One accountable contractor.
When an issue crosses the boundaries between the pool, paving, drainage or landscape, you have one company responsible for coordinating the response within the agreed exterior scope. We manage the construction interfaces and bring the right people together to resolve the issue. You have a clear point of contact for questions, decisions and follow-through, without having to referee separate contractors over where one responsibility ends and another begins.
One source of truth for the exterior
The agreed plans, scope, material selections, budget and approved changes need to tell the same story. We keep those decisions coordinated so the people building the project work toward the same result. A change to an elevation, a finish or a piece of equipment is considered for its effect on the surrounding work. This gives you one place to direct questions and a consistent basis for decisions throughout the exterior project.
Keep the connections from falling through the cracks
On a large property, small omissions can have wide consequences. Equipment access, sleeves beneath paving, drain outlets, step elevations, irrigation connections and the space needed for planting all deserve attention before the finishes are installed. We include these connections in the planning and construction sequence. Giving the complete exterior to one accountable contractor helps keep these details from falling through the cracks between separate scopes.
Sequence the work around the whole property
Excavation, structural work, utility installation, major planting and finish construction need access at different times. We plan equipment routes, staging areas and deliveries around those dependencies. Crane work and large tree placement must be considered while the site can accommodate them; finished paving and planting need protection as later work proceeds. The photographs and video show why this coordination matters on a property with extensive construction underway at once.
Finish the exterior as one complete design
Pool edges, water features, paving joints, steps and planting should relate to each other and to the architecture of the home. We consider those relationships from the beginning, with the same attention given to the work below ground and the finishes you see every day. The goal is a cohesive exterior that is practical to use, thoughtfully detailed and ready to enjoy as a whole.
Start with the complete scope and budget
Bring us your plans, ideas and the full extent of what you want to accomplish outside your home. We begin with a complimentary site visit and a detailed scope and budget. After budget approval and a signed design-build Home Improvement Contract, we develop the design and coordinate the relevant design professionals and construction requirements. From the first site decisions to the finishing details, you have one exterior contractor managing the agreed project.
Where we build
Based in Newport Beach, we serve Orange County, selected Los Angeles cities and neighborhoods, and La Quinta. Browse all service areas →
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The work behind the whole property
Coordinating construction from the ground up
These additional project views show the early site work and the relationship between walls, equipment access and the developing landscape. Watch the short site video for a wider view of the work in progress.
Coordinate the site from the ground up
Open ground, pipes and wall construction show the early work that must be coordinated before the finished landscape takes shape.
Walls and changes in level
Substantial masonry walls define a lowered area and adjoining construction zones. Their relationship to the surrounding exterior is part of the overall site plan.
VIDEO · 10 seconds
Crane access, palms and terrace construction
The camera moves past installed palms and formed terraces as a crane works over the property, then pans to the coastal surroundings. The view shows how major planting, structural work and equipment access overlap on a large exterior project.
Open video ↗Homeowner perspectives
What Homeowners Say
5.0 out of 5 from 20 Houzz reviews · Best of Houzz award winner
“We absolutely love our new pool and landscaping!”
“He’s open and honest in his communications.”
“Beautiful work and amazing communication throughout the project.”
“They started exactly when they said they would”
“Richard has been invaluable in the transformation of our outdoor space.”
“Richard and his crew did an amazing job on our yard!”