This isn't a cost. It's an investment.
The figures on this page are real and we don't hide them — that's how AE operates. Treat them as planning ranges, not a site-specific quote. Your actual scope and price depend on design, site conditions, materials, and the work each written proposal includes.
When you compare proposals, compare what each includes — the scope, the materials, the exclusions, the warranty terms, and how changes are handled — not just the price tag. A lower total can reflect different scope, so ask each builder to clarify the differences.
Complete Backyard Cost in Arizona — 2026.
Phoenix-metro planning ranges for complete backyard builds at three scope tiers — compare scope, investment, and estimated timing. Use this guide to prepare your questions; site review and a written proposal confirm what is included, the price, and the schedule for your project.
Educational estimate, not a quote. Ranges shown are Arizona-market planning estimates. Final pricing depends on site access, size, materials, engineering, drainage, utilities, permits, equipment access, existing conditions, and final scope. Binding pricing is only valid in a written proposal signed by an AE representative.
- AZ ROC 211530 · 347738 · 341002 · 340966
- Arizona-built since 2005
- President, Southwest Hardscapes Association
Refresh-level backyard ($35K – $85K)
- Existing pool stays as-is (no remodel).
- Turf replacement or installation (500–1,200 sq ft).
- Paver patio addition or refresh (300–600 sq ft).
- Low-voltage path and accent lighting (12–20 fixtures).
- Irrigation and basic planting refresh.
- Permanent holiday lights on house eaves (optional).
- Planning estimate: 4–8 weeks; confirm your project-specific schedule.
Mid-tier full build ($145K – $285K)
- Custom pool with attached spa, standard plaster or QuartzScapes.
- Pool deck in travertine or large-format porcelain (700–1,000 sq ft).
- Paver patio extension and walkways.
- Alumawood or custom timber pergola over patio.
- Mid-spec outdoor kitchen (grill, side burner, prep, cabinets).
- Fire feature (custom CMU pit or linear gas trough).
- Turf or planting beds, irrigation, low-voltage lighting, automation.
- Wrought iron or mesh pool fencing.
- Planning estimate: 14–22 weeks; confirm your project-specific schedule.
Want a number for your own property?
Tell us the space and we'll come back with a real range for your site — no pressure, no "call for pricing."
Premium full build ($285K – $650K+)
- Custom pool and spa with premium finish (Pebble Tec, Wet Edge, Jewelscapes).
- Pentair IntelliCenter automation with in-floor cleaning.
- Travertine or large-format porcelain deck (1,200–2,000 sq ft).
- Custom timber ramada with motorized louvered roof (Struxure or Equinox).
- Full outdoor kitchen (Hestan or Lynx appliances, refrigeration, ice, vent hood).
- Multiple fire features (pit + trough + bowls).
- Frameless glass pool fencing (Sonoran Glass).
- Permanent RGBW exterior lighting (Jellyfish or AE LEDs).
- Complete landscape, irrigation, drainage, putting green.
- Planning estimate: 20–32 weeks; confirm your project-specific schedule.
Add-ons that move scope up
- Front yard pavers, driveway, and entry refresh: $40,000 – $120,000.
- Casita, pool bath, or detached structure: quote-per-project (architect required).
- Sport court or pickleball: $35,000 – $85,000.
- Putting green (500–1,000 sq ft, professional spec): $14,000 – $32,000.
- Whole-house misting system integrated with pergola: $4,500 – $14,000.
What's included in AE's per-project price
- Full design with renderings and material specifications.
- All permits pulled in AE's license, with inspections coordinated.
- Demolition, haul-off, grade, and drainage.
- All trades managed by AE — no separate pool builder, kitchen sub, or fence company to chase.
- Project manager assigned from contract through final walkthrough.
- Fixed-price contract with documented change-order process.
- Final cleanup, owner orientation, and AE warranty on workmanship.
Build sequence — why order matters
- Phase 1 — demolition, grading, drainage and underground utilities.
- Phase 2 — pool structural work and plumbing rough-in where included.
- Phase 3 — hardscape base, slabs and vertical structures.
- Phase 4 — coping, tile, pool interior and deck finishes.
- Phase 5 — lighting, irrigation, turf and planting.
- Phase 6 — equipment startup, programming and owner walkthrough.
Construction documentation and occupied-home planning
- Work proceeds to sound substrate rather than covering failed material.
- Required base, footing, plumbing, electrical and drainage work is completed before finish work.
- Buried base, plumbing, electrical and drainage work is photographed before cover-up.
- Access, dust control, cleanup and high-noise work are addressed in the project schedule for occupied homes.
What drives the price up
- Pool size, depth, and feature count (spa, spillover, baja, deep end).
- Premium finishes (Pebble Tec, large-format porcelain, natural stone).
- Motorized pergola/ramada vs. fixed structure.
- Full outdoor kitchen with refrigeration, ice, and vent hood vs. grill island.
- Automation platform depth (IntelliCenter with in-floor cleaning is a step up from valve-only).
- Frameless glass pool fencing vs. wrought iron.
- Adding front yard and driveway scope to the same project.
What drives the price down
- Coordinating the full design before deciding what to build now and what to phase, so future work is planned before finishes.
- Standard pool shapes and stock plaster finish.
- Alumawood pergola vs. motorized louvered roof.
- Grill island vs. full outdoor kitchen.
- Wrought iron or mesh pool fencing vs. frameless glass.
- Realistic scope conversation up-front — we'll tell you where to spend and where to hold back.
Common questions.
Plan before you sign anything.
Get a real complete-backyard number for your house.
Share what is in your yard now, your goals, timing, and investment range. An AE team member reviews your request during normal business operations. Site review and a written proposal confirm the project-specific scope, pricing, and timeline.
Plan My Complete BackyardWhy this is an investment, not a cost.
An AE backyard is engineered to add daily livability and long-term home value. We publish honest ranges and build to code with a licensed and bonded Arizona crew. AE provides project-specific workmanship and manufacturer-warranty information in the signed agreement. Website summaries are for planning only.
- Licensed, bonded & insured in Arizona. ROC 340966 (R-62) · ROC 341002 (R-3) · ROC 347738 (KA-5) · ROC 211530 (CR-21). Most Arizona contracting work valued at $1,000 or more — or requiring a permit — must be performed by a properly licensed contractor, subject to statutory exemptions. Verify the legal entity, license status, and classification with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors.
- Real ranges, itemized scope. You see materials, finishes, equipment models, and a line-item budget before you sign — not a one-line "pool — $90,000."
Plan your investment with a designer.
Five minutes, a real range, and no sales pressure. Or vet any Arizona contractor (us included) before you spend a dollar.
Before you spend $750K on a backyard… watch this.
Where premium budgets actually go — and the choices that separate a $300K yard from a $750K yard.
Before you build a splash pad
Plumbing, drainage and surface planning for an Arizona residential splash pad.
Backyard splash pad transformation
A project view from the existing yard through the completed splash-pad space.
We built a $300K backyard — here's how it turned out.
Full walk-through of a real mid-tier Phoenix build: what the number covered, the tradeoffs made, and the finished space.
Ultimate Arizona backyard tour — desert oasis design.
A finished AE build, top to bottom — pool, shade, kitchen, fire, lighting — all the pieces working as one designed space.
What your backyard could look like.
Design ideas pulled from real AE projects — pool shapes, deck materials, shade, lighting — to help you see what fits your yard.