What an Outdoor Living Project Costs
Complete outdoor living projects in the North Metro Atlanta area generally run from $85,000 to more than $1,000,000, depending entirely on scope. A patio with a fire feature, kitchen, lighting, and drainage lands around $85,000 to $150,000. Add a pool, sauna, and cold plunge and you move into the $275,000 to $400,000 range. A full backyard can reach $1,000,000 or more. Every project is priced from the survey, the site conditions, and your goals, not a number pulled out of the air.
How we arrive at a real number
Outdoor living and pool projects are hard to price with a single figure, because no two sites or wish lists are the same. Before we quote anything, we look at three things: the survey, the existing site conditions, and what you want the space to do. Grade, drainage, access, and soil change the cost as much as the features you choose. The ranges here are honest starting points to help you plan a budget, not a substitute for a real scope.
What a full project runs
All-in ranges, including design and permits, for the North Metro Atlanta area.
A million-dollar backyard sounds like a large number until you add it up: pools and spas, patios, entertaining walls, an outdoor kitchen, a shade structure, fire features, planting design, furniture, water features, lighting, pathways and driveways, sports courts and turf, a sauna, cold plunge, and showers, audio and entertainment, and the general contracting to tie it all together. Feature by feature, a full backyard reaches that range honestly.
Cost by feature
Typical ranges by feature. Select any underlined feature for its full cost guide.
The carbon steel pool option
We offer carbon steel pools that arrive with equipment, a pool cover, and fully finished tile, ready to go, starting around $100,000 to $125,000. They save significant time over a traditional gunite build, which makes them a strong fit for smaller backyards or tighter timelines.
The costs people forget
The build is only part of the budget. A realistic plan accounts for the work that makes the build possible.
Design fees typically run 3 to 6 percent of the build cost for the conceptual phase, and 3 to 10 percent for the construction document phase. Permit fees are normally included in the build cost. Beyond that, most serious projects need a survey ($2,500 to $5,000), and depending on the site, a geotechnical report or a hydrology report, each running $2,500 to $7,500. None of these are upsells. They are what keeps a complex project accurate, permitted, and built on solid ground.
How long it really takes
Four to six months for a detailed project. Two to five years for a large estate.
Time is the line item people miss most. Be wary of any contractor who promises a complete, detailed outdoor living project in a couple of weeks. Real projects of this scale take time, from the first call to the day you are enjoying the space. That does not mean every project takes years. It means the timeline is honest about design, permitting, coordination, and construction, rather than a promise that sounds good and falls apart. The clearer the plan up front, the smoother and more predictable the build.
Frequently asked
Why is the price range so wide?
Are design fees separate from the build cost?
What extra reports might my project need?
What is the carbon steel pool option?
How long will my project take?
Planning a project in the next six to twelve months?
The honest next step is a conversation about your site, your goals, and a realistic budget for what you have in mind. We price from the actual conditions, so you get a number you can trust.
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