for Builders & GCs
100 listings for exterior improvements in San Diego County on Cablanico,
the B2B network where builders and GCs hire their trades.
100contractors15trades97licensed83with websites5multi-county
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Exterior improvement subcontractors build everything outside the building footprint: pool contractors, hardscape and paver contractors, deck contractors, patio cover and carport builders, landscape contractors and irrigation installers, fence crews working in wood or vinyl, sport court contractors, and artificial turf installers, plus supporting services such as tree removal, gardening, and pool care. For a general contractor or developer, the key planning fact is that this scope runs on its own permit and inspection track in many jurisdictions: pools, retaining site walls, patio covers, and decks over a certain height often need separate permits, while planting and irrigation usually do not. Its sequencing also interacts with the main building schedule in both directions. Pools are the clearest example: shotgun-scheduling a pool late means demolishing finished flatwork for trenching and equipment runs, so experienced builders excavate and shotcrete the pool early, before hardscape, and finish plaster near the end. The general exterior order mirrors the building itself: demolition and tree removal, rough grading and drainage, underground utilities and pool shell, then hardscape and structures such as patio covers and decks, then irrigation, planting, turf or artificial grass, and fencing last so equipment access stays open as long as possible. In California, water-efficiency rules (MWELO) shape irrigation and plant selection on larger landscape scopes, drainage away from structures is a standard inspection point, and hillside lots bring soils and engineering questions into what looks like simple flatwork; Texas projects contend more with expansive clay soils under slabs and pool decks. In California these trades typically carry CSLB classifications such as C-53 for pools, C-27 for landscaping, and C-13 for fencing; before contracting, we recommend confirming that a sub's license and insurance are current using California's free CSLB lookup. Texas does not license these trades at the state level (irrigation is a notable exception), so verification there runs through city registration, insurance certificates, and references.
Early, ideally during site work, so the shell is excavated and shot before hardscape and utilities are finalized around it. Pool equipment runs, gas, and electrical need trenches that are cheap in open dirt and expensive under finished paving, while plaster and start-up are held to the end of the project.
A common order is demolition and tree removal, grading and drainage, underground work, hardscape and structures like patio covers and decks, then irrigation, planting, and turf, with fencing last. The organizing principle is equipment access: once fences and planting are in, every remaining scope gets slower and more expensive.
Confirm the bid addresses grading, drainage away from structures, and compaction under paved areas, since settlement and ponding are the most common callbacks. In California we recommend confirming the license classification (for example C-27 landscaping or C-53 pools) and insurance are current via the free CSLB lookup; in Texas these trades are generally not state-licensed, so references, insurance certificates, and permit history do the vetting work.
Based in San Diego, El Cajon, Escondido +3 more3also serveOrange County
Pools and spas almost always do, and attached patio covers, taller decks, retaining walls, and some carports frequently do as well, while planting, irrigation, and most fencing under local height limits usually do not. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, so it is worth confirming with the local building department before award rather than assuming the sub will handle it.
It varies by scope. The main drivers are site access and slope, soil conditions and required drainage work, the ratio of hardscape to planting, structural elements such as pools, retaining walls, and covered structures, and material selections like natural stone versus concrete pavers or wood versus vinyl fencing. Phased construction on occupied sites also adds mobilization cost.
