Hardscaping in New Orleans: Planning a Whole Backyard

Written by Big Easy Paver Patios

Key Takeaways

Planning the whole yard once and building in phases beats adding pieces year by year, because it stops you tearing out work you already paid for.
Drainage comes first in the sequence. Everything else sits on top of it, literally.
Utilities and conduit for future features go in before any surface is laid.
A single plan also gives one coherent material palette instead of a patchwork of whatever was available each year.
Big Easy Paver Patios plans and builds full backyard hardscape across the metro. Call (504) 688-4244.

The Cost of Doing It Piecemeal

Quick Answer: Most backyards get built in fragments. A patio one year, a walk the next, a fire pit after that, then an outdoor kitchen. Each phase is priced on its own and looks affordable. The hidden cost is rework: trenching through a finished patio to run gas, discovering the drainage plan needed to change once the patio was already in the low spot, or ending up with three paver colors that don’t relate. Planning the whole yard once, then building it in phases you can afford, avoids all of that.

You don’t have to build it all at once. You do have to decide it all at once.

The Right Sequence

1. Water

On flat ground with a high water table, drainage determines what’s possible and where. Before any layout decision, establish where water currently goes, where it pools, and where it can be directed.

Everything downstream depends on this. A patio placed in the low spot becomes a pond, and a wall built without a drainage outlet leans. Our post on fixing backyard drainage covers the diagnosis, and drainage and grading is where most whole-yard projects actually start.

2. Grade and Structure

Level changes, retaining walls, and raised beds come next, because they shape the ground the surfaces sit on. Walls also need their own drainage, which ties back to step 1.

3. Utilities and Conduit

Everything underground goes in now: gas for a grill or fire feature, water and drain for a sink, electrical for lighting and fans, and empty conduit for whatever you might want later. Spare conduit is cheap during excavation and expensive afterward.

This is the step people skip, and it’s the one that causes the most regret.

4. Surfaces

Now the patio, walkways, driveway, and steps. Each has different base requirements, which is why the driveway costs more per square foot than the patio. That’s covered in paver driveway cost and options.

5. Features

Outdoor kitchens, fire features, and shade structures. These sit on the base you already built for them and connect to the utilities already run.

6. Planting and Finish

Softscape last, so it isn’t damaged by construction traffic.

Phasing Without Painting Yourself Into a Corner

A workable phased approach on a typical metro lot:

Phase 1: drainage, grade work, and all underground utilities and conduit, plus the main patio.
Phase 2: walkways, steps, and connections.
Phase 3: features that plug into what’s already in the ground.

The rule is that phase 1 contains everything that would require demolition to add later. That front-loads some cost, and it’s what makes the later phases straightforward.

One Material Palette

Deciding materials once gives the yard coherence and has a practical benefit: consistent product means leftover units from one phase can repair another, and you’re not chasing a discontinued color in year four.

Pick the paver family, the wall block, and the accent or border treatment at planning time. Material selection for this climate is covered in best pavers for the Louisiana climate, and pattern choices in herringbone vs running bond. Varying the pattern rather than the material is a good way to distinguish zones while keeping the palette unified.

Design for the Climate, Not the Photo

Three things shape a usable backyard here more than style does:

Shade. Unshaded hardscape is unusable much of the summer. Plan canopy, structures, or orientation deliberately. Ideas are covered in backyard patio ideas for New Orleans homes.

Water. Both getting rid of it and not creating mosquito habitat with standing water.

Storms. Build fixed elements to stay, and keep loose items storable. See hurricane-resistant hardscape.

Permits and Neighbors

Structures, gas, electrical, and significant drainage changes can all bring permitting into play, and requirements vary across the metro. See patio permits in New Orleans and confirm with your jurisdiction. Also check setbacks and, on a small lot, think about where your drainage discharges relative to the property line before you build it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a full backyard cost?

It depends entirely on scope, and that’s why we plan first and price by phase. You’ll get written numbers per phase so you can decide what happens when.

Can you work with my landscape designer?

Yes. Coordinating hardscape and planting early avoids conflicts over root zones and drainage.

How long does a whole yard take?

Depends on scope and phasing. Weather is a real factor here, especially in summer.

Should I do the driveway at the same time?

If it’s in the plan, doing it while equipment is mobilized usually saves money. See driveway cost and options.

What if I can only afford one phase?

Then make it the one with the underground work in it. That’s what protects everything after.

Start With a Plan

We’ll walk the property, assess drainage and soil, and produce a plan you can build in stages, with the underground work sequenced so nothing gets torn out later.

Big Easy Paver Patios serves the metro and Northshore, from Metairie to Abita Springs. See all services, the gallery, or call (504) 688-4244.