When your project touches fencing, decking, hardscape, structures, and stairs at the same time — you need a contractor who understands all of them. That is what thirty years on Peninsula properties builds.
Most Peninsula backyards are not one project — they are five projects that need to work together. The difference between a yard that feels designed and one that feels assembled is whether every element was planned by someone who understands how they connect.
North Fence and Deck Co. has been building the full range of exterior improvements on Peninsula properties since 1995 — fencing, decking, stairs, retaining walls and hardscape, pergolas, and covered structures. That breadth is not incidental — it is the reason we can be genuinely useful on a complex yard project. The Peninsula's hillside lots, coastal exposure, and specific permit requirements mean that a backyard remodel almost always touches multiple scopes simultaneously. A retaining wall creates a usable terrace that needs a paved surface. The paved surface connects to a deck that needs stairs. The deck needs a railing. The perimeter needs a fence. Each element affects the others in ways that matter structurally, visually, and in terms of how water moves across the whole site.
The value of working with a contractor who understands every element of a full-scope yard project is not that you avoid coordinating trades — on larger projects, specialized subcontractors are sometimes the right call and we work with trusted partners when the scope calls for it. The value is that the person you are talking to at the estimate knows what questions to ask about every element, can identify conflicts between scopes before they become field problems, and can write a proposal that accounts for the whole project rather than one piece of it. A fence contractor who does not understand drainage will set posts in locations that a hardscape contractor later has to work around. A deck contractor who does not understand retaining walls will frame a ledger against a wall that has not been assessed for moisture. We have seen the results of projects where the coordination did not happen — and we build to avoid those outcomes.
A full-scope yard project on the Peninsula also means navigating permits across multiple scopes, often with different city requirements for each element. Retaining walls, decks, covered structures, and fencing all have different permit thresholds and inspection requirements that vary by city. We know the requirements in every city we serve and manage the permit process across all scopes as part of how we work. The estimate we give you accounts for the full picture — not just the part of it that is easy to price from a satellite image. We walk the property, look at every element, assess the site conditions, and tell you what the project actually involves.
Every Peninsula city has its own permit requirements, its own inspectors, and its own particular interpretations of state code. Every hillside lot has its own soil conditions, drainage patterns, and microclimate. The properties we work on are not generic — tight side yards, sloped lots, clay soil that shifts in a wet winter, salt air that attacks unprotected metal, HOA rules, and fire code designations that change what materials are allowed at the property line. We have worked in every city we serve and know what each one requires before we pull the first permit.
When you call us for an estimate on a full-scope project, you get a site visit — not a phone quote built from a satellite image. We walk the property, look at every element of the scope, assess drainage, soil, and existing conditions, and ask what you actually need the finished yard to do. The proposal we write comes out of that assessment — specific to your property, your goals, and what the project actually requires. If something we see during the walk changes the scope, we tell you before work begins — not after.
Multi-element yard projects have a logic and a sequence. Here is how we approach the planning, design, permitting, and construction of a full-scope build on a Peninsula property.
A full-scope yard project estimate starts with a thorough site walk — not a measurement and a phone quote. We look at the grade across the entire lot, identify drainage patterns and problem areas, assess soil conditions at existing post and footing locations, note where utilities are likely to run, and evaluate the condition of any existing structures that will be tied into or remain adjacent to new work. The goal is to understand the site before designing anything for it.
On properties with existing fencing, decking, or structures, we assess what is staying, what is being removed, and what condition the remaining elements are in. A new deck attached to a house with a deteriorated ledger connection needs the ledger addressed as part of the scope — not discovered during construction. A new fence on a lot with shifting clay soil needs posts specified for those conditions. We identify these factors at the estimate walk so the proposal is complete.
We ask what you actually need the finished yard to do — how you use the space, what does not work about the current situation, what the priorities are if budget requires phasing, and what visual direction fits the property and the neighborhood. A yard designed around how a family actually uses it is different from one designed around what looks good in a rendering. We want to understand the use before we propose the solution.
The site visit produces a written proposal that covers every element of the scope, identifies any conditions we found that affect the work, and breaks the project into clear line items so you understand what you are getting and what drives the cost. If what we found during the walk changes what we would recommend compared to what was originally discussed, we explain why before you commit to anything.
On a multi-element project, the design decisions for each element affect the others. The retaining wall height determines the terrace level, which determines the deck elevation, which determines the stair run, which determines where the stairs land at grade — and where they land affects the hardscape layout. These connections need to be worked out before anything is built. We lay out the full project spatially before writing the proposal, so the elements integrate rather than conflict.
Material choices on a multi-element project should be made with the whole project in view. The decking material, railing profile, fence style, and hardscape surface should relate to each other and to the home's exterior. We discuss material options across all scopes at the estimate — not element by element — so you can make decisions with the whole picture in mind rather than discovering that your redwood deck and your powder-coated aluminum pergola do not work together after both are built.
Water management is the thread that runs through every element of a Peninsula yard project. Where does rain go when it comes off the roof, off the deck, off the paved surfaces? Does it drain away from the house, away from the fence posts, away from the retaining wall backfill? On hillside lots, concentrated runoff creates erosion and puts pressure on retaining walls. We design drainage paths at the project level — not just within each individual scope — and coordinate grading, surface slopes, and drain locations across the whole site.
We are builders, not landscape architects or general contractors in the broad commercial sense. We do not manage irrigation, planting, or underground utility work as primary scopes. On projects that require those trades, we coordinate with partners and make sure our structural work is designed to accommodate what they need to do. Being clear about the edges of our scope is part of how we give you an accurate proposal.
A full-scope yard project typically involves multiple permit applications — decks, retaining walls above a certain height, covered structures, and pool fencing each have their own permit requirements that vary by Peninsula city. In some cases multiple scopes can be combined into a single permit application; in others they require separate applications and inspections. We know the requirements in every city we serve and manage every permit application as part of how we work. You do not need to navigate the building department — we do that for every project.
On a multi-element project, inspections have to happen in the right sequence — you cannot pour a concrete footing that covers a required inspection point, and you cannot close up a ledger connection before it has been signed off. We know the inspection sequence for every scope we build and schedule work accordingly. Surprises at inspection are almost always the result of poor planning — we plan the sequence at the start of the project, not in response to a failed inspection.
Peninsula cities each have their own interpretations of state code, their own setback rules, their own height limits, and their own local amendments. What is allowed in San Bruno may differ from what is allowed in Pacifica or Daly City. On hillside properties in fire hazard severity zones — Pacifica, Brisbane, parts of San Francisco and San Mateo — WUI building code requirements add material restrictions that affect fencing, decking, and structure choices. We identify applicable requirements at the estimate and design to them. See our Zone Zero non-combustible fencing page for fire zone specifics.
Many Peninsula properties are subject to HOA requirements that regulate fence height, material, color, and style — and sometimes deck and structure materials as well. We flag HOA considerations at the estimate when they are known and build to the applicable standards. If you are unsure whether your property has HOA restrictions that apply to exterior improvements, it is worth confirming before the estimate so we can account for them in the proposal.
Not every full-scope yard project gets built in one phase. Budget, timing, permit sequencing, and the practical reality of living through a construction project all push some projects into planned phases. Phasing is not a problem — it is a planning decision that benefits from being made deliberately rather than by circumstance. When we write a proposal for a multi-element project, we can identify which scopes need to be built together (a retaining wall and the drainage system behind it cannot be separated; a deck and its ledger connection cannot be done in stages) and which can be deferred to a later phase without compromising the work that comes first.
A Phase 1 build that is designed with Phase 2 in mind avoids the expense of undoing work to accommodate what comes later. A fence post set in a location that a future deck will need to clear costs money to move. A retaining wall built without provisions for a future stair penetration requires reconstruction. We design Phase 1 with the full project in view so that future phases build on what was done, not around it.
On hillside lots, the sequence almost always starts with grading and retaining walls — you cannot build a deck on a slope that has not been stabilized, and you cannot pave a surface that drains incorrectly. On flat lots, the sequence is more flexible, but the foundation elements — footings, ledger connections, drainage provisions — still need to come before the surface elements. We recommend sequencing based on the structural logic of the project, not just on what is most visible or exciting to build first.
The right starting point for a full-scope project is a site walk and a conversation — not a quote request form. Call us directly or submit a request through this site and we will schedule a visit. We look at the whole property, discuss what you are trying to accomplish, and put together a proposal that gives you a realistic picture of what the project involves and what it will take to build it well. No obligation, no pressure.
What we hear most from homeowners planning a larger yard project.
We build pergolas, arbors, covered patios, attached and detached patio roofs, screen enclosures, and fully custom outdoor structures. Most projects combine structure with adjacent decking, stairs, or hardscape — we handle the full scope.
Usually yes, especially if it’s attached to the house or has a solid roof. Freestanding open-lattice pergolas sometimes fall under a size threshold, but this varies by Peninsula city. We confirm what’s required for your project at the estimate.
A pergola has an open lattice or beam roof — it provides partial shade and defines the space but doesn’t keep you dry. A patio cover or covered patio has a solid or semi-solid roof that provides real weather protection. We build both, and can help you decide which fits your goals and site.
Yes. Attached patio covers are one of our most common projects. The attachment point to the house requires careful flashing and waterproofing — improper attachment is a leading cause of dry rot and water intrusion. We treat this detail as a critical part of every attached structure we build.
We build primarily in clear heart redwood and cedar for traditional aesthetics, and in structural steel, aluminum, or pressure-treated lumber where conditions require it. Roofing options include polycarbonate panels, corrugated metal, and built-up roofing depending on the look and weather protection you need.
A straightforward pergola or patio cover typically takes three to five days of construction once permits are approved. Larger or more complex custom structures take longer — we give you a realistic timeline at the estimate.
Free estimates on all fencing, decking, hardscape, and custom build projects across the Peninsula.
