Hardscape Contractor in Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA

Patios and terraces on small Carmel-by-the-Sea lots

A Carmel lot leaves little room to waste. A patio here is usually a terrace off the back or the side of the house. We lay the pad out on site so the paving misses roots and follows the grade.

The City counts hardscape as site coverage. Its planning FAQ lists patios, walkways, driveways, decks, steps, decomposed granite and gravel as site coverage. Most exterior alterations and site coverage changes need approval from the Planning Department. The size of a patio is a planning question before it is a concrete question.

Carmel's code has also rewarded permeable paving with extra allowed coverage. A City planning document describes extra site coverage for properties that use mostly permeable or semi-permeable paving. Confirm the current numbers with the City, then we build to what it approves. Poured concrete, pavers and mortar-set flagstone all fit these yards.

Dune sand, salt air and what holds paving flat

Much of the village maps as Oceano loamy sand in the federal soil survey. That series is very deep sand formed on old dunes near the ocean, rated excessively drained. Other parts of town map as heavier loam, so the ground is not the same on every lot. We check what is under the pad before we price the base.

Sand drains fast, which helps a permeable patio. Sand also has almost no grip of its own. The base under the paving is what keeps it flat. We excavate to depth and compact base rock in lifts. On poured work we set rebar on chairs and keep the steel covered.

Salt air and fog are the other conditions. Caltrans treats structures within 1,000 feet of the ocean as a marine atmosphere. It raises the concrete cover over steel in that zone. That standard is written for bridges, and we apply the same thinking to iron work and hardware near the water.

Design review, trees and permits in Carmel-by-the-Sea

The Community Planning and Building Department runs both sides of a Carmel project. Its own handout says a planning permit is required almost always for exterior changes and new structures. Staff can approve a Track One design study, while a Track Two project goes to the Planning Commission.

Fences show how this works. All fences need design review approval, and a building permit applies above seven feet. Retaining walls need a building permit at three feet in height or greater, which is tighter than the state exemption. We size wood fences, iron gates and railings with that in mind.

Trees have their own track. The Forest and Beach Commission acts on construction that involves root cutting or root crown coverage. Removing an oak, cypress, pine or redwood six inches in diameter takes a permit. Limb removal at four inches does too. We set footings and trenches to stay clear of the root zone.

The whole city sits inside the coastal zone, under a Local Coastal Program certified in 2004. Some projects need a coastal development permit on top of the building permit. Carmel went without house numbers for most of its history and the City has since assigned them. The Planning Department identifies a property by its assessor's parcel number, and that is what a permit request uses.

Carmel stone, garden walls and fire features

Carmel's building tradition leans on local chalkrock, known as Carmel stone. The City's historic context statement lists it on chimneys, paving, garden walls and exteriors, across every style in town. That is the look most owners here ask us to match.

The same document notes that no front lawns or sidewalks separate these properties from the street. Garden fences of pickets, stakes or stone do that work instead. Low garden walls, seat walls, stone column bases and stone veneer fit that pattern.

Fire features need a check first. Wood fires are prohibited on Carmel Beach, where the City allows propane devices south of 10th Avenue. Carmel has also pushed toward gas-only outdoor fire features, so confirm with the City before planning a wood-burning fireplace. An outdoor kitchen sink can trigger a Monterey Peninsula water permit on top of the building permit.