Design-Build Process
How a complete-backyard build works at Bearcat
Five phases. One contractor. One design. One fixed-price quote covering every trade on the build. You do not become the project manager.
A complete-backyard build is a different kind of project than a single-trade turf install or a hardscape patio. There is a design phase, a permit phase, multiple specialist trades to coordinate, and a build window that runs weeks not days. The process below is how we run those projects.
Smaller single-trade work (turf-only, side yard, dog run, pet zone) uses our standard turf-install process. See the turf-install process here.
01
Design Consultation
60-90 minutes on site · $500 (credited to project)
We walk the yard with you, sketch the concept, talk through use, lifestyle, and finish budget. You leave the consultation with a written design direction and a clear sense of where the project lands in scope and price.
What you get in this phase
- On-site lot walk with measurements
- Sketched concept and zone layout
- Material and finish-grade selection guidance
- Written design direction summary
- Indicative price range for the project tier
02
Design Proposal
5 to 10 business days · Included in the $500 design fee
You receive a clean visual proposal with the design concept, zone-by-zone scope, material specifications, partner-credited specialist scopes (engineered walls, custom hardscape), and a fixed-price quote covering every trade on the build.
What you get in this phase
- Concept render or detailed sketch
- Zone-by-zone scope schedule
- Material and product spec sheets
- Named specialist partners (where applicable)
- Single fixed-price quote for the entire project
- Indicative build calendar
03
Approval and Permits
2 to 6 weeks · Included in the quote
When you approve the proposal, we pull permits with the City of Aledo (or your municipality), coordinate engineered drawings where required, order long-lead materials, and schedule the build window. You are not coordinating with the city or chasing engineers.
What you get in this phase
- Signed proposal and deposit (typically 25-40%)
- Pulled permits and approved engineering
- Material ordering and staging
- Confirmed build start date
- Project schedule shared with you
04
Construction
2 to 8 weeks on site · Per the fixed-price quote
Bearcat crew on site through the entire build window. We do not subcontract our install crew. Specialist partners (engineered walls, custom hardscape) work alongside the Bearcat crew on a coordinated schedule. You get weekly progress updates and a single point of contact.
What you get in this phase
- Daily site management
- Weekly progress updates with photos
- Single project manager as your contact
- Coordinated specialist partner work
- Permits handled and inspections passed
- Clean job site at end of every workday
05
Walkthrough and Handoff
60-90 minutes on site · Included
Final walkthrough with you. We show you what was built, how to operate any new systems (irrigation, lighting), where the warranty registrations live, and the maintenance schedule for the first year. Final payment due at the walkthrough.
What you get in this phase
- Punch-list walkthrough
- Operating instructions for installed systems
- Warranty documentation
- First-year maintenance schedule
- Welcome to the post-build maintenance program if you opt in
Why we charge a design fee
For complete-backyard projects over $40,000, the design consultation is a $500 fee, credited toward the project when you proceed. Here is the honest reasoning.
- Quality of consultation. A $500 fee gives us license to spend 60-90 minutes on your yard, sketch the concept properly, and produce a written design direction. Free consultations get the 20-minute version because they have to.
- Buyer-quality filter. A homeowner planning a $75K backyard build who is unwilling to commit $500 to a real design conversation is rarely a buyer who will finish the project. The fee filters for serious buyers and lets us spend more time on the ones who matter.
- Credited to the project. When you approve the proposal, the $500 is credited toward the project. The fee is not added on top.
- Refundable on cancellation. If we cannot deliver a proposal we are confident in (rare, but happens on lots where the scope and budget do not align), we refund the design fee.
For turf-only projects under $40,000, the site walk and quote are free. No deposit to book.
Partner-credited specialist work
A complete-backyard build often includes scope that benefits from a true specialist. Engineered retaining walls. Custom hardscape masonry. Permitted electrical for outdoor kitchens. Bearcat does not pretend to do that work in-house. We partner with established Parker County contractors and name the partner openly in the proposal.
Active partnerships include Extreme Landscape Construction for engineered retaining walls and permitted hardscape (see the Aledo tiered backyard build for a recent collaboration).
What this means for you as the customer: a single fixed-price proposal covers the whole project, but each scope has the right specialist behind it. Each specialist's warranty stands behind their portion. Bearcat is the single point of contact through the build.
Ready to start a design consultation?
$500 design fee, credited to the project. Available across Aledo, Parker County, and the wider DFW metroplex.
Also see: Complete backyard pricing · Why Bearcat · Turf-only install process