Three months of construction at this Sandy Springs, Ga., residence turned an existing pond and drab patio and deck into an outdoor living sanctuary with a new hot tub, pool, fire feature and outdoor kitchen.

The owners of this Sandy Springs, Ga., home decided that their existing backyard deck, pond and turfgrass no longer suited their lifestyle, opting for a new backyard oasis that would feature a pool, fire feature, outdoor kitchen and plenty of hardscape.

The homeowners chose Outside Landscape Group (OLG), a design/build firm based in Alpharetta, Ga., as their partners in the makeover.

The installation team, led by OLG principals Rick Kaldrovics and Adam Huber, RLA, faced multiple challenges on site. Actually, the challenges began even before construction did - the city of Sandy Springs took its time approving permits for the renovation, including plumbing and electrical plans for a new bathroom, which slowed the project's progress.

The small backyard presented access challenges, grading issues and lacked a drainage system below the existing deck. Work began with the demolition of the deck, patio, play set and step system, as well as the removal of turfgrass and plant material. Existing evergreen trees were transplanted so that the pool would fit within the allowed setbacks of the property.

Due to the nature of the slope on the access side, OLG had to be efficient both with man-hours and materials. The slope's grade and the narrow access to the backyard made it very difficult for the crew to bring equipment and materials down to the site, especially the hardscape materials.

The fireplace was constructed out of a block base, and included four tons of Tennessee chop stack stone for the veneer and one ton of premium crab orchard for accent pieces. The inside is lined with firebrick, and one large stone piece was placed for the mantle. OLG masons hand chipped the stones to fit each piece into the structure.

Weather also made it more difficult to work once the earth was stripped bare. While rain can delay the process of any job, the topography of the Sandy Springs home required additional caution, because of potential soil erosion and runoff onto and off of the site.

New plantings include burgundy loropetalum, hardy kleims gardenia, and "blue Pacific' juniper around the pool and in new, raised landscape beds. Adagio grass, creeping yew, creeping Jenny and fescue sod were used as ground cover in non-hardscaped areas.

Four to six workers performed hardscape installation, which encompassed about 2,100 square feet, not including the vertical elements like the fireplace, hot tub and raised planter beds. The crew also installed multiple down spouts that had to be routed to direct runoff, and installed extensive drainage systems under the weatherproofed pool decking. About ten crewmembers worked on the project in total, including subcontractors and project managers.

Existing trees and magnolias had to be moved to the back of the property to create room for the pool and hot tub. A timed auto-cycle circulates water in the hot tub, which was built with wall block, veneered with stacked stone and installed on a new footing.

Subcontractors from Artistic Pool installed the pool equipment and poured the pool shell. A self-propelled, timed cleaning system (Polaris) keeps the pool clean. A footing was put in place for the hot tub, which was built with block, veneered with stacked stone and includes a sheer descent into the pool. Matching coping was installed on the pool and hot tub. The modular fireplace was built from a block base and lined with firebrick. Four tons of Tennessee chop stack stone were placed for the veneer and hand chipped by masons to fit each piece properly. One large stone was placed for the mantle. One ton of premium crab orchard stone was used for the accent pieces; OLG prefers premium stone over standard crab orchard, which can flake and is more likely to show flaws.

The new stone path and steps were one of the last features to be installed, as an existing step system had to be removed before the crew began work on that area, and the slope of the hill made it difficult to maneuver the heavy step treads. Workers hand dug a spot for each stone to sit, and each stone took about an hour to install.

Installing the new stone steps and pathway was the last major piece of the puzzle. Workers removed the existing steps and excavated new locations by hand before navigating step treads through the space and to the specified area. Additional time had to be allotted to install the steps, as each stone took about an hour to put in place.

About ten crewmembers worked on the project in total, including subcontractors and project managers. Four to six workers performed hardscape installation, which encompassed about 2,100 square feet, not including vertical elements like the kitchen veneer, fireplace, hot tub and raised planter beds.

About three months of construction by OLG's crew and assorted subcontractors brought this backyard project to fruition. The renovation broadened the homeowners' usable space, highlighted by a fire feature that makes the area accessible year-round.