Alpharetta yards: what we plan around
Most of Alpharetta was built from the 1980s to the 2010s as master-planned neighborhoods: large homes on lots of about a quarter to half an acre, nearly all with HOAs and architectural review. A smaller older core surrounds downtown. Big Creek runs through the city along its greenway, and the land rolls gently.
Many back yards here are flat but small for the size of the house, and many still have the original builder landscaping. Owners usually want more outdoor living space, such as a larger patio, a kitchen, a fire feature or lighting, and the HOA has to approve all of it.
Projects we build most in Alpharetta
- Outdoor kitchens and covered living areas.
- Patios with a fire pit or fireplace.
- Landscape lighting for entertaining after dark.
- Landscape redesigns that replace tired builder plantings.
Permits and rules in Alpharetta
- A tree removal permit must be approved before removing any living tree on single-family property. There’s no fee. Dead trees and trees in imminent danger are exempt, and large specimen trees get extra preservation consideration.
- Nearly every subdivision has architectural review. Approval usually comes before any permit work.
- Lots along Big Creek and its tributaries have stream buffers that limit grading and hard surfaces near the water.
- Retaining walls over 4 feet need a building permit and engineering.
We review your HOA guidelines, tree rules and any buffers before we design, and we submit the applications. We last checked these rules in October 2026.
Neighborhoods we serve in Alpharetta
Downtown Alpharetta, Windward, the Avalon area, Webb Bridge, Kimball Bridge, Northpark and the neighborhoods around Wills Park.