How it Works
You will have a Project Manager appointed to your Pod. But if any issues ever arise, you are more than welcome to reach out to other members of our team to make sure that we can put all hands on deck with your project.
Rachel Carson
Questions related to sales, contracts, and estimates.
rachel.carson@backyardpod.com
Kimberly Gerundio
Questions related to your pod selections.
kimberly.gerundio@backyardpod.com
Forrest Williams
Questions related to project management and construction.
forrest.williams@backyardpod.com
Brooke Bitter
Questions related to permits.
brooke.bitter@backyardpod.com
Don Vick
Questions related to operations.
don.vick@backyardpod.com
Who’s Who at Backyard Pod
Understanding Schedules & Installation Process
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We will need a copy of your survey that is less than 7 years old and contains any new additions to your property.
Most of the properties require a 5 foot setback from back and side property lines. Sometimes it’s more than 5 feet from the back of the property (will be annotated on the survey). We also recommend to abide by the Public Utility Easement (P.U.E.) requirements (7.5’ in most cases).
If you have an HOA, we recommend reaching out to them to find out what their requirements are.
Your electrical panel has to have sufficient bandwidth to add our Pod (number of necessary amps vary by Pod size). A good indicator whether electrical panel requires an upgrade is number of empty spots - normally a minimum of 2 empty spots is required to add a Pod.
If looking for a Pod with a bathroom or over 200 sqft, we require a Permit Feasibility Report to be completed to confirm that your Pod can be built in compliance with local ordinances.
Step 1
Deposit Received
Timeframe Day 1
Overall Timeframe Day 1
Step 2
Technical site visit completed & all selections are made
Timeframe 2 Weeks
Overall Timeframe Week 1-2
Step 3
Documents for Permitting are prepared and reviewed after client approves the Pod Plan. *Add 2-4 Weeks if any survey work needs to be completed
Timeframe 2-4 Weeks
Overall Timeframe Week 3-6
Step 4
Documents reviewed by the City. Please note that if any comments are brought up by the City, this process will have to be repeated with additional 4-6 weeks for the documents
Timeframe 8 Weeks
Overall Timeframe Week 6-14
Step 5
Pod Installation
Overall Timeframe 2-3 weeks to schedule kickoff.
Non-Permitted Pods: 4-8 weeks
Permitted Pods: 4-6 months
Permits: Only required for Pods with bathrooms or larger than 200 sqft in Austin, TX.
If your neighborhood or community has a Homeowners’ Association, you will need permission to build your Pod. Please investigate these requirements as soon as you make your first Pod down payment because otherwise there could be speed bumps down the road.
We are happy to provide any architectural plans or other information as required by your HOA for an additional fee.
We are usually able to accommodate Pod customizations as required by your HOA. (An additional fee may apply)
Once you have HOA approval, we can schedule your build start date.
Key Milestone: Backyard Pod will not schedule your build start until all necessary permits and HOA requirements have been approved. This is for your protection as well as ours.
More Paperwork: Securing HOA Approval
You will make the following selections:
Exterior siding color (for the deck/front door surround as well as the other 3 sides)
Exterior stain with the cedar upgrade
Decking color
Interior wall color
Interior flooring finish
Can the colors match my house?
We use all Sherwin-Williams paints. If your current exterior paint is also from Sherwin-Williams, we can use the same color as long as you have the color name/code and the type of paint product that was used. If you don’t have that information or your house was painted using a different brand, we can do a custom color match for $250.
Keep in mind that since paint fades with time and weather, new paint will not look exactly the same as older paint.
Can I see the samples of floor, paint, and stain?
Absolutely! Our team can provide samples or floor and stain, while you can obtain samples of paint directly from Sherwin Williams (there are so many colors to choose that it’s easiest to get color swatches from paint company directly)
NOTE: We request your paint, stain and flooring selections within a week of signing the contract and making your first payment. This is so we have plenty of time to order and receive the materials before we start your build.
Decor Details: Selecting Paint & Finishes
First, clear the area where your pod will be installed.
You don’t need to level the area. We build on pier-and-beam foundations, which can be used even on a slope and also helps reduce the possibility of future uneven settlement.
Remove obstacles in the build area.
Trim and/or remove trees, branches, roots, and other plants. NOTE: If Backyard Pod has to remove any branches, they will be trimmed on Day 1 of the installation and a tree trimming fee of $250 will be applied to your order.
Move or remove swing sets, old sheds, and any other man-made objects.
Move any operational sprinkler heads and pipes in the build area. No sprinkler heads or pipes should be underneath your Pod itself, and no sprinkler heads should be spraying water at the Pod.
Next: Help us avoid damage to underground cables, sprinkler system elements, etc.
Trenching equipment is very powerful and, obviously, we can’t avoid underground obstacles if we don’t know they are there. Backyard Pod will call 811 to mark underground structures before we do any digging and trenching, but we also need your help to avoid damage.
Here’s what to do:
During the first site visit with your Project Manager, you will discuss and loosely map out the pathway for the electricity and Ethernet cable trench between your Pod and the house.
Pick up some inexpensive construction flags at your nearby hardware store, and mark every cable, plumbing, or sprinkler system line running underground in the general area of the trench path.
Next, uncover these areas by mowing closely, removing plantings or digging out extra soil to make sure the underground systems are clearly visible.
NOTE: While we can and do take every precaution, the responsibility for damage to underground structures in the trenching area falls to the homeowner. If damage does occur and repairs are needed, additional charges will apply.
A day or two ahead of your Start Day:
If you have a sprinkler system, let your sprinkler company know about the work being done in your yard and the possibility that a repair might be needed. That way, if any sprinkler system elements are damaged during trenching, you can call your repair team for service ASAP.
We will need access to your driveway 1-2 days before installation date to drop off the Pod materials. This material will be delivered by a third party.
Prep Work: Clearing Obstacles and Protecting Systems
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The Pod Essentials Collection takes 4-8 weeks to build, the Pod Living and Pod Home Collections take 4-6 months to build.
If permits are required, it can take an additional 4-6 months before we are able to begin construction.
In general, we use specialized crews for each phase of your build, so you will be seeing different workers at different times. Don’t worry, though — your project manager is always on top of everything and always available to answer any questions.
NOTE: Although we try to keep the installation timeframe as tight as possible, it is normal for there to be breaks between installation stages (and even within those stages). Weather can affect our ability to proceed with various work, crew members can get sick, etc. If you are concerned about your timeline, please never hesitate to contact us with questions!
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Here we go! Our crew outlines the location of your Pod and you confirm. Next, we install the foundation piers and skids.
We also dig the trench for your electrical and internet connection. (Depending on the distance and soil conditions, this can take a few days.)
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Our team installs the framing for your subfloor, walls and roof. All structures will be sheathed and waterproofed.
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The carpentry team comes in to install all siding materials and roofing — now it really starts to look like a real Pod!
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The electricians come in and install all outlets and switches. (“rough-in” means we hold off on the final outlet and switch covers until after painting is complete)
If your Pod has plumbing, our expert team will also come in to make those installations.
If an electrical and/or plumbing inspection is required, it will be performed at this stage.
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This stage takes a bit of patience because drywall and paint take time to cure. Proper drying and curing time is one of the keys to a beautiful paint job.
Your luxury vinyl flooring goes in at this stage as well. If you opted for hardwoods or other custom floors, please expect some additional time for scheduling and labor. We use third-party installers for custom flooring to ensure the best results for your Pod.
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Time to power up! We connect your Pod to your main electric service and install outlets, light switches, and all other finished electrical components.
If your project includes a bathroom or kitchen, all plumbing and related fixtures are added at this stage.
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Home stretch! This starts with a “soft” walkthrough to identify any items for the punch-out list (basically just a to-do list for our team). Any visual imperfections visible from three or more feet will be addressed.
Once everything is complete, our cleaning team comes in to make your Pod shine!
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This is the more formal walkthrough — we walk all around your Pod one more time, together, to make sure everything meets your expectations. Then we hand over the keys and it’s all yours!
If permits were required for your Pod, we will coordinate with the right city departments to arrange the necessary final inspections.
Building Your Pod
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Trenching
Electrical and Optional Cat 8 Ethernet connections require trenching between your Pod and the electrical panel on the house. Pods with bathrooms require a separate trench for electrical, waste, and water.
Because the trench length varies widely from house to house, the price is calculated after the Project Manager’s official site visit.
0-100ft trench = $1,000
100-150ft trench = $1,500
Beyond 150ft, discuss with your project manager
*Same as above for the price of the water trench for pods with bathrooms.
*Waste trench required as well and is priced below:
0-100ft trench = $2,000
100-150ft trench = $2,500
Beyond 150ft, discuss with your project manager
Standard pricing is based on digging a straight trench, using a conventional trencher, and encountering no obstructions in the trench line.
Additional charges may apply for two reasons:
Navigating the trenchline around retaining walls, sidewalks, landscaping, etc.
Unexpected obstacles — such as a heavy limestone presence that requires the use of a jackhammer or rock saw.
Slope mediation:
If your Pod site slopes from front to back (or vice versa), additional foundation work may be required. In that case, you can expect an additional $500 charge.
If your Pod site slopes from left to right (or vice versa), you may wish to add an additional step up to the front deck of your Pod. You will have an opportunity to step into the Pod during the build to make this decision. Cost for an additional step ranges from $800 to $1,200, depending on the size of the Pod).
NOTE: Any changes made after the technical site visit, such as changes of paint colors, will result in a $450 fee plus the cost of materials.
Permits:
Permit Plan Set Preparation: Architectural and engineering plans preparation, architectural and engineering plans review, engineering inspection of framing and foundation. Permit application submission and facilitation is $3,500.
Building and Permits Contingency: This fee is a contingency for any unforeseen incremental work required in excess of our standard procedures, such as environmental protection, clean out locations, equipment rentals, tree review, erosion protection, layout survey, termite treatment, electrical compliance in excess of NEC, final impervious coverage survey. Upon project completion, this fee will be reconciled to actual fees and any excess will be refunded or incremental cost will be billed $10,000
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The total amount is split up into 4 payments of 25%:
25% gets you on the installation schedule. You also receive a welcome package and other customization options.
25% due 8 weeks prior to your installation date.
25% due once framing and siding of the Pod is completed.
25% due once the Pod is completed and we do a final walkthrough with you to go over anything we may have missed.
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Yes! We have teamed up with Hearth Financing. There is a link on our website where you can fill out a short questionnaire. Once this is filled out, you will immediately get pre-qualified by up to 13 lenders without affecting your credit score. You can then pick a customized payment plan. You can apply for your preferred loan option and if approved, receive funding in as few as 24 hours.
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There is no additional sales tax in addition to the price of the Pod in the State of Texas.
NOTE: We are not accountants and cannot provide tax advice. Our structures can be moved and are considered portable, therefore, depending on your tax jurisdiction can be fully deducted in the year of purchase.
Financial Details
Warranty
We offer a one-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. We also offer a 10-year warranty on anything structurally, such as the integrity of walls, roof, windows, etc.