Yard Crashers

A newly engaged couple with a boring, uninviting backyard sees their space transformed into a party place for friends and family. In one corner, dead lawn bordered by a dilapidated retaining wall becomes an entertainment zone, and a PVC deck ringed by new retaining-wall benches overlooks a natural-looking dry creek bed. The opposite corner, with a too-small patio pad and crumbling fence, gets a stamped concrete pad that features a large BBQ grill island and travertine-style counters. The final touch? A remote-control awning.

The Rose Queen herself delivers the plans that transform a boring, neglected Pasadena backyard into a space fit for royalty. The lower portion of the existing patio is stained. The homeowners then step up onto a new, 500 square foot deck that leads to a custom built steal and wood pergola. Below, a custom poured cement fire pit and benches provide a separate place to relax. Behind the pergola, gabion walls, hand built with 5 tons of river rock, take the place of a typical retaining wall. And in a nod to the Rose Parade, it's all topped off with lush landscaping, blooming roses, topiaries, a living portrait and DIY float- inspired yard art.

Ahmed and his crew are turning a small, boring yard into an artistic retreat for a Sacramento couple. First, a redwood deck expands the entertaining space, wrapping around from the sliding-glass back door out to an extended roof covering. Then, the team constructs an LED-lit cinder-block seating area in front of a custom-built water wall. And how does Ahmed top off this crash? With a gigantic orange tree lit from below and throughout with LED lights.

Air Force Sergeant Ann Oluwadare commands the troops to turn her junk-filled backyard into a sleek and modern hangout using recycled materials and sleek metal accents. The blank cement pad becomes a colorful backdrop for a metal screen sculpture, wood and metal benches and a firebox. The overgrown yard is repurposed to make a vegetable garden, and old pavers are recycled into a new pathway and modern succulent planters. The addition of a rebuilt shed and metal planters completes this modern makeover.

A young Atlanta couple has a backyard that's lacking any direction or creativity. There's tons of room for improvement, but with a dated patio and a couple of hillsides causing drainage problems, they just don't know where to start. Lucky for these homeowners, Ahmed and his crew are coming to the rescue. The challenge is to fix the drainage issues and add hardscapes and a bubbling boulder water feature in very little time. Ahmed's also bringing in an artificial turf play area, pavers over the existing patio and beyond, and new furniture.

A newly single woman is ready to make some big changes in her plain-looking backyard space. She wants a place to entertain her friends while also having a place for quiet moments of relaxation. So Ahmed's bringing in a cool water feature, a fire pit, two redwood floating decks and some custom-made shoji panels. The new space will provide everything this homeowner is looking for -- and more!

Yard Crashers is crashing Atlanta, and just in time! This newly engaged couple needs help. They're overwhelmed by their oddly shaped hillside backyard and are more than ready to trade in their overgrown trees for a modern design with areas for entertaining, reading and cooking s'mores. Plus, the couple would love to have a place for their dog to run and play. Ahmed's challenge is to repair the existing deck and extend it to incorporate more of the backyard. The Yard Crashers crew will also need to clear out the old dying trees and plant new ones. These homeowners won't believe their eyes once this crash is complete.

Yard Crashers is taking on Chicago! And this young couple has a backyard with lots of potential, but most of the space needs to be ripped out and either replaced or repurposed. With their vast Mexican heritage, these two want a place to entertain their large family, but they also want the area to reflect their culture's sense of fun and family. The final outcome of this Mexican Fiesta backyard will deliver in spades. Starting with a new pergola and continuing through to a paver rug, raised vegetable beds, a new deck and fencing, this crash will surpass every expectation!

Young couple Carla and Chris have a sparse backyard with no privacy, and it's full of old concrete slab and weeds. This blank slate is about to get the ultimate transformation and will become a sexy entertaining space with stamped brick patios, fire pits and a barbecue bar, and covered arbors that lead to a private spa retreat. Lush trees turn the back fence into a privacy wall, and the empty yard is covered in the latest artificial turf to make it a low-maintenance and eco-friendly oasis.

Ahmed is crashing Chicago, and he finds a couple who craves an outdoor living area that's perfect for all seasons. Their current backyard is a large, open space, and they want a place to eat, drink and relax -- even during those windy Chicago days. The Yard Crashers crew starts things off with a custom-built stone bar and a grill with a permeable stone seating area. Next, the addition of sienna stone will define a new lower level in the yard, and the team also brings in a cedar pergola. Also new to the space are an outdoor TV and a wood-burning stone fireplace. Newly installed cedar fencing and 1,000-pound autumn blaze maple trees create a private retreat for this couple, and the entire yard -- giant trees, seating areas and pathways -- is all lit for nighttime entertaining.

These homeowners are desperate to have an outdoor living area influenced by their Asian background and modern sense of style, and the Crashers crew gets right to work. First, a natural stone path that uses 2-by-2 square Blue Tudor stepping stones set in gravel leads to a new dining area and lounge space. Then, a 10-by-10 redwood deck is erected just 6 inches above-ground and covered with a bi-level metal roof that's supported by large redwood rafters. The deck will then extend uncovered toward the back corner of the yard. A built-in bench seating area will surround a square sand-filled fire pit that sits flush within the deck. And from both of these spaces, this couple can enjoy the tranquil sound of water trickling down a 6-inch-high metal water wall.

Things heat up for some newlywed chefs when their bland backyard turns savory with the installation of a fully-outfitted outdoor kitchen, built from lightweight cabinets that are faced in stone veneer. An easy-to-install paver patio means entertaining family and friends, and vegetables are on the menu, homegrown and pulled straight from the new raised veggie beds.

These homeowners are both IT workers who have little time for yard care, but they'd like their overgrown yard to become an outdoor living room to host game night. What they end up with is a complete transformation, including a redwood deck with a stone fireplace, two water features flanking the corners of the yard and custom decorative metal panels for privacy. Plus, pavers are added throughout, leading to a cedar hot tub. And the best part? No more grass to maintain!