Altera Landscape

We are extremely happy with the work that Ryan and the Altera crew performed! We started off with another firm for the design phase and would have used them for the construction but they did not listen to us in terms of what was important to us. Ryan did hear us and incorporated our priorities into the project. Our job included a complete demo of all landscape and hardscape, only two olive trees were saved. The highlights are a beautiful pool with an elevated spa including infinity edges and an amazing pavilion with barbecue and entertainment area. Ryan's crew did most of the work with a few trades subbed out. They are quite and respectful of the client and neighborhood. They maintain a clean jobsite and hosed everything down on Fridays giving us a clear view of the progress. Altera was willing to begin and perform a lot of the work while the remodel efforts were ongoing inside the house. This enabled us to complete the job faster. The workmanship is outstanding with beautiful finishing touches. Many design elements were included in the yard features which mirrored the house project. This creates a seamless environment which we enjoy every day. The job has been complete for about 9 months and Ryan has been great about taking care of any issues that arise with no hesitation. One question I ask when I speak with referrals of contractors is, "would you use them again". We definitely will use Altera on future projects and have already referred friends and family to them for their needs.

We just completed a total overhaul of our outdoor spaces by Altera and the results are beyond anything we had imagined. Our house front, courtyard, back deck, and side yard are all of a piece in their elegance and modernist sophistication. It is all truly gorgeous and we couldn’t be more pleased. Ryan was wonderful to work with—he listened, was responsive to our needs, had an instinctive (and from vast experience) knowledge of what would work best in our space, and was willing and quick to adapt to changes as the project proceeded over the course of several months. His team, from Ishmael, the manager, to Javier, Primitivo, Sergio, Jim, and a host of other craftsmen, electricians, painters, tilers, landscapers, and more, were all top notch professionals who treated their work and our home with the utmost respect. Teams of workers would arrive at our door at 7:00 each morning without fail so that progress was made on a consistent and daily basis. If you are considering an outdoor project, Altera and Ryan should be at the top of your list. We could not recommend them more highly!

It was an absolute pleasure working with Altera Landscape! Trust me, you will not be disappointed! Ryan, Shane, Ismael and the entire team were absolutely wonderful! Altera Landscape save me from my disaster. I had unfortunately started with another company that was absolutely horrible and stole my money. I was in a real bad position and I was so lucky to be referred to Ryan and Altera Landscape. They absolutely saved me. We are so happy with the journey we experienced with Altera Landscape and the end result was more than we could have ever expected! We had our entire backyard remodeled. Ryan and team put in a wonderful pool, spa, BBQ area, landscape, hardscape, soft scape, lighting, drainage, sprinkler system, audio system, etc. We have a beautiful IPE wall that I saw in one of the pictures of a house that Altera had completed. Ryan spent time to explain everything to us and the team walked us through everything step-by-step. When they said they were going to do something they followed through as expected. Ryan and team were an absolute pleasure to work with. I am happy to recommend Altera Landscape! You will not be disappointed at all!! They are wonderful!! Thank you Ryan and the entire Altera Team! Please use Altera Landscape for anything you need! You will be so happy! Thank you! Raul in Tustin!

Follow up of previous review — Altera Landscape did an outstanding job with our two Ipe wood products, as well. The Ipe garden box has beautiful, custom built-in lights; which make it very attractive including at night. Both the Ipe garden box and the Ipe stand are masterfully crafted by Altera Landscape’s Jim Atkins. Both products refreshen with Ipe oils for long lasting finishes. Owner Ryan Suarez and his Team have our strongest endorsement.

Ryan, Javier, Shane and team were awesome partners to work with on our backyard project. They really helped us bring our vision for the backyard to life, working with a pretty oddly shaped property and turning it into literally our most favorite part of our home to hang out in. They were also super responsive and accommodating, answering our questions regularly and helping us with numerous change requests throughout the process. Would highly recommend Altera to anyone looking for a reliable, responsive and skilled team to work with.

Altera Landscape were highly customer oriented and professional from the first introductory meeting, through design and permits, to all aspects of construction — both hard scape and soft scape. They were always very sensitive to customer needs; providing flexibility even in the challenging COVID environment. Our highest endorsement for Ryan and Shane and the Altera Landscape Team! Hire for any landscape need.

Ryan and his team are great to work with. Extremely conscientious in every aspect of their work, planning and design. They consider each client's needs and budgets and provide a beautiful project upon completion. I highly recommend them.

We are so happy that we went with Altera Landscape. Ryan and his team were so professional and easy to work with. There were no budgetary surprises that crept up from their end; any changes or additions were per our request. There was regular communication throughout the project, including weekly meetings with Ryan for updates. Ryan gave us great advice and recommendations throughout the project. The quality of their work is excellent, and we couldn’t be happier. I would highly recommend Altera Landscape without any hesitation.

The hardest part to starting any project is picking the right Contractor. We spent weeks reviewing and securing bids from various contractors on Houzz. We met with each of them face to face. We met many great people but no one stood out to us like Altera. The quality of their projects and comprehensive body of work along with their partnership with AMS Landscape and positive reviews gave us the confidence we needed to select them as our contractor. Further, after meeting Shane and Ryan in person we knew our project was in good hands. They were both responsive, respectful, listened, and drove the project to a timely conclusion. They also gave us solid design direction and advice that kept us on budget while exceeding our expectations. As a family, we feel very lucky to now be a part of the Altera family of projects. We highly recommend Altera and can now say with certainty they followed through on their word and gave us a backyard we could never have dreamed of on time and on budget. What more can you ask for from a contractor? Thanks Altera! M Sullivan Project.

Creative team, superb execution in a timely and professional... ALWAYS! Results matter, Ryan and the team exceed expectations every time. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to work with them.

I searched for a year to find the perfect landscape company that could handle my huge project. I wanted a pool, spa, outdoor kitchen, and my entire lot needed a makeover. I live on a third of an acre lot that was all dirt and I didn't even know where to start. After a long search, I concluded most pool companies don't do landscape and most landscape companies don't build pools. When I saw the beautiful pools that Altera builds on their website (trust me you won't see any pools as beautiful anywhere else) I knew I wanted them to design my project. My design was ready in only a week! I wanted a company that could design, build and had integrity as well and Altera exceeded my expectations. From the moment Shane arrived, I knew I would be taken care of. He was very pleasant and knowledgable. Anytime I had a question about anything he would get back to me right away. I hired Altera to develop my entire lot and it was a very good experience from beginning to end! The workers showed up on time everyday at 7am and at the end of each work day, everything was left clean. The owner Ryan Suarez stops by frequently to check on things and steers you in the right direction with choices about material, plants etc. to guarantee your job turns out amazing. He has a very good eye for detail! If you're looking for a company to design, build and you don't want the hassle of micro managing to make sure things are being done correctly or on time then Altera Landscape is the company for you! I'm pretty sure I have one of the best yards now in San Clemente!

I am extremely happy with the way our backyard and front yard turned out. Shane and his team were extremely pleasant to work with. They were very respectful, timely, and easy to work with. Altera understood exactly what I was looking for from our very first meeting and from that point onward it was hands off from our perspective. I would recommend Altera to anyone looking for an excellent job.

Altera was great to work with. They designed a wonderful, functional backyard space. The workers were extremely professional. Ryan & Shane are outstanding - they allowed us to get the most bang for our budget.

Had a great experience with Altera Landscape. We did a whole yard renovation including a pool, spa, outdoor kitchen/entertainment center, front entry, driveway, and firepit. It was a large and complex project. Altera's team was professional and efficient. The quality of the work was very high. It was particularly enjoyable working with Ryan because he had a lot of ideas along the way that made an all-ready great design even better. Lots of little things like the color of glass tile in the pool to the shape of some decorative pots to the materials to use for the outdoor kitchen doors/drawers. Hard-working, detail oriented, and customer focused. We would recommend Altera without hesitation.

Altera Landscape hit it out of the park! The initial design was everything I ever wanted, yet; post the installation...it was even better than the original renderings! Delivery was impressive...my neighbors agree and are interested in utilizing Altera's creative designs as well! My bottom line with the performance/execution of the creation and installation of my yard…perfection! Addressing the bottom line, worth every dollar spent! My gauge, is having installed landscaping at my previous homes. Truly, I have not seen such organization, coordination, communication and genuine care for the workmanship by the team. Their respect for Ryan Suarez is evident by their performance. All are truly respectful of the other's endeavors. In just 8 days, I was amazed at the accomplishments by the Altera team. Their special care to detail doesn’t go unnoticed! Furthermore, outside of their normal preparation, and daily builds, at days end; my property (including the outside areas of my property are cleaned and complete removal of any debris is a priority). To view the team, is almost “surgical,” in that; they rarely need to converse, each member understands exactly what needs to be done, which tool is needed in a synergistic manner. Impressive. During daily construction, the team is respectful and conscientious of my schedule, noise levels; and very courteous to not only myself, but to my neighbors. I should like anyone else pursuing a new landscape design/install; to enjoy this very painless process as I have experienced. Altera is on time, on budget, and over the top professional! Please feel free to utilize me as a referral. I am a very satisfied client of Altera Landscape! Thanking all of the employees at Altera for everything you do to make my home a happy, beautiful and functional place to live! Photos coming very soon! I assure you that they are stunningly gorgeous, clean modern lines and very simple to maintain with general landscape care. 'Nuff said, Janet, living in San Juan Capistrano, CA

I've admired Ryan's work for years and we finally had the opportunity to work with him. We have a modest yard in Aliso Viejo and his team is in the process of turning it into an amazing space to entertain family to entertain friends. He does exactly what he said he's going to do, when he said he'd do it by. I highly recommend.

I have had the pleasure of working with Ryan Suarez and his team at Altera Landscape. My experience with Ryan began many years back when he owned / partnered at Urban Landscape and Design. While there, he was responsible for installing their most difficult and high-end projects, and often improved upon the design by bringing forward additional ideas and/or materials options. Besides his great construction knowledge, he has a good eye for design, which is very rare amongst contractors. Yet, one of the main aspects behind my recommendation of Ryan Suarez and Altera Landscape, is that Ryan excellent even with the most exacting and meticulous Clients. I have seen Ryan patiently deal with incredibly demanding Clients , going well beyond even the highest expectations in order to make them happy, He always looks out for the Clients best interest, working with them to make sure their desired budget remains intact, and he makes sure the Client is fully aware and that all questions are answered. I am always thankful and excited when Ryan and his team install one of my designs because I know it will turn out better than imagined. From experience, I know that coming up with a good design doesn't always ensure that it turns out that way. Only using a great Contractor like Altera Landscape, ensures that a quality design becomes a quality outdoor environment. To find a good Contractor is difficult, but to find a great one that is good-natured and truly honest is an absolute rarity, I wholeheartedly recommend Ryan Suarez and Altera Landscape. Drew Sivgals AMS Landscape Design Studios, Inc.

Can not say enough good things about this company. Very professional,they listen,great followup. Ryan the owner very cordial and easy to work with as well as his great team. We always get the highest compliments on our yard. Bottom line,great work,great company!

I should have hired Altera Landscaping first. But I didn’t and made a huge mistake. Even though we have used Altera twice before (on much smaller jobs) and they did great work, my husband wanted to go with another company because they were cheaper and told him everything he wanted to hear; that they would do it in half the time, for less money. The results were disastrous. Never believe anybody whose story is too good to be true, no matter what the references tell you. Ultimately the job took twice as long, the quality was tragically poor, the company abandoned my project and we had to hire Altera to fix and finish it. The job ended up costing us significantly more than if we had just gone with my first choice-Altera. You get what you pay for. Altera is not cheap - because they only use quality materials and qualified laborers, some of which have been with them for years, unlike other landscapers who sub-contract to amateurs or sidewalk laborers. Altera is not fast – because they do not cut corners. Their work is excellent and they stand behind their product for years. You definitely get what you pay for with Altera. Everything is spelled out and itemized in the contract so there are no misunderstandings. The Altera administrative team is on top of it and always a pleasure to work with. Ryan Suarez, the owner, is experienced, fair and professional. He provides excellent advice and referrals. He’s a good listener, and unlike his peers, provides a range of creative options, not just the most expensive. He does not hard sell. He is earnest, honest and hard working and enjoys his job. This attitude is reflected in the exceptional work his company does. His team shows up everyday, and works a full day, even Saturdays, if necessary. They clean up after themselves. They’re courteous. They take pride in their work. Altera is trustworthy. They have an outstanding reputation within Southern California, and with vendors, which makes a difference when you’re working with a persnickety HOA or picking out materials. I have never once received a “notice of lien” from one of their vendors like I did with the other company. If you want exceptional magazine worthy quality, and accountability, I highly recommend Altera Landscaping. Altera is worth every penny. Review of 1st Job May 2013 I hired Altera Landscape to bring my backyard to life - literally. The lot was new construction so basically just dirt. It was a challenging project as the space is small, pie-shaped and slightly irregular. Altera Landscape provided several estimates to help me get a sense of costs based on varying levels of quality in hard-scape, soft-scape and lighting. This allowed me to make better choices on areas to enhance or compromise in order to stay within budget. My past experience with landscapers has not been good. They're either good at soft-scape, or hard-scape, but seldom both. And they never finish anything when they say they're going to. This was refreshingly not the case with Altera Landscape. Ryan was especially knowledgeable about both hard and soft-scape and provided intuitively good recommendations. Sure, like any big job, there were a few hiccups, but Ryan was always fair and responsive, working diligently to come to a resolution we were both happy with. I was most impressed with the professionalism and hard working ethic of the crew. They arrived on time everyday, were polite and cleaned up after themselves each day. They take pride in their work and it shows. Altera Landscape did such a good job I hired them a year later to do landscaping on a second house we bought as rental property. The second job was half the budget but Altera Landscape treated it with the same attention to detail and sense of urgency as a larger job. I will hire them again for any future landscaping needs.

After years of our home and landscape needing an entire facelift we selected Altera Landscape for the job. Like everyone, our homes appearance is very important to us. We not only needed landscaping, we also needed some serious street appeal. Ryan Suarez at Altera was not only amazing at all the details but always was available for any questions and any requests we had. And we had many. His vision for our homes exterior was beyond what we thought could be done. Our home went from nice to beautiful. In addition, he and his team gave our home a much need upgraded appearance with NO hassles. That was a big plus...NO hassles. Our front entry, motor gate and side water fixtures were the perfect touch to finished product we were very pleased with. I would highly recommend Altera for landscaping, exterior upgrades and great personal customer service.

We moved into our new home in 2012 and needed to get our backyard, courtyard, and frontyard landscaped. After much research and interviewing, we decided to go with Altera Landscape. With such a big project, you always want to make sure that you choose the right company. After our initial meeting with Ryan Suarez, we felt very comfortable trusting him with our home. After the permits were issued by the city, they started the project at our residence. From day one to the very end, our crew consisted of the same people. They always showed up on time and worked like true professionals. Our project consisted of multiple structures, water features, barbecue island, outdoor fireplace, extensive stone work, and large mature trees. During the entire project, Ryan was always available to us. He made sure that every phase was done with quality in mind. You could tell that his company took pride in their work. At the completion of the project, I can honestly say that we were blown away about how everything turned out. They did a tremendous job with all the little details to make sure that we were going to be happy for a long time. As we all know, most contractors disappear after they have completed their work, but in our case, we still contact Ryan from time to time to ask him for advice and suggestions. Every single time, he takes the time to help us. I rarely ever take the time to write a review, but in this case, I am so happy that we decided to go with Altera Landscape. I highly recommend them without any hesitation.

We moved from out of state and purchased a brand new home near the beach. Having to landscape the front and backyard of our new home seemed overwhelming. We fortunately met Ryan and his team of professionals. They designed our landscaping beyond our expectations, doubling the size of our balcony to achieve better ocean views for entertaining and including tons of natural stone and incredible design elements throughout. Ryan did everything he promised to and more. We were so excited about our new yard and working with Altera that we had them add a swimming pool, spa, and fire pit immediately after the job was complete. One thing that stands out in my mind was we had an issue with the Home Owners Association not allowing us to have access from the rear of our property that was needed to build the pool and Ryan went as far as getting his lawyer involved and handled every detail needed, without any cost to us. Ryan is honest, dependable, professional, dedicated, a perfectionist, always returns our calls and personally comes out himself to check any issues that arise even months after the job was complete. He helped us with warranty issues on the pool, as well. Best landscape company out there. We would definitely recommend him to anyone.