Design, hardscapes and seasonal care for homes along the Fox River bluff, from the historic district east of 3rd Street out to the newer subdivisions past Randall Road.
Custom Scapes & Designs is based in Cortland, about 35 minutes west of St. Charles on Route 64. We build patios, retaining walls and planting beds across Kane County, and St. Charles is one of the towns we are in most often, mostly for grade work, because of what the river does to these lots.
This page covers what is different about working here. For everything we do, see our services, or the other towns we serve.
St. Charles yards drop toward the river far more than anything out in DeKalb County. That single fact drives most of what we quote here.
Lots closer to the river often fall several feet from the house to the rear property line. Terracing is usually the only way to get usable flat ground out of them.
Glacial till near the river leaves clay sitting on more permeable gravel. Water perches on the clay instead of soaking away, so drainage has to be designed, not assumed.
Homes in a St. Charles historic district or on a landmark site need a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior and site work. We handle the submittal and build to what gets approved.
The most-quoted job in town. Bluff lots need tiered walls to create flat ground and hold it there.
Clay over gravel perches water against foundations. Regrading and drain tile come before anything else gets built.
Usually the reason for the wall: a level paver patio on ground that used to slope away from the house.
About nine miles north. Tiered retaining walls, drainage correction and a natural stone walkway on a side yard that dropped close to six feet.
Further west, but the same problem set: a full property redesign with a 3D plan, trench edging, garden beds, irrigation and a stone walkway.
What homeowners here ask us most, answered straight.
For hardscape, usually yes. The City of St. Charles requires a building permit for a patio, with a base inspection and a final inspection, and for a new or replacement fence. A flatwork permit covers driveways, stoops and sidewalks. The city does not publish a height threshold for retaining walls, so we confirm wall permitting case by case with the Building and Code Enforcement Division at (630) 377-4406 before we break ground.
If it sits in a St. Charles historic district or on a designated landmark site, exterior and site work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness. Some project types are approved administratively by city staff rather than going to the Historic Preservation Commission. Community Development at (630) 377-4443 confirms which applies, and we handle the submittal.
We are out this way through the build season, so estimates usually happen within a week of your call. Build slots typically run three to six weeks out from April through October, and tighter in spring when everyone books at once. Every quote follows an on-site visit at no cost, so the number reflects your actual soil, grade and access rather than a per-foot average.
All of them. That includes the older streets in and around the historic district, the bluff lots on both sides of the river, the newer subdivisions out past Randall Road, and unincorporated Kane County addresses with a St. Charles mailing address. Whether you are inside city limits does not change our pricing, only which permits apply.
Permit and review requirements described on this page reflect City of St. Charles guidance published as of September 2026. Codes change. Confirm current requirements with the city before starting work.
Tell us what the yard is doing and we will tell you straight what it needs. Free on-site estimate, no pressure.
