Villa Gardens · Poolside Shade · Garden Steps · Slopes
Houses in La Nucía usually come with proper outdoor space, and much of it sits on a slope. We build the shade, levels, steps and lighting that turn a plot into rooms you use for most of the year.
Drive through La Nucía and you see villas stepping up the hillside, each with terraces, a pool and a garden fitted to the slope. In these houses the outdoor space is as important as the interior, and families often take meals, work and entertain outside for months at a time.
The slope shapes everything. Level ground has to be created with walls and fill before a pergola can stand on it, and the posts need bases that will not shift as the ground settles. A structure that looks fine in spring can lean after a wet winter if the foundations were an afterthought.
We build the whole arrangement: the retaining wall or step that makes the platform, the decking or paving, the timber structure and the lighting. One team coordinates all of it, which suits owners who want a finished garden instead of a series of unconnected trades.
Slopes
Before a pergola goes up we check what is under it. A terrace formed partly from fill can settle unevenly, and posts set on it will move with it. Where needed, we build a proper base, add or repair a retaining wall, and make sure drainage keeps water from collecting behind it.
Sometimes the best answer is a modest regrading rather than a bigger structure. Moving a seating area a few metres to firmer ground, or stepping it into two levels, costs less and lasts longer than forcing a large platform onto a plot that does not want it.
Steps connecting the levels are part of the same plan. We set them with even risers, a non-slip surface and a rail where the drop warrants one, so older relatives and children use the garden confidently, in daylight and after dark.
Poolside
A pool is the focus of many La Nucía gardens, and the sun beside it is intense. We build shaded seating or a covered dining corner at the edge of the paved area, positioned so it gives relief without darkening the water or the house windows.
We do not build swimming pools. What we do is the surround and everything beside it: non-slip paving or decking, steps, railings and the structure over the seating. Where a pool already exists we work around its edge, services and any drainage channels.
Splashing, chlorine and bare wet feet all affect the choice of surface. We suggest finishes that grip when wet, stay cooler in direct sun and tolerate pool chemicals, and we detail timber so water drains away from it and does not sit.
Garden Rooms
A covered dining area near the kitchen turns a garden into somewhere used daily. We position it to catch the evening breeze and miss the strongest afternoon sun, then add lighting, a fan point and weatherproof sockets so it works from lunch until late.
Outdoor cabling across a sloping garden takes thought. Conduits must be buried at proper depth, joined in sealed boxes and kept clear of future planting or digging. Our electricians plan routes before paving or decking begins, which avoids cutting into a newly finished floor.
For a larger garden we often suggest several modest elements rather than one big building: shade by the pool, a dining pergola nearer the house and a lit path between. Each stays in proportion to the plot, and they can be built in phases.
How it works
We start by walking the garden with you, noting levels, existing walls, the pool, the services and where the sun falls at different times. We measure, take photos and discuss how you live outdoors, which usually changes the design more than the size of the plot does.
You then receive a written quotation covering the groundwork, the timber structure, the flooring, lighting and finishes, with each stage listed so nothing is assumed. Because our team deals with masonry, carpentry and electrics, the work is sequenced properly, and owners abroad receive photos and video calls as it proceeds.
Questions
Yes, usually by creating a firm level platform first, with a retaining wall or stepped base where needed. We check the ground at the survey and design the foundations before the timber structure is considered.
No. We build the surround, shaded areas, steps and railings beside a pool, and work alongside whoever installs or maintains the pool itself. The pool shell, its equipment and the water treatment are outside what we offer, and the quotation says so clearly.
Surfaces should grip when wet, stay tolerable underfoot in strong sun and cope with chemicals. Non-slip porcelain paving and well-detailed decking both work. We discuss the options and show you samples before you decide, so you can feel the texture yourself.
Yes, though it is easier if cables can be hidden within the frame or a nearby wall. We inspect the structure, fit outdoor-rated lights and sockets, and tell you honestly where visible cabling cannot be avoided.
Across the area
Villa gardens in other parts of the coast face different wind, salt and access questions. The pages for nearby towns show how our outdoor work changes from one setting to the next.
Pergolas and outdoor living for Benidorm apartments: wind-aware shade, decking and lighting for balconies and penthouse roofs. Free quotation.
View Benidorm →Pergolas and outdoor living in Altea: shade for old town roof terraces, narrow patios and sea-view villa terraces, built around steep access. Free quotation.
View Altea →Pergolas, railings and shade for Finestrat view terraces, hillside villas and homes near Cala de Finestrat, designed for exposed wind and sun. Free quotation.
View Finestrat →Pergolas and outdoor living in Calpe: salt-resistant timber, fixings and finishes for seafront flats and hillside villa terraces. Free quotation.
View Calpe →Pergolas and outdoor living in Alfaz del Pi and Albir: shade for apartments, hillside villas and village fincas, with cabling planned early. Free quotation.
View Alfaz del Pi & Albir →Pergolas and outdoor living in Polop: shade frames for village patios, stone-house terraces and hillside villas, built for hot inland summers. Free quotation.
View Polop →Pergolas and outdoor living in Benissa: large finca terraces, old town patios and coastal villas, with covered dining, stone and timber. Free quotation.
View Benissa →Pergolas and outdoor living in Villajoyosa: shade for old town rooftops, seafront flat balconies and inland villa gardens, for year-round use. Free quotation.
View Villajoyosa →Pergolas and outdoor living in Callosa d'en Sarrià from a local team: shade for village houses, hillside fincas and terraces above the valley. Free quotation.
View Callosa d'en Sarrià →Pergolas and outdoor living in Albir: low-maintenance shade for holiday apartments and hillside villas near the Sierra Helada and seafront. Free quotation.
View Albir →Get in touch
Tell us about the plot, the pool and how your family uses the garden. After a visit and measuring up, you receive a full quotation in writing, with no pressure to proceed whatsoever.
Groundwork, timber, electrics and finishing sit with one coordinated team, working in English or Spanish, with regular photographs and calls when you are living elsewhere for part of the year.
Customer reviews
Genuine Google reviews from Dragon Reforms customers.
Professional Collaboration & Complete House Renovation – Calpe
“We have been collaborating for many years on projects both large and small, with excellent results. Our latest collaboration was the complete renovation of a house in Calpe. Thanks to their professionalism and reliability, they were able to handle all phases of the project. We hope to continue working together for many years to come.”
Complete Apartment Renovation – Benidorm
“I would like to say a huge thank you to Dragonreforms. Nico and his team did an excellent job renovating our 2 bedroom apartment in Benidorm. This included a beautiful new bathroom, kitchen, flooring, interior doors, plumbing and complete electrical works. Truly amazing workmanship. You have made our dreams come true.”
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