Outdoor Living & Landscaping on Isle of Palms, SC

Local & Family-Run

Isle of Palms Outdoor Living, Bright and Coastal

Cramers Landscaping is a family company. Doug Cramer has worked in landscaping his whole life, with more than 30 years of experience, and his son Zach is our licensed residential builder. Doug and Zach design every project themselves, and our own crew builds it, including the gas, electrical and plumbing.

Bright and coastal: that is the feel of the Isle of Palms pool pavilion pictured here. It is a modern coastal pavilion with a tabby fireplace, set on a travertine pool deck that stays cool underfoot.

The Space Under the House

This Isle of Palms house is raised up. For the same client we converted the area under the house into a bar, a bathroom and a game area.

That kind of job is building work as much as landscaping. Zach is our licensed residential builder, and our own team handles the plumbing, electrical and permits.

Building on Isle of Palms

Salt air is the first thing to plan for on Isle of Palms. It corrodes cheap fixtures and fasteners, so for landscape lighting near the coast we use solid brass, copper or marine-grade stainless steel. Plastic kit fixtures corrode.

The island is also a sea turtle nesting beach. Turtle season runs from May 1 to October 31, and during it the city requires decorative lights that can be seen from the beach to be shielded or turned off from sunset to sunrise. Any lighting plan for a beachfront lot has to be designed around that, and the city has the final say.

Raised houses change the layout too. The ground level is where an outdoor shower belongs, and we plumb them hot and cold, because a hot shower gets used after the beach in October. Around a pool, travertine stays cool underfoot, which is why it is a common choice for a pool deck. For the lawn, artificial turf earns its money where grass keeps failing, and an irrigation system decides whether the planting lives.

Wild Dunes and the Rest of the Island

The City of Isle of Palms requires new hard landscaping, including walkways, driveways, pool surrounds and ground-level patios, to be built from pervious materials, and it caps impervious cover on a lot. Removing a tree of 8 inches or more, palms included, needs a city permit.

Inside Wild Dunes, the community’s own architectural review board adds more:

Fences around a whole lot or in a front yard are generally not approved. A small child or pet area can be, in 48-inch black aluminum with square pickets.
Artificial turf is allowed only inside a rear pool fence or a rear child or pet fence.
Driveways are concrete, brick or stone pavers, or asphalt. Crushed shell and crushed stone are not permitted.
Fire: no wood-burning fires are permitted outdoors, so a fire pit or fireplace there has to be gas, and a propane fireplace needs board approval.
Lighting stays low, shielded and warm white, with outdoor lights off at midnight apart from low step lights.

Rules as published when we checked in 2026. Guidelines change, and the board or town always has the final say, so we confirm the current rules for your property before a design is final.

Patios on Isle of Palms

Our Isle of Palms job pairs a tabby fireplace with a modern coastal pavilion and a travertine pool deck, and it shows the palette we recommend this close to the ocean. Tabby shell concrete, or a natural stone such as travertine or coral stone, suits a coastal patio, and brick makes a good accent or border.

Every Service We Offer, Available On Isle of Palms

The projects on this page are only part of what we do. We offer all of our services on Isle of Palms, designed by Doug and Zach and built by our own crew. From the first site visit to the final walkthrough, here’s how a project works.

Worth knowing before you start

Landscape lighting: Near the coast we use solid brass, copper or marine-grade stainless steel. Plastic kit fixtures corrode.
Outdoor showers: No permit is needed for an outdoor shower. Some HOAs want approval when it is visible from the street, and we handle that.
Concrete and driveways: Poured concrete is about $12 per square foot. Salt-void, tabby and stamped finishes are all options and look good for the money. Poured in-house, at the thickness you paid for, with the mesh, rebar and joint spacing done properly.
Artificial turf: From $13 per square foot, including the base preparation. For dogs we use a high-permeability backing, antimicrobial infill and a well-draining base.
Outdoor kitchens: Granite counters and stainless appliances hold up best here.

Small jobs are welcome too. There’s no minimum job size.

What Projects Typically Cost

Pavilion	$30,000 – $90,000+
Outdoor fireplace	about $8,000 for a kit, $20,000+ custom
Travertine or paver pool deck	from about $18 per sq ft
Outdoor shower	$6,000 – $15,000

Ranges are typical, not quotes. Size, materials, site conditions and finishes move the number. You’ll get an exact price after the consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What have you built on Isle of Palms?

A bright, coastal pool pavilion with a tabby fireplace and a travertine deck. For the same client we converted the area under their raised house into a bar, a bathroom and a game area.

Can you finish the space under a raised house?

Yes. On Isle of Palms we converted a client’s under-house area into a bar, bathroom and game area. Zach is a licensed residential builder, and our own team handles the plumbing, electrical and permits.

Does salt air change what you build with?

It matters. Salt air near the water corrodes cheap fixtures and fasteners, so materials are chosen with that in mind.

How much does a pool pavilion cost?

Pavilions run $30,000 to $90,000 or more. At $30,000 it is small and bare bones, and finishes like a fireplace, trim and a kitchen are what take it up.

Talk to Doug or Zach About Your Yard

Tell us what you have in mind for your Isle of Palms property, and we’ll set up a consultation at your home.