Terrace.

Depends on budget and local restrictions.

I would Terrace it

Terrace and beam wall. Good candidate for an infinite edge, too, if you like those.

The beam wall will need to be engineered but its not difficult.

My slope wasn't as extreme, but you can see there is slope from the side yard, too, where we added stairs and an elevated garden bed. There are shorter run stairs behind the spa.

Would definitely suggest terracing the lot and installing retaining walls. You would be able to create relatively flat spots for installing a pool and creating some nice outdoor seating. You could attempt to incorporate the large existing tree but am sure it has an extensive root system. You should check with your zoning and building officials especially the arborist department before removing it if that is what you decided to do. If you are allowed to remove it you may have to pay recompense or replace the tree with newly planted ones. Good luck!

Yes you can build on that slope. Your entire neighborhood is built on that slope. The added cost of building on slopes versus flat ground is the cost of retaining walls which has upped your ball park $100,000 pool with all the bells and whistles by $50,000.

You are also going to need a landscape architect or qualified landscape designer to draw the construction plans to get a permit for your luxury resort amenities before construction begins, so add that cost in too.

You will need an architect and a landscape designer working together to get the best from the lot. A walk out basement is IMO the best use of sloped lots usaully and the pool on the walkout side . There is honestly no way for us to truly help since there are always issues that are not apparent to us with pictures . Is there an HOA for instance that will control all aspects of the build and landscaping.

You are not going to be able to get the help you need here. There are just too many variables involved and not enough detail for even experienced landscape designers to make any meaningful comments or advice. You need to hire a local professional, as Christopher indicated. That's about the best we can do for you :-)

I would love to see a walkout basement in LA :-) For that matter, I'd like to see any basements in LA or in most other locations in SoCal. They are very rare!!

A structural engineer will definitely have to be retained.

Sometimes flat properties can be boring. Terraced yards can look mighty nice.

You have lots of possibilities there. It comes with a cost though, as the property is hard to get around and access with heavy equipment and just plain walking to execute such plans.

Hi Shah - fellow hillside LA dweller. First and foremost, find out if your home is subject to the baseline hillside ordinance. This will impact what you can build on your lot given the slope and other features. Despite what most folks will say, basements are becoming way more popular in Los Angeles due to restrictions and set-backs and the land/property values.

For landscaping, find a pro. Trust me on this. Between erosion control, fire safety, water restrictions and reducing the impact of pests, it's a complicated endeavor to pick the right plants. It was worth it to us to consult with someone for a plan.

We just signed a contract to redo our backyard. It slopes significantly down to a lake. We are terracing it and there will be retaining walls with footings. Partway down the slope there will be a fire pit, which might be a nice thing to include in your plans for the cool LA evenings. Putting wide steps going down through the terraces is nice especially if they invite you to something nice like a garden, fire pit, water feature or another seating area away from the main patio. Definitely retain a landscape designer and be sure to ask for a good lighting plan.

I am not of course familiar with the SCal. buildings but it seems starnge to me that there are so few basements I would assum something to do with earthquakes since to me the walk out is our favorite space in the summer since it leads to the pool and is so much cooler than the main floor where we live.