You spent $3 million on your Durango estate.
So why does your outdoor space look like the builder ran out of budget?
Book Your Property Walk A 60-minute on-site assessment with a landscape architect. $1,500 value — waived for remaining Q4 slots.Look. I'm not here to blow smoke.
You've heard the "transforming your outdoor living experience" pitch before. Probably from three different contractors who showed you a few pictures, promised the world — then either disappeared mid-project or delivered something that looked "fine." Not $150K fine.
So let me be direct.
If you're reading this, your outdoor space is probably embarrassing you. Not because it's hideous — because it's incomplete. Generic. The kind of landscaping that screams "the builder handled this."
And every time you look out those floor-to-ceiling windows... or a friend walks around back and tries to hide their disappointment... you're reminded:
Yeah. That's the part that actually stings.
Here's what usually happens next
You tell yourself you'll fix it "next spring." You spend six months researching contractors, scrolling portfolios, reading reviews. Maybe you take a few calls. But something always feels off:
- The guy seems capable, but his past work looks too "basic residential" for your taste.
- Another company talks a big game, but you can tell they'll subcontract everything and disappear.
- The third option quotes you $80K for something that clearly needs $200K to do right.
So you don't pull the trigger. And another year passes. Your spouse makes another comment about how "nice" the neighbor's new outdoor kitchen looks. Your daughter suggests hosting the birthday at her house — "there's more for the kids to do."
You KNOW you need to do something. You just don't trust anyone to actually do it right.
It's not the money. You can afford this. What you can't afford is another disappointment.
- Hiring someone who seems great — then watching the project become a 9-month nightmare of missed deadlines and mediocre results.
- Spending $150–250K on something that looks "nice" but doesn't actually wow anyone.
- Making the wrong design choices and living with an expensive mistake forever.
- Turning your peaceful mountain retreat into a torn-up construction zone while workers ghost you mid-project.
Listen. I get it. You've been burned before. And you're not about to let some contractor talk you into round two of that disaster.
I've completed 53+ projects in this valley and abandoned zero. I was born and raised in Southwest Colorado, and I served this country in the U.S. Army — where I earned my slot through Special Forces Selection, and where "quit halfway" isn't in the vocabulary. When I take on your property, I finish it. That's not a slogan. It's a record.
An Army Veteran doesn't abandon the mission.
Every contractor promises they'll finish. Ty Lovato's the one whose record proves it. The Army — and earning his place through Special Forces Selection — taught him mission planning, logistics under pressure, and finishing what you start — the exact disciplines a $200K outdoor build lives or dies on.
- U.S. Army veteran — qualified through Special Forces Selection. Plans like it, executes like it.
- Born & raised in Southwest Colorado — he builds for this terrain, this climate, this community. His name is on every project here.
- 53+ projects completed, 0 abandoned — the number every burned homeowner should ask about first.
- SPAR Foundation — We Train Men Ministry — building men of character off the jobsite, too.
Why True Grit is different
We only take on 1–2 new luxury projects per quarter. Not to be exclusive — because doing this level of work right requires our full attention. This isn't a spray-and-pray operation juggling 17 projects and hoping most turn out okay.
Not a "designer" who took a weekend course. A dedicated architect who designs for your terrain, drainage, and Durango's climate.
Your single point of contact. You're never coordinating five subcontractors yourself or wondering when someone's going to show up.
We guide every decision — materials, layout, finishes — so you're never paralyzed by a hundred options.
Wild concept, I know. Because we don't overbook, your project doesn't get bumped.
Run by an Army Veteran: mission planned, supply lines locked, crew accountable, no excuses.
The kind of attention that turns a "nice backyard" into the property everyone talks about for the next five years.
Four steps. No surprises.
The Property Walk
A 60-minute on-site assessment — normally $1,500, waived for the remaining Q4 slots. We come to your property. We walk the space. We ask what you've tried, what you've hated, what you're scared of — the stuff you wouldn't tell a normal contractor because you don't want to sound "difficult." Then our landscape architect gives you the truth:
- What's possible given your terrain, drainage, and climate
- What's going to look stunning versus what's going to look "fine"
- What the timeline and investment actually need to be
The Design
Our architect creates a design that doesn't just check boxes — it integrates with your home's aesthetic. Stamped concrete that flows. Outdoor living zones that make entertaining effortless. Landscaping that works with Durango's climate instead of fighting it.
You'll see renderings. We'll walk material choices together. And we won't move forward until you're excited — not just "okay, I guess."
The Execution
Your project manager becomes your single point of contact. No coordinating five different people. No wondering when someone's going to show up. We handle everything — and because we only take 1–2 projects per quarter, yours never gets delayed because we overbooked ourselves.
The Reveal
When we're done, your outdoor space isn't just "complete." It's the kind of space that makes guests stop mid-conversation and say "this is incredible." The kind of space your spouse finally stops making comments about. The kind your kids want to bring the grandkids to.
The True Grit Guarantee
You're going to love the result — or we keep working until you do. No change-order games. No walking away. In 53+ projects we have never abandoned a job, and yours won't be the first.
The projects speak for themselves
"Ty & his team did everything right from the beginning and got our project to the finish line. The best in the business, period. Give him a call. I am glad I did."— John G.
"We had a project half done with a bunch of empty promises — guys not showing up — and I got referred to Ty and could not have been happier. We run big commercial projects around the world, and it's nice to come to our little sanctuary in Colorado and get peace of mind. We have Ty to thank."— Tucker C.
Make anyone bidding your project answer these five questions.
Seriously — take this list to every contractor you talk to. The ones who squirm are the ones who'll ghost you in month four.
Watch the pause. Ours is zero — in 53+ projects. Ask for the number, not a story.
If the answer is more than a handful, your project is the one that gets bumped when things slip.
A real landscape architect owns terrain, drainage, and climate. A "designer" picks pavers from a catalog.
If you'll be coordinating subs yourself, you just became the unpaid project manager.
Get the answer in writing. Ours is signed: we keep working until you do.
The calendar doesn't lie.
We have capacity for two more projects this quarter — and in Durango, a project booked now is a project finished before the snow flies. Book later, and you're looking at a spring start. Not pressure. Just weather.
I'm not going to dance around the number.
That's what projects at this level typically run. If that number makes you uncomfortable, we're probably not the right fit — and that's okay.
But if you're thinking "Yeah, I figured. I just need to make sure whoever I hire actually delivers" — then we should talk. Because that's exactly what we do.
Get the Durango Estate Owner's Pricing Guide
What $80K, $150K, and $250K actually buys in luxury landscape & concrete — plus the five questions that expose a contractor who'll ghost you. Free, instant, no call required.
Send Me the GuideSix months from now, you'll be sitting outside thinking: "I should've done this three years ago."
Book the Property Walk. I'll come to your property, assess what's possible, and give you complete clarity on design, timeline, and investment. If we're not the right fit — I'll tell you that too. — Ty Lovato
Book Your Property Walk
Choose a time below to schedule your complimentary Property Walk with Ty Lovato — and walk through your vision, timeline, and project goals on your own ground.