A paver patio turns a patch of yard into a place you actually use: a spot for the grill, a fire pit, a table under the shade, or the base for an outdoor kitchen like the one on this page. Pavers hold up to heat, can be repaired one piece at a time, and come in enough colors and patterns to match any house.
The part that decides whether a patio stays flat for decades is underneath it. We excavate, build and compact the base in layers, set edge restraints, and lock the joints, so the surface does not sink, shift, or grow weeds between the stones.
What is included
- Design help with size, shape, pattern, and paver color
- Excavation to the proper depth for your soil
- Compacted crushed stone base installed in layers
- Screeded bedding layer and paver installation
- Edge restraint to keep the field from spreading
- Polymeric sand in the joints to lock pavers and resist weeds
- Grading around the patio so water drains away from it and from the house
How the job works
- 1Design. We lay out the patio on site with you, talk through how you will use it, and pick materials.
- 2Excavate and base. Soil comes out, crushed stone goes in, and each layer is compacted before the next.
- 3Lay pavers. The bedding layer is screeded flat with a slight pitch for drainage, pavers are set, and edges cut clean.
- 4Lock and finish. Edge restraint goes in, joints are filled with polymeric sand, and the area around the patio is graded and cleaned up.
Building patios for Midlands ground
Red clay is common across much of the Columbia area, and it moves. It swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and a patio laid on a thin base over clay will heave and settle unevenly. On clay we dig deeper and use a thicker compacted base than we would on sandy ground, and we make sure water can drain out from under the patio instead of sitting in it.
Sandy soil in other parts of the Midlands drains well but can shift if not compacted and contained. Solid edge restraint and a well-compacted base keep a patio on sand from spreading at the edges.
Pitch matters in a place where summer storms and tropical systems dump heavy rain. We set every patio with a slight slope away from the house so water runs off the surface and into the lawn or a drain, not toward your foundation. Where a patio sits in a low area, we can add a channel drain or tie it into a French drain.
Summer heat is another consideration. Lighter paver colors stay noticeably cooler underfoot in July than dark ones, which matters if kids or pets will be on the patio in the afternoon.
What affects the price
Every property is different, so we quote each job after seeing it. These are the things that move the number most:
- Square footage of the patio or walkway
- Paver style, thickness, and pattern complexity
- Excavation depth and base thickness required for your soil
- Curves, borders, steps, and seat walls
- Drainage additions like channel drains
- Access for equipment and material delivery
- Features such as fire pits or outdoor kitchen pads
Quotes are free, and our customers regularly mention that we stick to the price we quote.
Timeline and warranty
Most residential patios take a few days to about a week, depending on size, excavation, and design. Weather can shift the schedule, since we will not build a base on saturated clay.
Ask about warranty coverage when we quote your project, and we will put the terms in writing.