Outdoor project questions
Patio, drainage & planting answers
How much does a professionally built patio cost?
It depends on access, slope and the stone you choose. Interlocking concrete paver patios usually start at around $28 to $36 per square foot installed, and natural bluestone terraces generally run from $38 to $52 or more. About 60% of a lasting patio sits out of sight: full excavation, geotextile fabric, 6 to 9 inches of compacted crushed stone and a proper edge restraint. That is why cheap patios laid on shallow sand sink within two winters.
Can we build a master plan in phases over two or three years?
Yes, and spreading the work out is one of the best reasons to begin with the $395 master plan. Drawing the whole property first means phase one puts the buried downspout pipes, conduit sleeves under future paths and the heavy machine work in place, so later planting or a front garden never means digging up finished work.
When is the best time to plant and to build?
Hardscaping and drainage go ahead from early spring to late autumn, whenever the frost is out of the ground. Trees, evergreens and perennials do best planted in spring (April–June) or autumn (September–November). Autumn is underrated: warm soil keeps roots growing while cooler air spares new plants the summer heat.
How do you handle buried gas, electric and sprinkler lines?
Before any machine digging, trenching or tree-pit work, our office files an 811 utility locate so gas, electric, telecom and water lines are marked. Private lines that 811 does not mark, such as invisible dog fences, low-voltage lighting wire or sprinkler laterals, we trace with you at the pre-construction walk and hand-dig near every crossing.
Will you prepare the drawings our HOA or lot-coverage permit asks for?
Yes. Our scaled plans show property-line dimensions, hardscape square footage for lot-coverage and stormwater limits, retaining-wall heights and a full planting schedule, ready to hand straight to your HOA architectural review committee.
How do the 5-year hardscape and 1-year plant warranties work?
Every patio, walkway, step and retaining wall we build is covered for 5 years against settling, heaving or joint failure beyond the normal weathering of natural stone. Trees and shrubs our crew plants carry a one-time, 1-year replacement warranty unless they suffer severe neglect or drought, and every client leaves with a simple week-by-week watering guide.
Do you mow lawns every week?
No. We concentrate on design-build work (patios, walls, drainage, planting and irrigation) and skilled seasonal bed care: hand-pruning, weeding, edging, mulching and tree care. If you also want weekly mowing, we can introduce two trusted local mowing partners who work around our garden schedule.
Our garden stays soggy for days after rain. What will fix it?
The cheapest fix often starts at the gutters. A 2,000-square-foot roof sheds more than 1,200 gallons in a 1-inch storm, and short splash blocks drop all of it beside the foundation. On a site visit we check with a laser level whether burying solid downspout lines out to daylight solves most of the problem, or whether groundwater and flat clay also call for a perforated gravel French drain.