If you had a fabulous patio, we could sit out there with landscape designer Eric Frisch and talk about how great paver patios are.
Oh, shoot. Maybe just pull up a chair in the grass, then.
There are other patio material choices, of course, from gravel to stamped concrete.
But Ground Source designer Frisch sticks to pavers.
What’s so great about pavers?
How much does a paver patio cost?
What are some designer tips for a great paver patio installation?
Let’s take a look.
First, Why Not a Concrete Patio?
Yes, concrete is cheaper than pavers, but it has drawbacks.
- It cracks. The sandy soil in our area causes a lot of settling and shifting, which causes concrete to crack.
- Tree root troubles. When tree roots grow underneath concrete, they push and lift it up, crumbling it into pieces. There’s really no way to patch it to look good, Frisch says.
What’s So Great About Pavers?
Lots of things.
- Unlike solid slabs of concrete, pavers flex and move as they shift, which means they don’t crack.
- Tree root troubles? Nope. You can pick pavers up, take out the offending tree roots, and replace the pavers. No sweat. Maybe just a little sweat. This also comes in handing if you ever need to run a utility line underneath your patio. You can’t do that with concrete!
- You can’t beat the color, texture and style choices. Even the paver names are fun: Belgian Cobble. Cotswold Mist. Ashbury Haze. Bourbon. Choose pavers that look like rustic slabs, quaint cobblestone, sleek slate. Or any combination.
Paver Patio Installation Tips: Mostly, Have Fun!
A paver patio is a great opportunity to have fun with shape, design, and color, Frisch says.
Patio panic setting in? Frisch knows it can be overwhelming. But he makes it easy.
He brings samples you can compare to the color of your house, and catalogs packed with design ideas.
He’ll help you match the style of paver design to the style of your house.
A vintage English Tudor needs a different patio look than a sleek contemporary ranch.
Luckily, there are pavers suited to any style.
Patio Pondering: What Do You Need?
“The main thing is to come up with a list of things you need space for on the patio,” Frisch says. “What's it going to be used for? How much room between things do you need?”
Do you entertain big groups? Are you the go-to family member for holiday cookouts and birthday parties?
Or do you need a more intimate space, for a couple morning coffee sippers and the chatty neighborhood squirrels?
Once Frisch has gathered all your info, he ponders the factors and designs a plan to maximize the space.
You don’t want a massive paver patio installation with way more space than you really need.
Paver Patio Installation: What About Shape?
“It’s all about being creative, but functional,” Frisch says.
Feeling curvy? Curves look great on a patio.
But know it's harder to maintain a curvy edge — trimming the surrounding lawn will take longer.
If you have an irrigation system, sprinkler heads will get portions of a curvy patio wet, too, Frisch says.
“Some curves look nice,” he says, “but they should be long curves and have a purpose or design element to them.”
Avoid patios shaped like random blobs.
Think Beyond a One-Level Patio
One fun thing about designing a patio is the ability to incorporate steps, terraces, and seating walls, Frisch says.
They create great detail, layers, and flexibility.
Consider your patio an extension of your home, he says — a great outdoor social space. He can design a patio that creates different outdoor “rooms” for different purposes.
Future Planning
Don’t be afraid to think big, even if you just need a patio for now.
Is there a pool in your future? A pergola? A garden? Good patio builders in Orlando will encourage you to plan for them now, as those plans might affect your patio design.
Remember, pavers are great for driveways and walkways, too, so consider those projects in your future plans.
“A client may not be able to build everything in one phase, but the overall plan should affect the final patio shape,” he says.
How Much Does a Paver Patio Cost in Orlando, FL?
Naturally, cost can vary widely, based on several factors. (More on this in a bit.)
The typical paver patio cost is between $7 and $10 per square foot.
That includes the Ground Source thick, six to seven-inch base underneath, which is twice as thick as most patio builders in Orlando FL use.
Less base is less expensive, but don’t be fooled.
The sand base is a crucial element of quality paver installation. You can look at one of our paver jobs years later and see that there’s no sagging, sinking, or heaving, thanks to our quality base.
We also install PVC sleeves under the paver patio if there’s an irrigation line that has to go under it, as opposed to around it. That way, we won’t have to tear up the whole patio to do any needed irrigation work.
Factors That Affect Paver Patio Cost
There’s a huge range when it comes to the cost of a paver patio, from size to shape to the type of pavers you choose.
Some other factors that affect the cost:
- Access. We need to get our heavy equipment in there. Some back yards are more easy accessible than others. Any complications will boost the cost.
- Irrigation system issues. If we have to relocate any irrigation components that are in the way, that adds to the cost.
- Fancy patterns. Inlay patterns look stunning, but the more intricate the pattern, the more laborious cutting is needed. That boosts the cost.
- A different color border. We’ll likely need to order an entire pallet of the pavers for that border, even if we only need half of them, so that increases the cost.
- Style upgrade. Tumbled pavers, thicker pavers, or a unique stamping pattern all cost more, sometimes a dollar or two more per square foot.
- Curves. That means more cutting, which costs more.
Patio Contractors in Orlando FL: Choose Wisely
A paver patio is a big investment. Don’t trust it to just anybody.
- How long has the company been in business? Are you confident they’ll be around if you have problems or questions?
- Will they happily give you references to check out?
- Do they do a lot of paver patio installations, or is this just a tiny thing they do on the side?
- What do their customers say? Have you checked out their Google Reviews? (Psst...we have over 100 of nice comments from happy customers.)
Ready for a Paver Patio Installation? Trust Ground Source
A patio isn’t just a surface of pretty stone.
It’s where you’ll start your mornings, sipping coffee and listening to the birds chirp good morning.
You’ll relax away the afternoons here with a good book and a frosty iced tea.
It makes leisurely suppers and sunset gazing so much better.
Make sure you get it exactly right.
We’re paver patio installation experts, but our skills don’t stop there. We’re with you every step of the way as you plan your perfect outdoor space.
Sod, irrigation, landscape design: Let us transform your yard from an embarrassing eyesore to a place you can’t wait to come home to.
Are you ready to enjoy the vibrant, impressive yard you've always wanted? Request a quote today! We’ll help you review your options and then transform your property.
