Patios & Pathways
Built to Last

Most residential patios take 3–7 working days from start to finish, depending on size and complexity. A standard 14×16 patio with proper base prep typically takes our crew 4–5 days. Larger outdoor living projects with multiple zones, fire features, or integrated walls can run 1–3 weeks. Weather can extend timelines — we don't rush base prep when conditions aren't right, because shortcuts in the base lead to settling problems for years afterward.

Properly installed paver patios last 25–40+ years with minimal maintenance. The pavers themselves are typically warrantied by the manufacturer for the lifetime of the original installation. What determines actual lifespan isn't the pavers — it's the base. A patio installed on 6+ inches of compacted aggregate with geotextile fabric and proper drainage will outlast a poured concrete patio by decades. A patio installed on a thin sand base or unstable subgrade will start sinking and shifting within a few years, regardless of which paver you chose.

Most residential ground-level patios in Madison, Middleton, Verona, and other Dane County municipalities do not require permits — pavers aren't considered permanent structures. Permits become a factor when retaining walls exceed 4 feet in height, when the project includes electrical for landscape lighting, or when work falls in a regulated setback zone. We handle the permit review process as part of every project so you don't have to track down zoning rules yourself.

Our installation season runs roughly April through November, with the busiest months being May through September. Spring and early fall tend to offer the most reliable weather windows and faster turnaround from quote to install. Mid-summer projects book up quickly — if you're planning a patio for next year, reaching out in late winter or early spring usually gives you the best calendar options. We don't install in freezing conditions because frozen base material can't be properly compacted.

In some cases, yes — pavers can be installed directly over a stable, properly graded concrete slab using a thin mortar set or a polymer-modified setting bed. We'll assess the existing slab for cracks, settling, and drainage. If the slab is in good condition, this approach saves significant excavation cost. If the slab has structural issues, demolition and a proper aggregate base will give you a better long-term result. Either way, we'll be straight with you about which option makes sense.

The biggest cost driver in any patio is base prep — and that's the easiest place to cut corners. Cheaper quotes typically reflect thinner aggregate bases (3–4 inches instead of 6+), skipping geotextile fabric, less time spent on compaction, or lower-grade jointing materials. None of that shows on day one — but it shows in year three when the patio starts sinking. We build for 30+ year performance, which means we spend more time and material in the part of the project nobody sees. Our written proposals spell out exactly what's included so you can compare apples to apples.

We don't offer in-house financing. Our standard payment structure is 50% deposit at signing and 50% upon completion for projects under $20,000. Larger projects are typically split into 50/25/25 milestones tied to project phases. We're happy to schedule projects flexibly to accommodate your timeline.

Every patio we install is graded to direct water away from your home — typically at a 1/8 inch per foot slope. For sites with existing drainage issues (clay soils, low spots, downspouts dumping water near the patio area), we integrate solutions like French drains, decorative rock drainage beds, or downspout extensions into the project. Drainage problems caught and fixed during install are dramatically cheaper than retrofits years later, so we take the time to assess water flow before we ever break ground.

All of our work comes with a 1-year workmanship warranty from the date of completion. The pavers themselves carry their own manufacturer warranties — Rochester Concrete Products pavers, for example, carry lifetime structural warranties. If anything settles, shifts, or fails due to our installation work within the first year, we come back and fix it at no cost to you. We've been called back for warranty issues exactly once in our years of operation — and even that was a sprinkler line a different contractor cut underneath an existing patio.