While a good design of a paving and patio can greatly accentuate your landscape, the costs involved can sometimes be a big deterrent to home owners. Instead of using natural stones, people often create their paving and patio with good looking tumbled pavers which save on costs. It would be a better idea to design a patio and then use materials which are more affordable. If you knew the elements which a paving contractor charges and which causes an increase the cost, you could prevent some of the items or make adequate compromises. Here are some situations when the cost shoots up:
– Cost of time required to cut any stone to bring uniformity in size. Contractors usually do this to keep the joints straight through out and avoid any skewing. This, according to many looks unprofessional.
– If the patio requires fill, and the land has to be made level, which requires more labor time.
– When stones have to be cut to follow the radius of any wall.
These are some of the common causes for the cost to go up for patios. Tumbled pavers instead of natural stones would obviously reduce the cost. to summarize the cost of the patio would largely depend on the size of the patio and the materials you use. In case you wish to use the patio for dining purposes, then you have to measure the size of the table, adjoining chairs as well as space to be kept for comfortable access to the walkways, doors to the house and general movement about the place. After you have finalized the size, then the paving materials you use will greatly impact the overall cost. The least expensive material which can be used for patios is concrete. Firstly, concrete need not be white and you can be as colorful as you like. Mix the colors with the concrete before they are placed and not later. Match the colors with the overall color of the house. While stamped concrete may look too artificial, if you use patterns and scoring to concrete you can have a more natural look. Usually costing between $5 and $8 per square foot, your paving cost can be brought down substantially. In case you are averse to using concrete, your next best choice for paving would be tumbled pavers. Paving costs can be categorized: at the base level are the concrete pavers while the tumbled pavers are one rung up in the pricing ladder. Though there are several ways in which pavers can be tumbled the most common process is when they are tumbled in a large drum to give them an old look. These cost between $10 and $12 per square foot.
There are essentially three types of paving stones used in patios: concrete pavers made from cement; brick pavers made from clay and stone pavers made from natural stone like granite, flagstone, etc. All these stones are available in a wide range of colors, shapes, patterns giving you many options to adorn your patio or driveway. Herring bone, basket weave, circles, running bond are some of the patterns popularly used for patios. You could even mix and match the designs to make your patio personalized and unique.
Remember your patio and the driveway are the first things people see about your house – the better you make them, the more it will speak about your taste and preference.
