Driveways
A driveway is a different load
A car and a delivery truck load a surface far harder than a chair does, and they do it over and over. The base under a driveway is deeper, and the pavers are thicker.
We excavate deeper, build the base in more compacted lifts, use 80 mm pavers, and set the edges so the surface can't spread. The drainage and the apron are planned before we dig, and the base depth is on the estimate.
What's different
Deeper stone base, typically 8 to 12 in.
80 mm pavers for vehicle loads
Edge restraint on every side
Apron and drainage planned before the dig
Permits and drainage
Two things to settle before the dig
The apron
The strip where the driveway meets the street is in the public right-of-way. Most Columbus-area cities want a permit for work there, and some set their own rules for what goes on it. We tell you at the visit who applies.
Where the water goes
A hard surface sheds more water than a lawn. We set the fall so rain runs to a place that can take it, and not toward the garage or a neighbor.
Old concrete or asphalt
We can take it out and haul it away, or build over a sound slab in some cases. The estimate says which and why.
What decides the cost
What changes the price of a driveway
Each is its own line on the estimate.
Area
Length, width and any turnaround or parking pad.
Dig and haul-off
A driveway has a lot to dig out. Old surface, depth and the haul-off are each a line.
Base depth
Set by the soil and the heaviest vehicle that will use it.
Pavers and borders
Thickness, brand, pattern and any edge course.
Questions
Driveway questions
How much does a paver patio or driveway cost?
It depends on the area, how deep we dig, how much stone the soil calls for and which paver you pick. We don't give a number for a yard we haven't seen. At the visit we measure and probe the soil, and the written estimate lists every line. The section on how pricing works explains what moves it.
How soon can you start, and how long does a job take?
Your estimate gives a start window and a finish window. A patio is usually a matter of working days once the base is in. A driveway takes longer, and the dig and the base are most of it. Frozen ground stops us more than rain does.
Do I need a permit?
Work in the public right-of-way, such as a driveway apron, and some walls and steps need one in most Columbus-area cities. We tell you at the visit whether your job does and who applies. The permit fee is not in the estimate unless the estimate says it is.
What does the warranty cover?
Settling, shifting pavers and failed edges, in the first three years from the walk-through. It doesn't cover cracks from impact, staining, salt damage or movement from outside work. The full terms, limits and exclusions are on the warranty page.
Driveways
Ask what's under it
We'll write the base depth, the paver thickness and the edge on the estimate.