Patio Installation Outdoor living, properly built from the base up.

Cost depends heavily on material and size. Poured concrete is the lowest-cost option per sq ft. Concrete pavers and stamped concrete are mid-range. Flagstone and natural stone are premium tiers. A small 10×12 paver patio costs significantly less than a large 20×30 natural stone patio. Excavation difficulty, site access, drainage requirements, and decorative add-ons (fire pits, seat walls, lighting) all affect total cost. Written estimates after on-site walkthrough.

Most residential patios at ground level do not require building permits in MA. Patios that involve electrical (for lighting, outlets, hot tubs), gas lines (outdoor kitchens), or that are elevated more than 30″ above grade typically need permits. Pool surround patios have specific code requirements. We verify your town’s specific requirements before starting.

Standard 200-400 sq ft paver patio: 1-2 weeks. Larger patios (400-800 sq ft): 2-3 weeks. Poured concrete patios are typically faster (1 week) but require 28-day cure time before heavy use. Stamped concrete adds 1-2 days for stamping. Weather delays excavation in rain and concrete pours in extreme heat or cold.

Concrete pavers are individual manufactured units laid on a sand bed over compacted gravel — they flex with ground movement, can be lifted and replaced individually if damaged or stained, and don’t crack as a slab does. Poured concrete is a monolithic slab — lower cost, simpler install, but will crack eventually (control joints minimize where), can stain permanently, and difficult to repair invisibly. Pavers cost more upfront, less maintenance long-term.

Pavers don’t crack since they’re individual units. They can settle if the base wasn’t built right — most settling happens in year 1 and we re-level if needed. Poured concrete will eventually develop cracks (it’s the nature of large concrete pours). We use control joints to direct where cracks form, but cracks themselves are inevitable in concrete over 20+ years. Stamped concrete has the same cracking behavior as poured.

Standard slope is 1/4″ per foot away from the house. So a 12-foot-wide patio attached to your house drops 3″ from house side to far edge. This moves water away from the foundation. Some patios need engineered drainage with surface drains, swales, or French drains depending on terrain and surrounding grade. We design drainage into every patio plan.

Properly installed paver patios last 30+ years. The pavers themselves outlast that — the limiting factors are usually base settling (rare with proper install), edge restraint failure (replaceable), and joint sand washout (re-sandable). Properly maintained patios from the 1990s still look great today. Compare this to wood decks which need replacement every 15-25 years.

Yes — polymeric sand should be standard for any quality paver install. Regular sand washes out of joints, allows weeds and ants to come up through, and lets pavers shift. Polymeric sand contains binders that activate with water, locking pavers in place. It’s more expensive but the right answer.

Yes. Pool surround patios are common — typically pavers or natural stone with coping stones along the pool edge. Slip-resistant texture is critical. Drainage must move water away from pool deck. Specific MA pool code (521 CMR) applies. We can also coordinate with pool contractors on new pool builds.

Call (508) 925-0396 or submit the quote form. Tell us approximate size and shape, material preference, intended use (dining, lounge, pool, fire pit, etc.), and timeline. We schedule a free on-site walkthrough, discuss design options, and follow up with a written estimate. Spring and early summer are busy seasons — book early.