Hardscaping

Hardscaping: patios, walls and walkways

Paver patios, retaining walls, walkways, steps, and fire pits — built on a base deep enough to survive Minnesota freeze-thaw.

The base is the job

Almost every failed paver patio in the metro failed the same way: not enough compacted base. Frost moves everything here. We excavate deeper than warm-climate specs call for, compact in lifts, and use the right bedding and edge restraint so the surface is still flat in year ten.

What we build

• Paver and natural stone patios
• Retaining walls — block or boulder, with proper drainage behind them and geogrid where the height calls for it
• Walkways and steps
• Fire pits and seating walls
• Driveway aprons and paver borders

Typical cost

Element	Installed
Paver patio	$22 – $40 per sq ft
Natural stone patio	$35 – $60 per sq ft
Segmental retaining wall	$35 – $70 per face ft
Boulder wall	$40 – $85 per face ft
Paver walkway	$25 – $45 per sq ft

Walls over four feet generally require an engineered design and a permit — we will tell you when yours crosses that line.

Drainage first

A retaining wall without drainage behind it is a wall waiting to lean. Drain rock, filter fabric, and a drain outlet are not optional in our climate, and they are the first thing we spec.