Are you thinking about extending your living space by using more of your front or back yards? No doubt that adding living space will require additional patio for dining or other recreational use. What are my choices you may be asking yourself…well, please allow me to assist here and give you numerous options. We’ll touch upon what materials we can use, the differences in cost, and longevity & maintenance. The two most popular “flatwork” options besides standard grey concrete are pavers and flagstone. There are of course others like: exposed aggregate & stamped or stained concrete, travertines, saltillo & other tiles, canterra & Durango stones, and acrylic coatings to name the most popular. These half dozen options represent about 95 percent of what people are using for patio extensions. We’ll concentrate on the three most popular.

Pavers are probably today’s most popular flatwork option. First of all the word “paver” is the generic term for that type of material. There are dozens of companies throughout Arizona and the United States that manufacture their own brand of paver. Here in the valley there are companies like: Belgard, Arizona Block, Phoenix Pavers, Acker Stone, Pavestone (sold at Home Depot) & Artistic Pavers just to name a handful of the most popular. Besides coming in different colors, they come in different sizes, thickness, standard or tumbled, and multiple pieces to create patterns for artistic flair. Standard pavers have very clean edges, where a tumbled paver edge is “roughed up” to give it more of the old world, Tuscan look. The cost of pavers in my opinion is the best overall value and ranges anywhere from $5 to $9 per square foot depending on how much you are installing and the type of paver you choose. The sub base is compacted using a material called ABC and then a layer of sand ranging from 3’4” to 1 ½ inches deep is applied, graded, and set. The edge of your patio known as the border or soldier course is set with mortar to keep the main area from falling apart on itself. Sand is applied to the finished patio by brooming and watering which helps it set up nicely for heavy traffic. A good paver with the proper installation should last 15 to 20 years with little difficulty. Negatives…hot under foot and patio has to be periodically re-sanded when rain washes some of it away.

Flagstone is also extremely popular. It comes in a variety of colors, can be mortar or sand set, saw cut (clean look) or snap cut (a more rustic look), and more than 90 percent of the flagstone we use is quarried right here in northern Arizona in a place called Ashfork. Flagstone is commonly used for BBQ counters, wall & pillar caps, and step stones to name a few other uses. Flagstone costs between $10 & $14 per square foot, depending on the type of flagstone chosen, and cleans up nicely with a strong hose or power washer. Flagstone is not a DIY project. It takes a true artisan to work and lay the stone for a professional look. Negatives…warm under foot and grout joints have a tendency to “spider crack” away from the stone while the patio settles. Joints may have to be re-grouted once or twice during its’ life span and lasts 15 – 20 years.

Concrete products give you a wide variety of looks. There are broom & salt finishes. You can add color or use an exposed aggregate (small rocks in the concrete mix). You can stain existing concrete yourself for about $1 per square foot with products found at any home improvement center. You can stamp concrete (during the install) with a variety of patterns and colors, or use an acrylic topping to create a variety of different looks. Acrylic finishes get applied over existing or new concrete and of course the most popular is the standard “kool deck” finish around our pools. There are acrylic coatings that can mimic old stone, flagstone, or saltillo tile to name a few. Standard grey concrete is between $4 & $5 per square foot depending on quantity installed. If you already have concrete and just want to spruce it up, coatings range between $4 & $6 per square foot depending on the pattern chosen. If you are starting from scratch and need to pour concrete and then add the coating, your starting cost will be at least $7.50 per square foot and can be as high as $11 per square foot. That’s why pavers are my flatwork recommendation when possible because you can’t beat the price point and overall beauty. Negatives…costly if you don’t already have concrete, and it also has a tendency to crack with our expansive soils here in the valley. Lastly…not easily repaired if it does.

If you have any questions on patio extensions, or are looking for a quality landscape contractor for your yard makeover, please contact me personally for a complimentary consultation. We offer a free landscape design on an approved budget! Remember…when it comes time to designing & building great landscape, it all starts with a master plan!

Now that Arizona has nearly perfect weather and we are the envy of the country, it’s time to enjoy the outdoors. With the holidays behind us, and a newly elected president, there is a renewed excitement in the air and the hope 2009 will be more prosperous for all. If you are considering a landscape remodel, let me remind you this is the perfect time to invest in the outside of your home.

First…there are great deals everywhere. Many contractors are scrambling for business and this usually translates to big discounts and great value. Another reason to start your project sooner than later… shortly after the first of the year most suppliers evaluate their product costs and set new pricing for the upcoming year. That means price increases get passed on to the homeowner. So before these increases take effect, get with your contractor now, create a master plan, and lock in your pricing as soon as possible. Most contractors that have signed contracts will honor their pricing for several months even though they may see an increase from the supplier.

What’s so popular in outdoor living these days? Hardscape of course! It is a proven fact that $25,000 of great hardscape is a better return on your investment than a $25,000 pool. To build these recreational items, there are a wide variety of materials being used today. Flagstone, travertine, canterra, pavers, durango stone, concrete products, saltillo tile, and a variety of faux stone are just some of the more popular materials.

The great thing about building from scratch, on site is that no two BBQ’s, fireplaces, and especially water features are exactly the same. For example…let’s use the traditional beehive fireplace as an example. You could interview ten landscape companies to build your fireplace and ask them to show you pictures, and not one would look exactly like the other…why? The artisan who physically constructs the fireplaces has his own style which makes him unique to others. Of course there are quality differences, so make sure the company you hire has a proven track record of quality. Go see their work and do your due diligence before signing a contract with just anyone. Remember…you get what you pay for in hardscape, so make sure you have covered your bases.

With regards to landscape (softscape), here is the other side of the coin. We have all heard how important curb appeal is to your home value, especially if you are planning on selling. What separates the men from the boys is simple…how does your home standout against others in the neighborhood? Would someone driving by take a second look because something you did caught their eye, or would they not even bother turning their head? A good landscape designer is an expert at plants, trees, and lighting. They not only know where that plant or tree should be placed, but why it should be placed there. They know how much sun or shade that plant needs, its watering requirements, growth and litter rate as well as frost tolerance to name a few. This is why you need to work with a seasoned professional and avoid doing things yourself, because there is allot more than just digging a hole and dropping it in the ground. How big is that tree or plant eventually going to get, does it have enough space to grow, will the root system become invasive to other things buried in the yard? All these elements and more have to be considered in a quality landscape plan.

I can almost always tell when visiting a potential new client whether or not their current landscape was done by a do it yourselfer or professional; however, there is also one other category of installer that needs to be brought to your attention. This would be the novice designer you called without knowing his or her true credentials. There are many landscape companies who hire people that were driving a UPS truck last week and have a business card with landscape designer on it the next, so ask allot of questions before moving forward. This is why I have used the word “seasoned” in this and previous articles because the vast majority of so called “landscape designers” selling out there have no formal training at all. A couple of weeks in the field at best and then they are sent out on new leads and told to SELL SELL SELL! The unsuspecting homeowner doesn’t have a clue most of the time.

So before you sign on the dotted line with anyone, make sure the professional you hire is exactly that…a professional who knows his business, builds hardscapes and landscape with quality and value, and most of all listens to your needs while paying attention to your budget. Good Luck…and remember…it’s a buyers’ market, so don’t hesitate to start your project now before price increases hit you after the first of the year.