Are you looking to spruce up the hardscape around your home? Do you want to add a patio in your backyard and walkways around your home? The first hurdle to overcome is deciding the best materials for your hardscape.
With an abundance of material choices, settling on one particular material can be a daunting task. Let’s compare two of the most common and popular materials concrete pavers and natural stone pavers.
The Cost of Paving With Concrete Versus Natural Stone
Typically, it will cost you about 15% to 20% more to pave with natural stone than with concrete pavers. However, there are cases when concrete pavers are as expensive as stone pavers. Let’s explore the cost comparison of using concrete compared to natural stone.
Concrete Pavers
Concrete pavers are relatively easy to install. The installation involves excavation, grading, and preparing the foundation. Thereafter, the installers set the forms and pour the concrete for a relatively straightforward process.
The cost rises considerably if you go for stained and stamped concrete pavers. In some cases, stamped concrete pavers can be as expensive or even more than natural stone pavers.
A repair can be expensive, as it involves removing and tearing up all damaged pavers and pouring the concrete paver anew.
Natural Stone Pavers
Natural stone pavers are typically 15% to 20% more expensive than standard concrete pavers. Stone pavers require more intensive pre-installation preparation. Depending on your backyard, the installation crew will excavate, grade, prepare the sub-base by compacting and installing the geotextile fiber, preparing and compacting the base, and finally installing the stone pavers. As you can appreciate, this is a more labor-intensive process.
However, you should note that the actual price you pay for a natural stone patio will depend on the following:
#1. Choose Your Stone Material
Homeowners have an abundance of options when choosing stone material. For instance, you have a choice of brownstone, limestone, bluestone, sandstone, or Sahara granite that work exceptionally well for your outdoor space. In most cases, you can never go wrong with a natural stone.
With that in mind, you have to consider the varying costs of stones. Some stone materials cost more than others. Generally, stone materials quarried in nearby locations will cost less than stones shipped from far-flung locations. Rear
#2. Choose Your Stone Paver Style
The paver style you select will also determine the overall cost. Naturally, a complex style involving two or more different types of stone will cost more. It will involve a lot of preplanning, measuring, and cutting, which adds to the labor cost.
Finally, note that the maintenance and repair cost of stone pavers is generally low. You can remove and replace individual pavers rather than tearing up the entire patio during repairs and maintenance. As such, the lifetime cost after installation is typically low.
Consider Other Design Features (And How They Influence Cost)
Aside from the materials, the design features of the patio pavers will influence the overall cost. An intricate paver stone pattern that creates a courtyard look might cost more than a straightforward pattern.
The hardscape design experts at Riverfront Landscape know how difficult of a decision it can be to pick out suitable materials for your new backyard patio. We can make this part of your landscape design process a lot easier by recommending specific products depending on your ideal patio style, budget, and needs and thinking about what design features can be implemented into your new dream patio.
