One of the owners of Standard Concrete had a new Techo-Bloc Patio and Wall installed at their home. This is their first-hand experience.
Why I Needed A New Patio
My existing patio was unsafe and would not help the resale value of my home. The uneven surface was not safe for my two young children and we also needed to increase our living space. We knew it would be a major project but couldn’t wait to see the results. Here are a few before pictures…
The First Steps Before Moving Ground
Initially, my husband and I gathered catalogs and did our research. We looked at idea galleries online and pinpointed what aesthetic we thought worked well with our mid-century modern home. Standard Concrete carries EP Henry and Techo-Bloc pavers & walls. Both manufactures are known for exceptional quality. We personally leaned towards Techo-Bloc because we felt they had more contemporary materials.
It was also important for us to narrow down a contractor. We met with four hardscaping contractors and listened to their ideas for our space. Each had very different design ideas. They also had varying price ranges for this project. We choose a contractor who we felt had the best understanding of what we were looking for. It was also important that they understood how to properly drain rainwater away from my home. Our home sits on a steep slope. We never had a problem with rainwater coming into our home with our existing hardscaping, and it was crucial it would not become a problem with our new patio.
Working with Our Designer
Once our proposal was signed and we submitted our down payment, it was time to really work with our designer. We reviewed drawings, compared color samples, and discussed drainage. At one point my designer had me sit on different wall cap blocks to make sure they wouldn’t dig in to the back of my legs. (I would have never thought to do this, but I am glad I did because I have used my wall as a sitting wall plenty of times since it has been installed.)
Our designer also formulated a rough timeline for us and began to order our materials. Generally, it takes Standard Concrete under two weeks to truck in paver and wall blocks from Techo Bloc or EP Henry. Base materials, such as stone, sand, fabrics, and drainage materials are typically in stock.
Here is a picture of our harscaping materials when they first arrived at Standard Concrete…
Removing the Old Patio
I tried not to stay home while our contractors were working, especially during the removal stages. This process made me nervous. It got uglier before it got better. Here are a few pictures of my old patio being taken out.
Thankfully this was a quick process. It only took a day for our wooden deck to be dismantled and disposed of. It took another day for all our old bricks to be removed. The contractor was careful to keep all the wiring under the bricks intact so it could be reused.
Installing Our New Patio and Walls
To install our new hardscaping, the contractor first had to excavate. Then they laid out their drainage. Next they installed 6″ of quarry waste stone and compacted it down to 4″. You can see the compacted stone and the first courses of retaining wall block here…
After the walls and steps were installed, an inch of concrete sand was laid, and the pavers began to go in. You can also see in this picture that the ground behind the wall had been regraded and grass seed was being planted.
A small freestanding wall was built around my basement window well to help it to blend in.
My Finished Patio and Walls
I am so happy with my new Techo Bloc Patio and Walls. For this project we installed Techo-Bloc Blu 60 mm slate pavers in Shale Grey for the patio. The retaining walls and sitting walls are Techo Bloc’s Brandon Wall in Shale Grey. We used Techo-Bloc’s Piedimonte cap in Onyx Black for our cap block and steps.
How You Can Transform Your Backyard
Click the following links to the EP Henry and Techo-Bloc websites to find your own design ideas:
Also, be sure to stop in to Standard Concrete to see our hardscaping displays and speak to our sales team. Click here to contact us for more information.