You’ve got backyard space you want to transform into a patio. You may even have an idea of what you want it to look like. Whatever choice you make, though, now you want to know how much it will cost.
At KP Contracting, we’ve got you covered. There’s a dizzying range of pavers you can pick from, but we’ve dealt with them all. From flagstone to brick, we’re familiar with all the options, and how much they’ll set you back.
In this post, we’ll cover the overall costs of a paver patio, and zoom in on the price ranges for different materials, landscaping options, and even a few extras. By the end of this post, you’ll know the factors behind a patio’s cost, and have a better idea of which ones matter most to your needs.
What does a paver patio really cost takeaways:
> Most of a paver patio’s cost is labor, which averages $8-24 per square foot
> The national average cost for a paver patio is $3,500-$4,500, but that can vary widely depending on size, materials and where you live.
> Unique designs and curves cost more money.
> Pavers can be natural stone, brick, or concrete. Natural stone is usually more expensive than concrete.
What does a paver patio cost, overall?
A paver patio’s cost can differ a lot, based on the materials used. However, a good range for most paver patios is from roughly $3,000 to 8,000 for a 200 square foot patio.. The national average for a paver patio is between $3,500 and $4,500. As a heads up, Charles County, MD averages between $5800 and $8000.
Most paver patios are between $24-$40 per square foot. Most of what you pay for a paver patio is the labor, specifically the prep work. So, be aware that a cheaper bid likely corresponds to inadequate foundation preparation, which corresponds to a shorter-lived patio or disappointing dips a couple years down the road.
If you’re further interested in how much a paver patio costs, try using one (or all three) of these calculators for a better idea.
Paver Patio Calculators:
Paver patio cost breakdown
While labor is the main factor in a paver patio’s cost, it’s not the only one. A paver patio’s price can ratchet up or down based on its size, the presence of unusual design features, and the type of materials used.
Patio size and design
The more complicated the design, the higher the cost. Mosaics, spiral and circle designs, herringbone, and similar patterns all require more labor, which drives up cost. How much does the cost go up? Although a simple patio may cost $5000, a complex design or expensive pavers could cost $10,000 for the same size patio. Circular designs require that pavers be cut, increasing the amount you’ll pay for labor and material waste.
If you’re wondering why patterns cost more, consider the process of making a herringbone pattern patio:
Courtesy of pavingexpert.com
And then consider how it looks when an inexperienced contractor tackles that design:
The sloppy laying is already causing the design to come apart. Further traffic will move those already loose bricks further out of place.
If you’re wondering why curvy, circular designs cost more, it’s because cutting paver stones into unique shapes requires a blend of gross and fine motor. Rather than just laying a square or rectangular paver, you’ll have to cut into the paver, then use a circular saw to essentially sand off the round edges:
Unless you know how to cut into a brick with a circular saw, you’ll need to pay someone else for rounded, custom pavers. Thx to Landscape and Hardscape Instructor Kev for the image and video.
How to make a circular cut in pavers! HARDSCAPE mastery. Make it fit TIGHT!
It’s the sort of extra work that eats up a lot of time, and tends to be difficult for weekend DIY-ers.
Another reason rounded edges and elaborate patterns are more expensive is their greater strength. Sharp angles create points of “stress concentration,” where cracks or collapses are more likely to occur. Contrarily, patterns without a lot of matching corners, like running bond, have greater strength.
A classic running bond pattern. Courtesy of sspavers.com.
Correspondingly, bigger paver patios will cost more. The need to excavate more ground and lay more pavers, along with the cost of materials, explains the higher cost.
Paver patio materials
Concrete bricks are generally the cheapest option, followed by clay brick and stone.
The basic material costs for a paver patio, courtesy of Angi.com
Most homeowners prefer stone pavers to concrete or brick. When a stone paver patio is installed properly, it can last from 20-40 years. Moreover, real stone looks more attractive to most potential buyers. The multiple shades and flecks in real stone are more intricate and, to most eyes, attractive, than uniform artificial designs. It’s the same principle that explains why most people prefer the intricate color patterns of real lumber to fake wood.
There’s a lot of variation among the prices of various materials:
From Bobvila.com, an idea of how widely divergent patio materials are in cost.
If saving money is your principal goal, stone may not be the best option. Because of the quarrying and labor entailed in laying stone, the price can become considerably higher. Stone paver patios also take more hours to complete, driving up the labor cost.
Real stone pavers are expensive, but they’re stronger than a concrete slab patio. Where concrete that hasn’t been reinforced can only handle about 2,000 psi, stone can handle 8,000 psi. Moreover, the fact that stone is one solid material, rather than a composite, makes it structurally stronger.
Labor
Labor will likely be half the cost of a paver patio. Labor costs average from $6-20 per square foot. That said, that cost can vary a lot depending on materials, prep work before the first stone is laid, and how permanent you want your paver patio to be. And speaking of permanence, keep in mind that many patio construction companies fold within five years. Companies that charge very little are more likely to fold, meaning future patio problems will require you to find another contractor. That means you’ll be spending more money on another contractor, and more time on finding them.
Pre-laying prep work like grading, and building drainage systems, require professionals if you want the work to last. If you want an outdoor kitchen, you’ll need to make sure gas, electric, and water lines are all connected before the first stone is laid. When you consider the work that goes into the prep alone, it’s easy to see why labor costs are what they are. Focusing on one part of that process– leveling the ground before the pavers are even laid– demonstrates why.
First you level the ground, then you add all these layers. Making a paver patio is far more than dropping bricks on your back lawn. Courtesy JS Brick Corporation.
Laying the patio’s base is a step that requires competent installation. Leveling the ground and laying the base can be done DIY, but the amount of work is often prohibitive. And if you’re someone who’s not good at visual-spatial activities, steps like creating a slope of one inch for every four feet, or making sure your strings are level, are going to be difficult. Professionals, however, do this sort of work in their sleep, and have the tools to make it easier than that.
A professional’s going to have a level like this. It’s why a pro’s work tends to last longer than that done by a DIYer. Courtesy of I Am A Hardscaper.
What does a paver patio really cost? Depends on your wants and needs
With the numerical outline of a paver patio’s cost, you’re equipped to move from cost to value. You can get a sense of what the dollar amount is, and how that might correspond to what you’ll value in the future. For instance, a brick paver patio with a complicated design might be more expensive initially, but the pattern could provide more strength for a patio where you plan to get a lot of foot traffic.
Whatever you value, at KP Contracting, we love providing information about it. If you’re wondering how to finance what you value, check out this post on different home improvement financing options. If you think we’d be a good fit, we’d love to start a relationship. Reach out to us here, or at 240-266-5900.
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