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InterCounty

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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
Hardwood floor contractor who is looking to have a mason install a new paver patio.
I currently have a 12" off ground 16x40 deck that's at its life's end - which I'll rip out.
About half of it has an old concrete patio underneath it.

I've read many poor reviews about Cambridge.

1.) Need a rec on a high quality paver?

2.) Should the existing pad be removed? Options?

...also, if anyone wouldn't mind PM me a general sq ft rate - so I know what I'm in for, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks guys.
 
#3 ·
cambridge is a middle of the road product. they are good not great. techo is nice but about $2 more per sqft usually. unilock, belgard, nico etc are all decent bands. you can leave the concrete pad in place and do an overlay.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
brickhook said:
Are you wanting a concrete paver or a brick paver?
Click to expand...
Concrete

2low4nh said:
cambridge is a middle of the road product. they are good not great. techo is nice but about $2 more per sqft usually. unilock, belgard, nico etc are all decent bands. you can leave the concrete pad in place and do an overlay.
Click to expand...
Price is not top priority. I want quality. Something that wont chip and look like terrible in five years. Another $1200-1500 is irrelevant over the life of the patio to me.

If we leave the pad, how is the install done on the rest of the area?
...and where does the water drain when it hits the pad?

I have a guy coming for a quote tomorrow so I just want to be a little bit educated.
 
#9 ·
All concrete pavers dont live up to what they promise . They claim the color is throughout the paver but fail to mention that they fade and are a magnet for dirt . They are far from maintence free , im constantly pulling or spraying weed killer .IMO they :censored:. Natural stone and brick are alot nicer but you still have the weed issue .I'm looking into blue stone now to match my front porch . You cant clean concrete pavers with acids the way you can with natural stone . Needed to vent on the use of concrete pavers . :no::laughing:
 
#11 ·
Being a mason at my own house andmy fathers house i chose to go with techno bloc. Granted it may not be the cheapest but through the years and past jobs it seems to have aged well. I would recommend putting a sealer down to preserve the brick. Some may say doing so is not nessecary, but consider it comparable to waxing your car.

I don't know how big your concrete pad is, as you've said your looking for a good job and the money isn't as much a concern as is quality of work. Given that information I'd recommend removing the concrete and having your whole patio sit on on the same base throughout, just my opinion.

Bluestone looks nice for a cople years but it'll end up chipping away and diminishing layer by layer
 
#13 ·
Unilock and Belgard are really good.

Both already mentioned but I thought I would add to it.
 
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#14 ·
InterCounty said:
Concrete



Price is not top priority. I want quality. Something that wont chip and look like terrible in five years. Another $1200-1500 is irrelevant over the life of the patio to me.

If we leave the pad, how is the install done on the rest of the area?
...and where does the water drain when it hits the pad?

I have a guy coming for a quote tomorrow so I just want to be a little bit educated.
Click to expand...
I have done them over a pad before, the important thing is that it isn't heaving or cracking all over the place, if the base under the pad sucks then your pavers will do the same.

I glued all the edges down with PL right to the pad using thicker pavers of a different style, then screeded very fine sand (think play sand) over the concrete and laid them as normal the thicker pavers on the edge allowed for enough sand under the ones inside to still have a good bed so they didn't wobble on the concrete.

You could probably just wet lay them too, but I imagine that is a pain in the ass.
 
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Discussion starter · #17 ·
Well I guess I should rip the deck out first so as to get a good look at the pad.

Regardless of condition shouldn't it be concerning if an existing pad, that's half the size of the patio, is used as a base and the other half is not identical?
So, should a new pad be poured on the other half, or would it be odd if a crushed stone base were put down next to the exitsting pad?

Also, while price isn't TOP priority - it does come into play if flagstone is 2x the cost of pavers.

...still hoping for a avg $ PM :whistling
 
#18 ·
Takeout the existing conrcrete lay the patio on one consistent base. Go with concrete pavers, I'd recommend techno bloc.mifnyou wan the look of bluestone and the durability of a concrete paver go with a product called blue 60 which a techno bloc product.

I will attach a photo of work I have done with blue 60
 

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2low4nh
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