Free AI-generated hardscaping proposal — per-sqft pricing and base prep for patios, retaining walls, and pavers. Customize in 2 min, send as PDF or link.
Proposal from
Summit Hardscaping
Prepared for
Ben & Alicia Farnsworth
Rear Patio, Steps, and Retaining Wall
Install 480 sq ft rear patio in concrete pavers (Belgard Urbana 6x9, charcoal/graphite blend). Build 38 linear feet of segmental retaining wall at average height of 3.5 feet to manage grade change along rear property line. Install 6-step staircase connecting upper wall landing to lower patio surface, with matching paver treads and block risers. Existing concrete slab (approx. 180 sq ft, rear center): remove and dispose of. Grade and compact subgrade prior to base installation. All work confined to rear yard. No access through home interior required — side gate (48" wide) confirmed adequate for equipment.
Patio surface: Belgard Urbana 6x9 concrete pavers, charcoal/graphite blend. Rated for vehicular load; appropriate for pedestrian patio with substantial margin. Manufacturer warranty: limited lifetime. Alternate surface option (flagstone): Thermal bluestone in irregular pattern, dry-laid on compacted sand bed. Installed cost adds approximately $14/sqft over base paver price ($32/sqft installed vs. $18/sqft for pavers). Lead time: 3 weeks for stone delivery vs. 1 week for paver delivery. Both options quoted in the Pricing section — Farnsworths to select before contract execution. Retaining wall: Allan Block Standard 8" block, charcoal. Engineered for walls up to 6 feet with proper batter and geogrid. This wall at 3.5 feet average height does not require geogrid on this soil type (confirmed by site assessment 3/18). Steps: matching Urbana paver treads on Allan Block risers. 6 steps at 7" rise, 12" tread depth.
Patio base (all surfaces): — Excavate to 8" below finish grade (6" base + 1" setting bed + approximately 2.375" paver thickness) — Compact subgrade with plate compactor; any soft spots to be over-excavated and filled with 3/4" crushed rock — Install 4" perforated pipe along south edge of excavation, daylighting at northwest corner of property — Place and compact 6" Class II crushed stone base in 3" lifts (each lift compacted to 95% Proctor density) — Install 1" coarse sand setting bed, screeded level prior to paver placement — All pavers set in running bond pattern, gaps filled with Techniseal polymeric sand (HP Polymeric Sand, activated with water after installation) Drainage plan: — Patio pitched at 1/4" per foot (2% slope) toward rear yard, away from home foundation — 4" catch basin at low point (rear center, near existing drain stub-out) — 40 linear feet of 4" perforated corrugated pipe routed to daylight at rear property line — Retaining wall drainage: 3/4" clean crushed stone backfill immediately behind wall, minimum 12" wide, full wall height; 4" perforated drain tile at wall base daylighting at north end Note: existing rear yard does not have positive drainage to street. This system creates it. Without it, any rear hardscape will trap water at the foundation.
Option A: Concrete Pavers (Belgard Urbana) Demolition and removal: Existing concrete slab removal and haul (180 sq ft): $840 Patio (480 sq ft): Base materials (gravel, sand, fabric): $1,440 Pavers (Belgard Urbana, 480 sq ft + 10% waste): $2,640 Polymeric sand (Techniseal HP, 6 bags): $360 Labor — excavation, base prep, installation: $3,360 Patio subtotal: $7,800 Retaining wall (38 LF, avg 3.5 ft, 133 sq ft face): Allan Block (133 sq ft face + cap): $1,460 Crushed stone backfill and drainage pipe: $520 Base embedment and deadman (included per wall spec): $0 Labor — wall construction, backfill, drainage: $2,280 Wall subtotal: $4,260 Steps (6 steps with paver treads): Block risers and paver treads: $380 Labor: $620 Steps subtotal: $1,000 Drainage system: Catch basin, perforated pipe, fittings, and daylight outlet: $920 Total (Option A, concrete pavers): $14,820 Option B: Thermal Bluestone Flagstone (add to patio surface only) Upgrade from concrete pavers to irregular bluestone: add $6,720 to patio line item Total (Option B, flagstone patio): $21,540 Payment: 50% deposit ($7,410 for Option A or $10,770 for Option B) due at contract signing. Balance due on completion, prior to final cleanup.
Estimated project duration: 5 working days (weather permitting) — Day 1: Demolition, slab removal, excavation — Days 2–3: Base installation, compaction, retaining wall construction — Days 3–4: Paver/flagstone installation, step construction — Day 5: Drainage system completion, polymeric sand activation, cleanup and final walk-through Permit status: This project (retaining wall 3.5 ft average height) falls below permit threshold in [Municipality] for rear yard walls under 4 feet with no surcharge load. If field conditions reveal wall exceeding 4 feet in any section, permit will be pulled before that section is built. Summit will manage the permit; cost and timeline to be quoted separately if triggered. Warranty: — Hardscape installation: 3 years on labor. Any settling, heaving, or drainage failure caused by installation defect will be corrected at no charge. — Materials: Belgard/Allan Block manufacturer warranty (limited lifetime on structural product; finish warranty varies by product). — Drainage system: 2 years on materials and installation. Catch basin inlet cleaned at no charge on first annual service visit. Exclusions: Winter frost heave in poorly drained native soil not addressed by this drainage plan, tree root intrusion, or surface damage from improper maintenance (de-icing salts on pavers cause spalling — avoid salt-based ice melt).
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Create Your Free AccountBase depth determines longevity, not the surface material. A patio installed on 4" of compacted Class II crushed stone will outlast a beautiful flagstone job on 2" of sand by 10 years. Clients see the pavers. They never see the base. Your proposal should spell out exactly what goes under: excavation depth, compaction method, and gravel thickness. Contractors who leave that detail out get the callbacks three winters later when the surface heaves.
Drainage direction is a design decision, not a finishing detail. Every hardscape surface needs a minimum 1/8" per foot slope away from the structure — 1/4" per foot near a foundation. Call out the drainage plan in your proposal: where the water goes, whether a catch basin is needed, and how low spots will be handled. Clients who watch water pool toward their foundation after a $14,000 patio install don’t refer you to anyone.
Per-square-foot pricing is the only way to have the material conversation. Concrete pavers: $18–$28/sqft installed. Natural flagstone: $30–$55/sqft depending on stone type and pattern complexity. Poured concrete: $10–$16/sqft, add $3–$5 for stamped finish. Decomposed granite or gravel: $5–$10/sqft. Segmental retaining wall block: $45–$75/linear foot for walls under 4 feet. Put these ranges in your proposal with a sentence explaining what drives them. Clients asking for a ballpark deserve a real one.
Retaining walls over 4 feet tall almost always need a permit, and some municipalities start at 3 feet. If your project is in that range, say so before anyone signs. Include the permit timeline (typically 2–6 weeks) so the client isn’t calling on day 10 wondering where the crew is. Walls over 4 feet may also require a geotechnical or structural review — if you’re in that territory, put it in writing. The time to surface that requirement is before the contract, not after excavation starts.
Specify polymeric sand, not regular sand, in your joint fill line item. Regular sand washes out in two wet seasons, loosens the surface, and opens the joints to weeds. Polymeric sand hardens when wet and locks the joints. At roughly $60 per bag versus $12 for regular, clients notice it on the invoice and ask what it is. That 30-second explanation earns more trust than your company bio.
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