Carpentry & Concrete

Pavers & Hardscaping in Metro Detroit

A paver patio is only as good as the base beneath it, and in Michigan that base has to handle frost that lifts and drops the ground every winter. We match Metro Detroit homeowners with hardscaping pros who excavate deep, compact properly, and build outdoor spaces that stay flat.

Typical range: $15–$30 per sq ft

Licensed & insured local pros
Permit-ready for carpentry & concrete work
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Pavers reward the work nobody sees. The pattern on top is the fun part, but a patio or walkway that stays flat through a decade of Michigan winters is built on excavation, a deep compacted aggregate base, and the grading and edge restraint that lock everything in place. Skip that and the frost heaves the pavers into a lumpy, tripping mess within a couple of seasons. The hardscaping pros in our network build paver patios, walkways, driveways, pool decks, steps, and retaining walls — and they engineer the base and drainage that let pavers flex with the frost instead of failing.

A seating patio in Rochester Hills, a paver driveway in Shelby Township, or a retaining wall holding a sloped Bloomfield yard each demand their own base depth, drainage, and — for walls — proper backfill and geogrid. We connect you with a licensed, insured pro who treats the base and the drainage as the real project and the pavers as the finish.

What’s included

Design consult, layout, and material selection
Excavation to the depth your project and soil require
Deep compacted aggregate base built in lifts
Grading and drainage to move water away from the home
Bedding sand, paver laying, and pattern cutting
Edge restraints and polymeric sand to lock the field
Retaining walls with proper backfill, drainage, and geogrid where needed

Heaved, sunken, weed-filled pavers almost always trace back to a shallow base or bad drainage. The hardscaping pros we match you with excavate deep, compact in lifts, and grade for drainage so your patio stays flat through Michigan frost — and they carry insurance for the excavation and wall work involved.

How it works

Design & layout

A pro helps choose the paver, pattern, and layout, then marks the area and confirms grades and drainage before any digging.

Excavate deep

The area is dug out well below the pavers — deeper than most expect — so a frost-ready base can be built underneath.

Build & compact the base

Aggregate base goes in and is compacted in lifts, graded to drain, creating the stable, flexible foundation pavers need in Michigan.

Lay pavers & cut

Bedding sand is screeded, pavers are set in the chosen pattern, and edges are cut clean against curves and borders.

Lock & finish

Edge restraints are installed, polymeric sand is swept into the joints and set, and the surface is compacted and cleaned.

Pavers & Hardscaping guides

Everything you need to plan your project with confidence.

Pavers & Hardscaping by city

We match pavers projects with vetted pros across Metro Detroit.

Pavers & Hardscaping: common questions

How long does a paver patio take to install?

A typical patio runs 3–7 days depending on size, access, and whether walls or steps are involved. Most of that is excavation and base work, not laying pavers — which is exactly as it should be, since the base is what makes it last. Retaining walls and intricate patterns add time. The pavers are usable as soon as the job is done; there is no cure wait like concrete.

Why do pavers heave or sink in Michigan?

Almost always because the base was too shallow or drainage was poor, letting frost lift the ground unevenly under the pavers. A deep, properly compacted aggregate base and grading that sheds water are what let a paver surface flex with frost and settle back flat. When pavers fail here, the base — not the paver — is nearly always the culprit.

Can pavers be repaired if one cracks or sinks?

Yes, and that is one of their biggest advantages over concrete. An individual paver can be lifted and replaced, and a settled area can be pulled up, the base re-leveled, and the same pavers relaid — no visible patch. Keeping a few extra pavers from the original batch makes future repairs blend seamlessly.

Do I need a retaining wall, or just grading?

It depends on the slope and how much soil needs holding back. Gentle grade changes can sometimes be handled with grading and a low border, while steeper slopes or usable terraces need an engineered retaining wall with proper backfill and drainage. A pro assesses the grade and tells you which your yard actually requires.

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