Brick Pavers Repair, Cleaning, & Sealing requires a Specialist

Not all Brick Paver Contractors are the same

For years now I have been preaching to homeowners to make sure they hire a qualified & experienced brick paver contractor or installer for their pavers patio, walkway, driveway, porch & steps, and retaining walls. It is important to select a good pavers contractor whos sole business is interlocking paving stones & modular retaining wall systems.

When it comes to brick paver repair, cleaning, and sealing, not all brick paver contractors are the same.  Most contractors installing brick pavers are just interested in installing new patios, walks, drives, etc..  and not in providing for the "total" services needed for long-term performance and enjoyment.

The repair of brick pavers and retaining walls is much more challenging than installing new from scratch.  Forethought, experience, and expertise are necessary qualities of a quality brick paver contractor to successfully perform paver repair services.  Cleaning & Sealing of paving stones requires acute knowledge of products & techniques that most inexperienced contractors do not properly perform or care to perform.

Aside from totally tearing down & reconstructing a paver or landscape wall project, repair services have many more challenges than installing from scratch.  Meeting height restrictions and reusing existing products can be frustrating.  Lifting up installed paving stones is more tedious than taking them off a stacked bundle.  Cleaning off the products from dirt, sand, gravel, glue, and other debris is another added step.

Planning a strategy that best meets the need for a repair and homeowner's budget can further restrict the services performed.  I would love to re-design & rebuild from the ground up to insure success & functionality but homeowner budgets do not usually allow for this approach.  I do several estimates a week that other unqualified paver contractors say their project needs to be totally rebuilt but really is not necessary.

Unforeseen situations, lack of availability of older products & colors, and poor original designs will handcuff most inexperienced brick paver contractors.  In the past, I have found that you can not just send out any crew member to execute brick pavers or retaining wall repairs.  I find that sending an experienced foreman gives the best results for both the contractor and homeowner alike.

Most stories I hear from frustrated homeowners who have had paver repairs that have failed or have not met their expectations all end the same way ... "they sent some kid out to fix our bricks !"  Landscape contractors and psuedo brick paver contractors do not prioritize brick pavers and retaining wall service, techniques, or resources.  Sure, they are really interested when they give you an inflated quote which then will make it worth their time and effort.

 When getting pavers repair quotes, ask what percentage of their business is brick paver repair, cleaning, & sealing services.  We perform 80% services and 20% new installations.  You want a quality contractor who will schedule your repair services and not just get to it when they have time.
 It is important to select a local brick paver contractor who focuses and cares about the restoration services that you need to enjoy your investment for years to come.

Fendt Introduces New Paving Stone Color... Polar Ash

Interlocking Pavers offer great color choices for your Patio, Walkway, Driveway, Porches & Steps

In the Fall of 2010, Fendt Builder's Supply introduced a new color to its "Spectrum Collection" color line of paving stones. This new color is Polar Ash. This new color of paving stones has been a great addition to the premium line of colors offered by Fendt. There has been great demand for a whitish grey brick paver pigment to match popular natural building materials.

Polar Ash is currently only available in the 4X8 Holland Series and Old World Vintage Series of paving stones.  As demand for this color increases, other paving stone series may be added. As always, Fendt can produce a special order (requires minimum order size) in Polar Ash for most of its line of paving stones. The Polar Ash color is the eighth addition to the Spectrum Collection of colors.

Fendt's Spectrum Collection of paving stone colors are intensified pigments in the pavers to offer a vivid upscale look without the high cost. Though Spectrum colors do have a nominal cost, these brilliant color enhancements are unmatched in the brick paver industry.  You can expect to spend @ 50cents to $1.00 per square foot to upgrade from the standard colors.

It is always good to see brick paver manufacturers improve and recreate their product lines. Fendt has always had the pulse of the brick paver industry and is quick to introduce new products into the market to meet ever changing consumer or contractor demands. Fendt plans on some new retaining wall products and colors to be introduced in 2011. As a brick pavers contractor, I always embrace new products, colors, & accessories that I can offer my clients.

Brick Paver Raised Patio & Steps in need of immediate repair

Failure of Raised Paver Patio Wall & Steps due to inexperienced Landscaper

During a brick paver repair estimate this past week, I again witnessed the failure of a raised paver patio wall & doorwall steps that were installed by an inexperienced landscape contractor. This homeowner is in immediate need of patio repair before this leaning patio wall collapses or some one trips coming out from the doorwall.

The landscaper used a "garden block" type of wall system that is not intended for retaining a raised paver patio. Not only did they not bury any rows of block below grade, this current wall block does not have any tongue-n-groove or pin system lock-up.  They also exceeded the engineered height requirement of this garden wall system too.

Over the years, the customer has had several brick paver repair service calls to reset the pavers behind the wall & step rises. The current wall has continued to settle, gap, and lean out and it is time to replace this inferior wall block with a proper modular retaining wall system.

I recommended we pull back @2ft of the paving stones, remove the existing wall blocks & caps, and reinstall a tried 'n true patio wall system like Unilock's Pisa 2 or Fendt's Country Manor.  Upon installing the new patio retaining wall, we will bury a block below grade due to the height factors involved.  After carefully and diligently compacting behind the wall, we will install a filter fabric to eliminate filtration through the wall blocks.

We will properly cap the wall and reinstall the paving stones.  After replacing the inferior wall blocks used for the paver steps leading out the doorwall, we will reconfigure the patio steps layout for better safety & function.  The current layout does not meet proper building codes.

The overall cost for performing the above wall & step replacement, repairs, and warranty will cost the homeowner $3,500 for labor, materials, and removals & disposals.  Had the original landscape contractor properly designed & installed this raised paver patio, this homeowner would only have minor maintenance touch -ups and minimal service needed over the years.

Because of the lack of experience and poor workmanship of this landscape contractor, this homeowner has had years of frustration & unnecessary financial costs.  Qualified and experienced brick paver contractors will design, install, warranty, and offer "after install" services that will help avoid costly pavers repair and ongoing aggravation & strife.