Small Elegant Paver Patio Installed in Ann Arbor

Brick Pavers replace Old Concrete Patio to improve Outdoor Living Space

This past week in Ann Arbor, we replaced an old cement patio with a small and elegant paver patio using Fendt's Old World Vintage.  There was limited space to work with but using some "paver quilting" ideas with patterns & color, we were able to improve this homeowner's Outdoor Living Space.

Brick Pavers has always been the most flexible pavement available for using colors, patterns, shapes, & textures, at a reasonable and affordable cost.  Brick paver patios also offer the best option in long term maintenance & replacement costs.  Performing simple seasonal maintenance requirements like sweeping joint sand each Spring, will give a lifetime of performance, function, and enjoyment.

This homeowner wanted to keep the overall theme of Ann Arbor and their neighborhood by using a tumbled old world paver laid in a simple and elegant style.  A good brick pavers contractor will exhibit their expertise with attention to detail and clean craftsmanship.  We were able to meet these expectations with great impact!

Full Service Brick Paver Contractors Give You the Best Option

Homeowner's will need post or after installation services of their Brick Pavers

I sold a brick paver patio cleaning and sealing project this week whereby a homeowner had a prominent Ann Arbor landscape company install their brick paver patio last Fall.  They contacted this landscape firm this Spring to have the paver patio sealed.  The homeowner was told they do NOT provide any of those services! I hear this theme on a daily basis and this has shaped the business model of our company.

Poorly sealed Paver Patio

When some of these contractors do perform these services, they usually send inexperienced labor and not skilled workers.  This has lead to many frustrating problems for homeowner's who are left with inferior repairs and discolored sealed patios.  I had one homeowner who's paver patio & walkway had totally turned white from an inferior sealer or was improperly applied. He was told to "wait a year and it will go away".


I have been preaching for years that homeowners must do their due diligence when hiring a contractor to install, reconstruct, or redesign their brick pavers.  Start by hiring a true brick pavers contractor who's main business is interlocking brick pavers & modular retaining walls & steps.  Then make sure they offer after installation services, such as, after warranty repair, cleaning & sealing, and routine maintenance programs.

Patio falling apart

 Make sure that these brick paver after installation services will be scheduled work, even in the Spring, and not "fill in work" or the famous "when we can get to it" response.  A true brick paver contractor emphasizes the paver repair & restoration service end of the business and not just when the season gets slow.  The homeowner wants to enjoy their pavers patio, walkway, or driveway during the Summer when Michigan presents its best opportunity.

Reconstructing from the ground up

Keep in mind that doing brick paver repair, reconstruction, rebuild, and sealing services is more difficult to execute than an unrestricted new installation.  It takes experience, forethought, and some expertise to execute some of these repair services. Prepping and making the right decisions on timing and application for sealing brick pavers is crucial too.

Patio reconstructed & sealed

You can not just send anybody out there to perform these paver services.  A true brick paver contractor will have an experienced, foreman type, worker performing your restoration services. The owner will have the forethought to offer the best options & costs that make sense for either the short or long-term. The brick paver company will schedule your work like any other work they perform, and not make you wait until it is convenient for them!

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Brick Paver Contractors Retool in the Winter Wonderland

Brick Paver Repair, Cleaning, & Sealing Services are on hold until Spring

As the winter season closes in on Southeast Michigan, most brick paver contractors have stored away their brick paver tools and equipment until Spring.  They have now swapped out their concrete saws & plate compactors for snowblowers and plows.  Retooling by brick paver contractors is a yearly tradition here in Michigan, the Winter Wonderland !

As the ground begins to freeze solid and winter frost begins its annual process, most brick paver contractors completely transform their business model to snow removal services.  Unlike most regions in the country, Michigan landscape and brick paver contractors completely halt their normal business practices for over 4 months.

When you operate an outdoor installation or repair service, Mother Nature is always in control. Winter is the most challenging of the seasons. Spring brings days of rain, Summer brings days of extreme heat, Fall brings a slow down of new leads, and Winter brings brick paver repair & installations to a complete halt.  You can not reset or install pavers on frozen ground.

Since bills and payments do not come to a halt during the Winter months, contractors in Michigan need to generate some cash flow to keep their business and workers operating. Some paver contractors will do christmas light hanging, wood splitting, and general labor services to try and make ends meet.

Snow removal is a brutal business that usually does not make much profit.  It is erratic, untimely, and brutal on trucks & equipment. Most contractors perform this service to continue their cash flow and give their employees some work for the Winter.  Others look at the Winter in Michigan as a time to shut down, rest, regroup, and reorganize for the upcoming Spring rush.

Which ever business model a brick paver contractor chooses for the the Winter months, it is sure to be a challenge that many contractors throughout the country do not have to face.  They refer to the Midwest as the "rust belt" and we all do our best to keep our businesses shining!