Patio interlock/paver installation

[dvar]

Hi all,
If anyone knows or has used a local business to have pavers/interlock installed and were happy with the quality and value please respond.
Looking at a 225-250 sqFT (approx) patio, something attractive without breaking the bank.

Any reccomendations?

Thanks

[gagnon777]

We just built a deck and laid patio stones ourselves. We had a 200-250 sqft section as well and we got some reasonably price patio stones at GRAND VALLEY NURSERY (off King Street in Kitchener). They were on sale at $2.99 each so it cost us $600 (including screening) get all the supplies and we did it ourselves. Well, I should say my husband did it ;o) We're not done yet, but I'll try and take a pick shortly and post it for ya. The stones we got measure 16"x16" and came in a few colours (sand, reddish brick, charcoal and gray). We found the prices at GRAND VALLEY not too bad, especially when they have sales. They do have installation service, just not sure how much.

Stay tuned for pic...

[gagnon777]

Here's the pics from the backyard.
Not done yet, but it was worth doing it ourselves (mind you, these were not complicated to lay.
And yes, we put our deck at the back (not attached to the house). When I sit on my deck, I want to look back at my own house vs. the peeps behind us!

[dvar]

Nice job on the backyard! Hope to see it first hand in September.

I am toying with the diea of doing it myself, the thought of digging up the grass and several inches of dirt (rock) is not something i want to do. Last time I did a big job I experienced my first and hopefully last back injury.

Since I have tried for 2 weeks to get quotes from about 6 companies and none has bothered to return my calls/emails I might be stuck doing it myself. The one company that I followed up with told me around 3500-3800....I estimate materials at around $1400 and there's no way I'd pay $2400 for 2 days? labour. If that's the going rate I guess I'll be breaking out the jackhammer (dynamite?) to dig up the backyard! hehe

I would gladly do the install myself...it's the digging up and removal of the existing dirt that is putting me off.

Hopefully I get a reasonable (to me) price if any of them get back to us. The installers must be doing pretty damn good business if they can afford to ignore requests for quotes on new business.

[Alex&Vanessa]

you can rent a skid steer or/and a mini excavator from CRS rentals they run 180$ a day +120 delivery and pick up

it's not very hard to operate took me 15 mins to get use to it

[dvar]

Thanks Alex, I did read about the skid steers and thought about going that route. I've found a local guy on Kijiji with a bobcat who will do it for less than what it would cost me to do it myself renting equipment. I'm holding my breath that he turns out to be a good, professional guy. He is scheduled to do the job tommorrow so I will post a followup in case anyone else is planning a similar job.

I bought a dog cage off Kijiji once but never tried "hiring" anyone from it before (fingers crossed). He's not getting paid until the job is done so he either does it right and to completion or I'll tell him don't bother starting the job.

I called/emailed several companies for quotes on the patio job and only one responded. He came to the house, took measurements and said he would get me a quote in a day or two. That was over a week ago. I used a "contractor referral" service at
TheStonePlace and none of their conteractors bothered to give me a quote. We will be better off in the long run I guess, if we take our time and do it right we'll end up saving between $1500-$2000 on the job. That will buy some new outdoor furniture and pergola!

[jrb]

Hi


Have you called "Cambridge Garden Center"

1718 Morrison road

phone number is 519-622-1173

A couple months ago i went out there to ask a ball park price estimate. I think they said roughly $15.00 per sq foot.

[dvar]

Thanks, we decided to do it ourselves but pay to have the area excavated. We then had the same crew come back to move the 6 yards of gravel from our driveway to the backyard.

We got very lucky and hired a local guy with a Bobcat. Dave Braga is his name, charges $45 per hour for the Bobcat and operator (actually 2 guys)(3 hour minimum).

The excavated 300+ square feet to a depth of 10 inches in 3 hours. We were so impressed with them we asked them to come back a few days later to help transport the 6 yards of gravel in our driveway to the backyard. Not only did they bring it back for us (putting it wherever we asked them to)....they moved 4 skids of 3 inch thick pavers and restacked them around our patio site.
The Bobcat couldnt lift the skids of stone so they actually HAND-BOMBED (spelling?) half a skid of stones at a time (stones range from 15-50Lbs), brough them to the backyard and then stacked the stones on the ground around the excavated site so we wouldnt have to walk far when laying the stone!

He was here for 3.5 hours today, only charged me for 3hrs and I paid him for 4hrs because I NEVER expected him to move all those bricks by hand.

I cant say enough about these guys! They do snowplowing, landscaping and Bobcat/excavations..I think they do concrete patios/stamped concrete too. Dave is definitely a hard working guy and wants to please his customers.

His number is 519-222-6700. I didnt know Dave before hiring him and have nothing to gain from referring his company but the RARE times I experience true satisfaction with a company/service I have to try and spread the word.