Pricing paver patio projects can be intimidating at first. There are a lot of moving parts that go into the entire process. If you research online how much a paver patio cost, you will likely be given a price that was written by a marketing team or an intern working for a big website that has never worked with patios or owned their own business. This information is either way off and setting wrong expectations for clients or it is such a massive range that you cannot even use the information.
The truth of the matter is, pricing a paver patio depends on so many factors that there is no answer to how much a paver patio costs. It all depends on the region and the business that is providing the price. Every business is going to be different on their pricing because their business costs are all different. A business in one region will also charge different from a business in another region because of the construction practices involved in them. This article will not tell you how much a paver patio will cost as a dollar amount, but what goes into pricing a paver patio and what you can expect with that pricing.
Cost to Install a Paver Patio
When it comes to the cost of a paver patio project, it is best to work with the client or to get a budget from them that you can stick to prior to providing them with a quote. A budget will provide you as the contractor with what the scope of the project could include from solutions to the client’s problems to features that can be included in a design. This does require that you build some trust with that client and this will be easier to create if you were a referral from a previous client or somebody that knows you personally. Though not everyone will be willing to provide a budget to you or they will not even know what a reasonable budget is which is completely normal. It is up to you at this point to ask the client questions about what they would want to see in their outdoor space and to provide them with a reasonable price range on what it may cost to then ask them if that falls within their budget. Then you can begin to price a project for them.
When it comes to pricing a paver patio, there are a few considerations that need to be made.
First off is the market price of a paver patio in your area. This will be dictated by numerous factors including competition in the area and the methods that are used in the installation process. For example, in regions where no freeze-thaw cycles are experienced contractors do not require the same depth of base that is required in areas that do experience these cycles. This saves in the excavation and disposal labor required, along with the material. However, regions where labor costs and business operations costs are high will also affect the pricing of a paver patio.
Pricing a basic patio that is square or rectangular is different than pricing a patio that has curves in it. Curves will add to the cost of the patio both in material waste and with labor costs. A patio with no inlays that add to the intricacy of the project will be priced more than one without that. A patio that is built to last will also be priced more than one that the contractor cut corners. The price of the paver itself will also affect the price of the patio, especially with so many options and price ranges in today’s market. These are variables in the building process that will change the price for a paver patio.
Ultimately pricing comes down to what the business requires to cover their operating costs, labor costs, material costs, and earn a profit. Businesses need to stay in business to be able to continue to serve their clients on an ongoing basis. Not pricing properly is the number one killer of a business if all expenses are not accounted for and the business is unable to remain afloat.
There is so much more than what meets the eye with a final project. The majority of the cost in a project is not seen in the final project. It is important to understand that when pricing a project and it is equally as important for a client to understand that when shopping around different companies for their project.
Excavation and base preparation is the majority of the timeline and costs of a project and will eat up a lot of labor hours in the process. It is also the most crucial part of the project in terms of the project lasting a long time. It is also the part of the project where a contractor can easily cut corners and the client would not be able to see. This is why trust is such an important part of the process. This could be established by the communication and execution of the plan from the contractor to the homeowner.
We always ask our clients if they have other companies bidding on the project. This helps us understand more about what the client is interested in getting out of a bid or quote. The next question you ask them after this is even more important in understanding that. If you are bidding for a project, it may be important to ask the client what is most important to them. If they say pricing, it may not be a project that you want to take on. There will always be someone on the market that will underbid you and cut corners to achieve that pricing or even end up out of business in the short term. If quality is their answer, then that is a marker for a relationship you may want to build with that potential client and help them understand what makes you stand out from other companies that may be bidding. It may also be the time that you can communicate where you may be priced in relation to other businesses.
If you want to learn more about pricing, you can check out our knowing your numbers articles to nail down your pricing and ensure that you are covering all of your costs with every quote that you are sending out. Our Business Budget and Estimate Spreadsheet also helps with just that.
If you are a potential client of a hardscape company wondering how much your paver patio should cost, the best practice is to move forward with a company that has been recommended to you by someone that you trust. If you have no referrals, then you can contact a hardscape supplier near you who will have some contractors that they can refer to you. If you do not have trust in one company, try contacting a few and discussing your project with each of them to see which one suits you best or meets your budget constraints. Just understand that the least expensive bid from a company that was not referred to you is usually not actually the least expensive. It could cost you so much more in the future with having to repair or replace the patio. Having some knowledge of the project you want installed and being able to communicate with your potential contractor will help you choose the right contractor for your project.