Process
How an installation runs, start to finish
Every interlocking installation follows the same sequence, whatever its size. You know each stage before it starts, and nothing happens out of order.
Sequence
The stages, in order
Phone call
A short conversation about the project, its scale and fit. If it is not our kind of work, you hear that on the call, not after a visit.
Site visit
We measure and read the site: water paths, grade, machine access, existing failures. We also fix the levels that cannot move, such as door thresholds, the garage slab and the lot line.
Layout and materials
The footprint comes first, sized to how you live and the furniture it must hold. Pattern, border and material follow, judged against the house in daylight.
Written specification
Dimensions, materials, base build-up, drainage, sequence and exclusions. A designer or builder can compare it line by line with any other bid.
Locates and access
Utility locates cleared before any digging. Machine route, staging area and protection agreed with you in advance.
Excavation and base
Box dug to depth, spoil hauled, sub-grade checked, fabric placed where needed. Granular compacted in lifts, with levels and falls set.
Build
Walls built, drained and backfilled. Steps set. Bedding screeded, units laid to string lines, cuts made wet on a saw. Edges restrained. Fence posts set on footings.
Finish and walk-through
Joints filled, compacted and locked. Site cleared. We walk the work with you and settle any loose ends before leaving.
The specification
What should be in writing before you commit
Ask any contractor for these lines. A total and a paragraph cannot be checked against a drawing.
Every dimension
Area by area, not one total. A single figure hides whether the dining zone actually fits a table.
Base build-up
Excavation depth, base materials and compaction method. Usually the biggest cost variable on the job.
Drainage approach
Fall direction for each surface, any drains or channels, and where the water finally ends up.
Materials, by name
Manufacturer, product, colour and unit size. "Grey pavers" does not count.
Sequence and access
What happens when, the machine route, what gets protected, what gets reinstated.
Explicit exclusions
What is not included. The most useful paragraph in a quote, and the one most often absent.
Sequencing a combined scope
Many projects combine work: a driveway and walkway, a patio and wall, grading and a new fence. The order matters, and a wrong order costs money.
The rule is access first, structure second, surfaces last. Machines need a clear route to the rear yard, so a fence across the only gate goes in after excavation. Retaining walls go in before the paving they hold. Conduit, gas, drainage and future footings go in while the ground is open, not under finished stone.
That is the practical case for one contractor holding the scope. Split across trades, each firm protects its own schedule and the owner pays for the collisions. More on how we work, or browse every service.
Season and timing
The digging season here follows the frost: out of the ground in spring, back in late in the year. Larger scopes fill the calendar first. Settling the scope early spares you a choice between waiting a season and hiring whoever is free.
Questions
About working with us
What should I have ready for the first visit?
Bring photos, rough dimensions, and a clear idea of how you want to use the space. A survey or drawings help if you have them. Leave the material open; it is easier to choose once the site has been read.
How long does a project take?
Your schedule comes with the written scope, once we know what is under the surface. Excavation and base take most of the time and make most of the noise. Setting the stone moves faster by comparison.
What happens if you find something unexpected?
We stop and tell you before acting on it. Buried concrete, an old footing, groundwater or a poor sub-grade can all surface once the ground is open. Anything outside the written scope is agreed with you, in writing, before work continues.
Will my property be a mess?
For the excavation stage, yes; moving that much soil is never tidy. The site is left safe and orderly at the end of each day. Access routes and protected areas are agreed in advance, and spoil leaves the property.