Questions You MUST Ask Your Hardscape Contractor
A successful patio, walk or retaining wall installation can provide many years of enjoyment.
Choosing a professional contractor will help ensure a positive experience from start to finish.
Here are some technical questions that should be asked of any hardscape contractor that will be working on your project:
1.) PAVER BASE PREPARATION IS A KEY FACTOR IN EVERY PAVER PROJECT.
Ask how they prepare the base? Whitehouse Landscaping builds their projects on undisturbed, compacted soil and segregated from the base material with Geotextile fabric.
2.) ASK WHAT IS USED FOR THE BASE MATERIALS AND WHAT IS THE COMPACTION PROCESS?
Whitehouse Landscaping uses granular stone base with with 2A modified stone. Compaction of the base layer should be done as the base is being constructed, preferably every 2-3” of base installed.
3.) HOW MUCH BASE MATERIAL DO YOU USE (MINIMUM FOR WALK OR PATIO)?
Whitehouse Landscaping uses a minimum of 6” of properly compacted base material for patios and walks.
4.) DO YOU USE GEOTEXTILE FABRIC AND WHERE?
Whitehouse Landscaping uses Geotextile between the subsoil and the base gravel to prevent intermixing. Geotextile fabric should also be used at any vertical surface where washout of base gravel or sand could be a problem as in retaining walls.
5.) DO YOU USE PLASTIC OR CONCRETE EDGE RESTRAINT AND WHY?
Whitehouse Landscaping uses vinyl restraints and steel spikes in our climate. Concrete is unacceptable because of it cracking in the winter.
6.) WHAT TYPE OF DRAINAGE TO YOU PLAN FOR WITH A PATIO OR RETAINING WALL?
Whitehouse Landscaping makes sure there’s a minimum of 1% slope or greater away from house structures. Internal drainage may be necessary in raised patios and retaining walls to prevent static water pressure behind the wall
7.) WHAT TYPE OF JOINTING SAND DO YOU USE IN HARDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION?
Whitehouse Landscaping uses either standard angular jointing sand or acrylic sand. The benefit of acrylic sand is that it helps prevent weeds from germinating and ant hills from forming in the pavers because it sets like mortar, but remains flexible.
8.) DO YOU USE GEOGRID REINFORCEMENT IN RETAINING WALLS?
Whitehouse Landscaping uses this reinforcement especially when building retaining walls over 4’ in height although it may be required for shorter walls as well. The geogrid locks in to the face of the wall and runs back into the slope, thereby using the weight of the wall and the backfill as an anchor to stabilize the wall.
whitehouselandscaping.com 610-674-0790
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Contact us at 484-300-4290 for more information on Whitehouse Landscaping Design and Build services for your home. We offer landscape design and build services to residents in Western Montgomery County, Northern Chester and Eastern Berks County Pa, including Douglassville, Collegeville, Gilbertsville, Pottstown, Phoenixville, Malvern and other neighboring communities.