Perth is one of the best places to have an outdoor space as well as the best weather for outdoor living. A patio or an outdoor kitchen is a welcome addition to any backyard and a great space for entertaining. Paving, also known as Hardscaping,is usually the easiest way to go and it is one of the oldest building methods around the world.
Pavers are usually made of various materials like clay, natural stone, limestone or concrete. More modern types are Travertine and Bluestone. The choice is yours when it comes to which type will suit your outdoor space.
Besides the obvious, enhancing your home and extending your family’s living space, why do people choose to go paving more often than not?
- Aesthetic and appeal: no one can deny the charm that a well laid patio or floor has for your property. It adds character and style to your home. With the variety of pavers and colours you can choose from, planning the install of your patio or any outdoor area is a great way to improve the beauty of your entertainment area.
- Low maintenance: so easy to clean the area if there is a spill! Just hose it down and it is done. Sweeping is also a quick and easy way to keep it nice and clean. Applying a sealer to the finished project, will make the area low-maintenance and will extend its lifetime.
- Easy to install and repair: although it can be a DIY job for those passionate DIYers and willing enough to try, a professional contractor will install or repair your paving area in half the time and the best part: the job probably comes with a workmanship guarantee! So if any issues arise like cracking or broken pavers, you know who to call. Increase your entertaining area or outdoor living area!
- Pavers are long lasting due to their strength and durability. They will also keep their colour for years to come and for added safety are non-slip! So pave your pool area or your new outdoor kitchen.
- Designs: Incredible patterns and styles to suit your space and fancy. There are a lot of designs that you can choose from like herringbone, stack bone, pencil line inlay, diamond, basket weave, circle just to name a few. Define zones and areas with coloured pavers and accentuate focus areas.
- Resale: not your forever home? Having a great outdoor entertaining area or space adds value to your home and increases your resale value. Get back your initial investment.
Paving supply and install though is best handled by professional contractors. Before handing the project to a contractor though, make sure that you have done your homework and researched them thoroughly. Some of the considerations you should take into account before hiring a local professional installer:
- Check their background. The internet is a great tool when it comes to sourcing out information. Doing research will probably save you a lot of hassle and money. If they have a website, then jump in and check out their reviews and projects. Get some feedback from family and friends who have had pavers installed in the past. Experience in the field will result in a better and a high quality hardscape that will last for years.
- Get some quotes from reputable installers. See how they work. They will usually attend the site and get you a scope of work based on your budget. This is the point where you can ask them questions if you are not sure or want more information on a product. They will also outline the timeline for the job to be finished.
- Is it a challenging project with different shapes and lines that need to be taken into account? If so, check if the installer is a solution-finder, can think fast and can work with changes if they crop up in the middle of the project. For example, the design needs changing or going around a specific tree or water feature in the backyard.
Care and Maintenance?
After the decision has been taken and the job is done, how do you maintain the area? Dirty or stained patio pavers are not a good sight. Weeds, stains and moss can all be the cause of damage to the paved area.
The easiest and best solution to your problem is to get the space professionally pressure cleaned. This will remove most if not all of the stains and moss and bring back your beautiful paved area. You can also get down and scrub with some soapy water and a good brush. The trick to minimise stains and mossy, green spots is to sweep and hose down regularly. For example after entertaining at home.
In the end, whether you decide to pave or not is totally up to you. Remember to do your research and dare to be different and mix up the pavers using different colours and textures. Make the project interesting and increase your curb appeal.
If you are thinking about upgrading or increasing your property value but the job is too big to handle, give us a call and we will happily give you a quote for the job.
