The Expert Guide to Building the Custom Home Hardscape of Your Dreams

Whether you’ve lived in your home for many years or are new to home ownership, it often can seem like there’s a new home improvement project you want to tackle just around the corner. 

Perhaps you’ve wanted to find ways to create an outdoor living space at your home so you can comfortably entertain family and friends.

Maybe you’ve been looking for ideas for new outdoor projects that can make your home’s exterior more attractive by boosting its curb appeal and increasing your property’s value. 

Or you’ve been wondering how you can eliminate some of the green space in your home’s landscape to add variety to its design while making your yard easier to maintain. 

Does any of that sound familiar to you? 

If the answer is yes, here’s one possible solution: Designing and building a custom hardscape for your home’s landscape design.

Creating a hardscape in your home’s landscaping is a big undertaking — and a big investment. Whether you’re interested in installing a patio, creating a walkway, or building a retaining wall, here are some fundamental questions you should consider before beginning any new hardscape project.

There’s no step more important to beginning your hardscape project than establishing your budget. This will provide the framework for every decision you make for designing and building your new hardscape. Factors that can impact the project’s cost include the materials, labor, and even ease-of-access to the hardscape’s location.

Will your hardscape be built on already-flat land, or will you require professional help (along with professional machinery such as excavators) to prep the space?

Once you get started on exploring ideas for your hardscape materials, you’ll quickly find that your options are seemingly endless. We’ll discuss the different types of materials available to you, as well as important factors to consider when choosing your materials, in more detail below.

Outdoor kitchens, grills, refrigerators and bars all require the installation of utilities such as gas or water lines. This means that there may be certain limitations to your project to conform to the physical space or local regulations; it also can add to costs. This is not something you should ever DIY.

When you’re dreaming about your new hardscape, how you’re going to manage water drainage isn’t exactly the most exciting item on your checklist. However, it’s crucial you have a plan to mitigate water impact on your hardscape — or even how it can affect nearby areas of your landscape.

For example, are you thinking about installing your hardscape near the edge of your property lawn? Zoning laws may make that a no-go. Reviewing the local rules that may apply to your project is a must. 

There are many different options for adding a hardscape to your property. In some cases, the choice will be obvious — after all, if you want to add visual interest to a hilly or sloped area, a walkway won’t fit the bill like a retaining wall will. 

In other circumstances, you may have more flexibility. For example, would the spot you’ve designated for your hardscape be better served as a stone walkway leading to other areas of your yard, or as a brick patio for gatherings? 

Some of the most common hardscape projects homeowners pursue are: 

• Patios
• Outdoor kitchens
• Fire pits and fireplaces
• Retaining walls
• Walkways
• Staircases
• Driveways
• Outdoor seating areas
• Pergolas
• Gazebos
• Water features
• Courtyards
• Rock gardens

Ultimately, your project will depend on a variety of factors, including your personal goals, budget, materials, timeline, and physical space. A professional landscape design company can help guide you through the process to make the best choice for you and your family.

Just as there are seemingly endless options for the type of home hardscape you can build, so too are your choices in materials to complete your project. Generally, hardscape materials fall into three categories: man-made, natural and repurposed. Just some of these include: 

• Pavers
• Natural stone
• Flagstone
• Brick
• Concrete
• Asphalt
• Wood
• Mulch
• Stepping stones
• Polymeric sand
• Permeable pavers

In some cases, a single hardscape can incorporate multiple types of materials, in which case you’ll need to understand their compatibility with one another, as well as their overall suitability for the type of project.

When selecting the appropriate hardscape materials for your project, you’ll need to consider factors such as: 

It’s essential that your hardscape looks beautiful to you and fits your personal style — and what exactly that means varies from one homeowner to the next. Explore examples of real hardscape projects to choose the options that best fit your home’s ideal aesthetic.

The cost of your hardscape project can add up quickly once you begin calculating a specific material’s price per square foot. Be flexible and have an open mind in choosing your materials so you don’t derail your budget. Also keep in mind that projects that incorporate a mix of materials, such as stone with mulch, can have a lower cost than one that is made solely of a pricier material such as pavers.

Your hardscape materials must be able to withstand the weather conditions of your local area’s climate. This looks very different in perpetually sunny Florida versus the four-season, sometimes sunny and sometimes snowy climate of New England.

Materials that are locally available can be more cost effective than those that may be sourced from further away. Choosing easy-to-obtain materials also can help you keep a shorter project timeline.

You should carefully think about how much foot traffic your hardscape is likely to receive when selecting your hardscape materials to ensure they can withstand heavy use. Resistance to erosion and other environmental factors is an additional consideration.

A hardscape with an intricate design will be more labor-intensive than one made of a simple square or rectangle configuration, thus adding to your labor costs.

Will your hardscape be protected by shade, or will it receive full sun? The last thing you want after all of the hard work and money invested in a hardscape project is for its beautiful color to fade after only one year or two.

Make sure to determine if your intended hardscape materials comply with local regulations and requirements. If not, you could be forced to remove your completed hardscape entirely and begin again.

Maintenance requirements vary between types of hardscape materials. Some may be a set-it-and-forget-it type of material, while others require regular upkeep such as sealing.

If you’re interested in an ecologically friendly option for your hardscape, permeable pavers can be a great choice. These pavers are designed to allow water to filter through and be absorbed below, thereby reducing the risk of flooding and erosion while reducing pollutants and contaminants.

At this point, you’ve done all of the research, set your budget, and reviewed the options for the best materials for your project. Now, it’s time to actually get started designing and building your hardscape.

Where do you begin? You have a few options to go about completing the installation of your hardscape.

Some homeowners are interested in going the DIY route for their hardscape, especially if they consider it to be a smaller scale project, such as a walkway. They may have found guides online with step-by-step instructions for a project like theirs, making it seem like an easy process they can complete in a weekend or two. 

Budget can be another factor that influences a homeowner’s choice to complete their hardscape on their own. Cutting out project management and labor costs can appear to offer significant cost savings. 

However, a DIY hardscape installation can present unforeseen headaches — or nightmares, really — for the homeowner. 

The instructions you’ll find on home improvement websites often rely on a best-case, one-site-fits-all scenario, and it’s not always as easy as it may appear. If unforeseen challenges crop up — and they inevitably will — you will be on your own to diagnose and correct the issue. This may result in frantic Googling to figure out how to fix the problem, or even a call to a professional to help, even though your initial goal was to avoid it.  

In addition, while it can seem like a cost-efficient option at first, a DIY hardscape installation can go wildly beyond the initial budget. This can happen for many reasons.

You may have underestimated the amount of materials they need, or ordered the wrong ones that are unsuitable for your needs and need to be replaced. Or encountering any of the technical problems we describe above is sufficient enough to wildly blow up the project’s budget.

Another concern that many homeowners don’t consider when deciding to DIY their hardscape is that they may not know all of the local rules and regulations that apply to their project. Imagine admiring your beautifully installed patio only to find out that it’s not up to code and must be removed, or a gas line can’t be fitted to your new outdoor kitchen for safety and legal reasons.

A second option for your hardscape project is hiring an independent mason or masonry company. They’ll have specialized expertise in hardscape materials, design and installation, which is exactly what you’re looking for — right?

Not exactly. 

Working with professionals skilled in hardscape alone can have its own drawbacks. For example, while they may have expertise you require for this specific project, they may not have the knowledge required to integrate a hardscape into your overall landscape design. Your home’s landscape incorporates both living and non-living elements, and your hardscape is only one piece of that total picture. 

In addition, if your project requires additional work beyond the hardscape itself, such as excavating, working with a mason can sometimes mean that you’re on your own to find and manage the work of these contractors.

Your final option for your hardscape project is to work with a full-service landscape design company. 

Going this route offers many pluses. First, a full-service company specializing in both landscape and hardscape design and installation will be able to take a holistic view of your property’s outdoor spaces. They’ll have the expertise to ensure your finished hardscape aligns with your overall landscape goals. 

For example, do you want to add a flower bed next to your new patio once it’s complete? They’ll know if it’s possible. 

Or do you want to know if drainage for a new walkway might impact the growth of nearby grass? They’ll be able to help with that, too. 

In addition, a full-service landscape design company will have a true understanding of the full scope of work that your project requires, which means they can offer you the most accurate budget and timeline estimates. This leads to saved money and time — and can prevent lots of headaches. 

Another reason to work with a full-service company is that they’ll have established relationships with a variety of contractors who can complete other types of work the project may need — and the professional judgment to determine what a high-quality job looks like (and what does not). They’ll also be licensed and insured, which offers great peace of mind. 

Beyond that, we’ve found that one of the biggest benefits of this approach is that it gives you the opportunity to build a long-lasting relationship with professionals who can take care of a variety of your landscape needs, both now and in the future. 

The hardscape is only the beginning — after that’s done, you can turn to them for everything from new landscape design projects to routine lawn maintenance and upkeep. They’ll come to know the entirety of your landscape, and will be your partners in keeping it growing well and looking beautiful for many years to come. 

Hopefully, you now understand the importance of partnering with an experienced professional for your new hardscape. So how do you go about selecting the right one? 

We suggest that you consider important factors like these when making your decision: 

• How many years they’ve been in business
• Client reviews and referrals
• Examples of their past work
• How often they receive repeat business from existing clients

One word of caution about using cost as the main factor when choosing your contractor: A low price does not always mean you’ll get the high-quality work you desire — and are paying for.

While it may look attractive initially, a cheap bid can signal all sorts of potential problems, such as an inexperienced contractor or one that does not adequately account for the full scope of work you require. Your best bet is to contact reputable companies and compare quotes to understand what’s competitive.

When you’ve been in business for nearly 30 years like we have, you learn a thing or two about what it takes to make a project successful, and to make a customer happy. 

During our process, which we’ve fine-tuned over decades of experience, we first meet with the homeowner to learn more about them, their goals for the project, and how they plan to use the new hardscape space. 

Then, we create a comprehensive project proposal, which covers essential details like: 

• A proposed hardscape design and layout
• Cost estimates for labor and materials
• Suggestions for materials that best align with their personal style and budget
• Identifies elements of the existing landscape that could interfere with the scope of work and require attention before proceeding
• Complete project quote and proposed timeline

During this step, we will walk you through each component and are always available to answer any questions you may have before signing an official project agreement. 

Even once the hardscape is completed, our work still isn’t done. We’ll conduct a post-project walkthrough with you to discuss what we’ve accomplished, address any questions or concerns you may have, and make sure it has been completed to your complete satisfaction. If you’ve also hired us to perform your landscape maintenance, we’ll also begin completing that work, dependent on the season. 

Our family-run company has served thousands of clients during our nearly three decades of experience, offering a more hands-on, personal experience than you’ll find with many larger companies that do not provide their clients dedicated attention. 

In fact, you’ll find that we have a lot in common with you: We’re invested in your landscape and projects, but most importantly, we’re invested in helping you create a comfortable, inviting home that you and your family love.