Hardscaping Contractors in Tucson, AZ

Ask what base depth they are quoting and why, ask where the water will go, and ask to see the scope in writing before you compare prices. Two quotes that look similar on the surface can differ by several inches of base and an entire drainage plan. The cheaper one is usually cheaper for a reason you find out in year three.

Per square foot, usually yes. Over ten years it often is not, because a paver surface does not need water, mowing, replanting or a monthly service visit. In a climate where plant material struggles and water costs money, the running cost is a bigger part of the comparison here than it would be elsewhere.

Stabilised decomposed granite is the cheapest usable surface in Tucson, followed by broom finished concrete. Pavers cost more up front and can be lifted and relaid, which is worth something on ground that moves. We will tell you which of the three actually suits the area you are describing.

It is permanent, it costs more than gravel, and a badly built surface is expensive to correct. It also reduces the area that absorbs rainwater, which matters here in monsoon season, so the drainage design has to keep up with the amount of hard surface you add.

A well built patio, driveway or wall is generally treated as an improvement rather than a repair. What actually moves the number is condition and usability, not square footage. A cracked slab and a settled patio read as deferred maintenance to a buyer, and a shaded outdoor space that works in June reads as extra living area.

Hardscape work is quoted by the job and by the square foot rather than hourly, because the labour is dominated by excavation and base preparation that varies with the ground. An hourly figure tells you almost nothing about what a finished patio will cost.