Driveway pavers in Laguna Niguel CA - an even surface built on a solid base
Cracked, patched or sinking driveway? We rebuild it in interlocking pavers over a compacted base, and we spell it out in your written estimate.
What goes into a paver driveway
When we put in driveway pavers in Laguna Niguel, the finished driveway is interlocking concrete pavers set on a layer of bedding sand, over a compacted gravel base and compacted soil. We compact the pavers, sweep sand into the joints and compact them again, so they lock together into one surface that carries your car.
Most of a paver driveway is work you never see again once it's done. My dad used to say a mason's work outlives the mason, and on a driveway that comes down to the base, so that's the part I'll walk you through first. It's heavier work than a walkway because it takes the weight of a car every day.
What moves the price is the size, whether an old driveway has to come out first, how deep the base goes and how thick the pavers are. The schedule mostly turns on whether the work reaches the curb, because that part waits on a city permit. I'll measure it on site and give you a written estimate with your figure.
What a paver driveway can fix for you
A cracked or patched driveway
If your driveway is cracked, patched or sinking in spots, we can take it out and lay pavers in its place. Since each paver is its own piece, a damaged one can usually be lifted and replaced later instead of patched.
Ground that was never packed
When an old driveway sank because nothing firm was ever put under it, the fix is underneath, not on top. We dig out, pack a gravel base and lay a sand bed before the pavers go in, so the new surface has something solid to sit on.
A front that fits the house
Pavers come in a lot of shapes and colors, so a driveway can pick up the brick, stone or roof color already on your house. I like a driveway that looks like it was always there, and we'll go over patterns together before anything gets ordered.
Do you need pavers, a wall or a repair?
If the driveway itself is cracked, sunken or worn through and you want a new surface to park on, that's a paver driveway. If the trouble is a slope beside it washing out or pushing toward the driveway, the fix may be a retaining wall first, and the driveway after.
When the driveway is fine but the brick or stone around it, like a planter, a column or an old wall, has tired joints and loose pieces, that's masonry restoration, and the driveway can stay where it is.
If you can't tell which one you need, that's what the estimate visit is for. I'll walk it with you and show you what I'm seeing on the driveway and the walls beside it.
What to settle before we start your driveway
Paver thickness on each bid
Trade guidance recommends a thinner paver for a home driveway and a thicker one for pavements that take vehicle traffic, so the thickness belongs on every quote. Ask which one each bid lists and you'll be comparing the same driveway.
Drain pipes in slow soil
Trade guidance recommends drain pipes in clay or other slow-draining soil under paver pavements that carry cars, because water that can't get out softens the base. If puddles hang around your yard after rain, ask whether the bid includes drain pipes.
Who's licensed to build it
The state contractor board counts building or replacing a driveway as home improvement work, and its earthwork and paving license class covers laying paving and other surfacing. We're fully licensed and insured, and I'm glad to show you what to look for on any bid.
Paver driveway work in Laguna Niguel
If the job runs out to the street, the part on the curb parkway or the driveway approach needs an encroachment permit from the City of Laguna Niguel before we touch it. When a job needs a permit, we handle the paperwork with the city and line up the inspections.
Apart from a few exceptions, it's against the law to let anything into the city's storm drains, including water from construction work and washing tools, so our wash water stays out of the gutter. We're based in Laguna Niguel and work in Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills and many cities around it. When you call, tell me how many cars park there.
Questions people ask about paver driveways
How much does a paver driveway cost in Orange County?
A sand-set concrete paver driveway with its base usually costs about $16 to $20 per square foot in Orange County, not counting tearing out an old driveway. That's the going rate in the county, not our price, and I'll give you your own figure in a written estimate after I see the job. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
How thick should the gravel base be under driveway pavers?
Trade guidance says the gravel base under a home driveway on well-drained soil should be at least 6 inches thick. One Orange County price guide assumes a 4-inch base, so ask what depth each bid includes. A paver driveway is only as good as what's under it, so we spell out the base in our estimate.
How long does a curb permit take for a driveway in Laguna Niguel?
The city's review of an encroachment permit application can take up to ten business days, so plan for that wait before any work at the curb starts. I'd rather start that clock early, so we set the curb work around the city's answer instead of rushing it.
How soon can I drive on a new paver driveway?
Concrete pavers are ready for traffic right after they're installed, so you can usually park on your driveway soon after our crew finishes. That's one reason a paver driveway can shorten the stretch your car sits out on the street.
Do I have to remove my old concrete driveway before installing pavers?
Usually, yes, because the pavers need their own compacted gravel base and sand bed, and an old slab sits right where that base goes. Removal isn't part of the county range above, so I'll price it separately in your estimate once I've seen what's there.
Tell us about your paver driveway
Tell us the square footage, whether an old driveway comes out and if it reaches the curb. We reply within one business day. On-site estimates are free, no obligation.
(949) 312-6076Mon–Fri: 7 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM