Plan it right the first time.

Our mission is to give you a guided experience through our craft, so you're never guessing about what happens next. Here's the path every project follows.

Our building season is set by frost, not the calendar. The homeowners who get the dates they want are the ones who plan a season ahead.

Almost every sunken, heaving, or shifting patio fails for the same reason: the part you can't see. Freeze-thaw cycles and heavy clay soils punish a thin or poorly compacted base.

What to look for

• Excavation depth matched to your soil. Base depth isn't one-size-fits-all. It's set by soil type, drainage, and whether the surface carries foot traffic or vehicles.
• Compaction in lifts. Aggregate compacted in layers, not dumped and flattened once.
• Pitch for water. The surface should shed water away from your house.
• Edge restraint. Without it, the outside rows creep and the pattern opens up.

Water always wins eventually. The goal is to decide where it goes before it decides for you.

Signs you have a drainage problem

• Standing water that sits on the lawn long after a rain.
• Damp or wet basement walls, especially after storms or snowmelt.
• Downspouts dumping right next to the foundation.
• Soil washing out of beds, mulch floating away, or erosion channels.
• Ground that slopes toward the house instead of away from it.

Common fixes

• Regrading to restore positive slope away from the house.
• Buried downspout extensions that carry roof water to a safe outlet.
• French drains to intercept and redirect subsurface water.

Both can give you a great lawn. The right choice depends on how fast you need it, when you're installing, and how much watering you can commit to.

A retaining wall is holding back tons of soil, plus all the water in it. When walls lean or bulge, it's almost always a base or drainage failure.

• A level, compacted base under the first course. Everything above depends on it.
• Drainage behind the wall: clean stone backfill and a drain pipe to relieve water pressure.
• Reinforcement on taller walls, such as geogrid tied back into the soil.
• Engineering and permits: many municipalities require an engineered design or permit once a wall passes a certain height, often around 4 feet. We check your local rules before we design.

Two patios the same size can be priced very differently, and usually for good reasons. These are the factors that move the number.

• Site access. Can equipment reach the work area, or does material move by hand?
• Soil and base. Heavy clay, fill, or wet areas mean more excavation and more base.
• Grade changes. Slopes add walls, steps, and drainage work.
• Material selection. Paver line, natural stone, and wall block vary widely.
• Drainage. Solving water now costs far less than tearing out and rebuilding later.
• Features. Lighting, fire features, kitchens, and structures each add their own scope.

Ask every contractor the same questions, including us. The answers tell you a lot.

• Are you insured?Ask for a certificate of insurance.
• What's your base spec?Depth, materials, and how it's compacted.
• Is the warranty in writing?What it covers and for how long, in the contract.
• Who's on site?Your own crew, or subcontractors?
• How do you handle water?Grading and drainage should be part of the plan.
• What's the schedule?Start window, duration, and how weather delays are handled.
• Can I see the design first?Know what you're buying before it's built.
• Who calls in utility locates?Check Guide 09 below.

Gas, electric, water, and communication lines run under almost every yard. Hitting one is dangerous and expensive.

• Call 811 or contact Diggers Hotline before any digging in Wisconsin. Public utilities are marked for free.
• Plan ahead. Wisconsin requires notice at least three working days before you dig.
• Private lines aren't marked by 811. Things like a line to a detached garage, a gas grill, or yard lighting may need a private locator.
• On our projects, the request is ours to make: whoever does the digging is responsible for the locate.