Original research
Questions to ask a hardscape contractor before you sign
Eighteen questions on the base, the water, the edges and the paperwork, with the answer you want to hear.
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Written by HyreYard Research Desk Research and fact checking
The short answer
The questions that matter most for a patio, walk or wall are about what you will never see once it is finished: what the base is made of, how deep it is compacted, where the water goes and what holds the edge. Ask every bidder the same questions and write the answers into the quote, because a contractor who cannot describe the base in specific terms is pricing a thinner one.
ICPI, the paver industry’s trade body, publishes a construction inspection checklist that separates subgrade, base, edge restraint, bedding and joint sand into distinct checks, and its homeowner guide recommends hiring an ICPI Certified Concrete Paver Installer. Certification is one signal, not a guarantee; the answers below tell you more.
Base and build questions
The answers you want are specific: materials named, depths stated, steps described in order.
| Ask | A good answer | A weak answer |
|---|---|---|
| What base material will you use, and how deep after compaction? | Names the aggregate and states a compacted depth for your soil and use | “Gravel, the usual amount” |
| How do you compact it? | In lifts with a plate compactor, each layer compacted before the next | “We tamp it down” |
| What is under the base? | Subgrade compacted; geotextile where soil is soft or clay | No mention of subgrade |
| What holds the edges? | Names an edge restraint type fixed into the base | “The lawn holds it” |
| Which way does it slope, and where does the water go? | Slope away from the house to a named discharge point | “It’ll drain” |
| What joint material will you use? | Names the joint sand or aggregate and when it is compacted in | No answer |
Our hardscape base specification gives the wording to put in the contract.
Retaining wall questions
| Ask | A good answer | A weak answer |
|---|---|---|
| Does this wall need an engineer or a permit? | Knows the local height threshold and who handles it | “Nobody checks walls that size” |
| What drainage goes behind the wall? | Perforated drain pipe and clean gravel backfill, with an outlet | Backfilled with the soil that came out |
| Will you use geogrid? | Follows the block maker’s design for the height and soil | “Not needed” |
| How is the first course set? | On a compacted base, partly buried, checked level | Set on the ground |
Thresholds vary; see our retaining wall permit threshold research and retaining walls.
Business and paperwork questions
From the insurer directly, naming your address.
Put the answer in the contract. 811 is free and routes to your state one-call center.
Requirements vary by state; check our licensing by state research.
ICPI’s homeowner guide recommends certified installers for paver work.
Old jobs show settling and edge failure that new photos hide.
Get it in writing. See hardscape warranty.
Written change orders, priced before work.
Tied to milestones such as base inspected, not to calendar dates.
Turning answers into a comparable quote
Answers given out loud are forgotten by the time the crew arrives.
After each conversation, ask the contractor to add the base material, compacted depth, edge restraint, slope direction, drainage and joint material to the written quote.
Then lay the quotes side by side; our landscaping estimates guide shows how. A quote that stays vague after you have asked is an answer in itself.
Write the same questions down before the first visit, so the last bidder hears exactly what the first one did. Note who measured the site, who asked about soil and water, and who quoted from the truck.
Ask to see the base
Ask the contractor to tell you when the base is compacted so you can look before the bedding and pavers go on. A contractor confident in the work will agree.
Your inquiry
Tell us about the work
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Free, with no obligation: a person at HyreYard reads your request and replies by email. Matching is not live yet, so this is not a quote, and nothing goes to a landscaping company unless you agree. If a tree or limb is on a power line, stay away and call the utility.
Find a Landscaping Company
One short form: your address and how to reach you. A person at HyreYard reads it and replies.
Questions
Does a hardscape contractor need a license?
What is ICPI certification?
How many quotes should I get for a patio?
Should the quote include base depth?
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