Paver and concrete patios in Alpharetta, GA

Patios we build

Oscar Cruz Construction builds every patio with its own crew, from digging out the ground to the finished surface.

• Paver patios. Large-format pavers laid in a pattern, like the patio along the back of the house and the one under a deck in our videos.
• Brick paver patios. Classic brick pavers, and new concrete that ties into an existing brick patio.
• Stamped concrete patios. One continuous slab with a pattern pressed in while it is wet. Our crew stamps it by hand with stamp mats.
• Plain concrete patios and slabs. Broom-finished concrete for a clean, simple surface, often the most budget-friendly choice for a big area.
• Patios under decks and on covered porches. Turning the dirt under a deck into a usable, dry space. See the construction page for the decks themselves.

How a patio goes in

1. Lay it out. We mark the shape and size with you, and look at how water moves across that part of the yard.
2. Dig and shape the ground. Grass, roots and soft soil come out. The ground is shaped so the finished patio sheds water away from the house.
3. Drainage first. Where water collects, drain pipe and drain boxes go in before anything else. Several of our photos show drain lines laid before the base.
4. Base and forms. A gravel base is spread and compacted. For concrete, forms are staked to the finished height. For pavers, an edge holds everything in.
5. The surface. Pavers are laid and set, or concrete is poured, finished, and stamped if you chose a pattern.
6. Clean up and walk through. We clean the site and walk the patio with you.

Pavers or concrete?

How the three patio surfaces compare

	Pavers	Stamped concrete	Plain concrete
Look	Many shapes, sizes and colors, laid in a pattern	One slab with a pattern pressed in	Clean, simple broom finish
Repairs	Lift and replace one piece	Patched as part of the slab	Patched as part of the slab
Joints	Many small joints	Few control joints	Few control joints
Budget	Usually the highest of the three	In between	Usually the lowest for a large area

Pavers give you more shapes and colors and can be repaired one piece at a time. Concrete covers a lot of ground for the money, and stamped concrete adds a pattern without the joints. Oscar will give you a price for the option you want, and tell you if another one fits your yard better.

What drives the price

Every yard is different, so we price each patio after seeing it. The big factors are:

• Size and shape of the patio.
• How much digging and grading the ground needs, especially on a slope.
• Drainage work, and whether a short retaining wall or steps are needed.
• Material: plain concrete, stamped concrete or pavers.
• Access for equipment and material, for example a backyard behind a fence.

Patio questions

Other work we do

• Hardscapes overview
• Retaining walls
• Driveways and walkways
• Construction, remodeling and repairs

See every photo and video on the projects page, or check the service area.