It is a familiar scenario: you have put in the work to pour a concrete patio and then see it cracking come next season. Or your pavers are on the move despite your best efforts at setting them. A weekend of labour has become a summer’s worth of aggravation.
We would not be surprised. The folks at Exterior Elevate are hearing such tales from all over the Greater El Paso area. We are a family business, local to the region, and we know how it goes for West Texas homeowners who set out with good intentions on a hardscaping project only to have reality put in its place. Before you break ground, pick up the phone and talk us through it at (915) 265-0878.
The desert does not make allowances for a project ill-suited to it; between the soil and the heat and a storm that comes out of nowhere, you will find it working against you. What follows are some of the issues we put down to DIY in this part of the country and the reasons for them.
The Ground Is Working Against You
Do not think you can just lay concrete on any old dirt in West Texas and be done with it. There is expansive clay and loose sand in much of the country here, and they have a way of moving with the moisture. Add in a climate that can go from parched to a flash flood by afternoon and you have constant movement.
Neglect to put in a proper base and you will be left with:
- Concrete slabs in need of repair after a year or two
- Pavers that have heaved or separated
- Low spots on the patio for water to pool
- Retaining walls that start to bulge or lean
- Fence posts getting loose
For the most part these problems are due to the base. Get the sub-base graded and compacted and you are in good shape for years to come. Too often the do-it-yourselfer will hurry or forgo that step altogether.
Drainage Mistakes Are Everywhere
Rain may be scarce but it is no joke when it arrives. Put a slope on your patio in the wrong direction and you are channeling it right at the foundation.
One has to plan for drainage before a shovel is put in the ground, consider the speed of the water and the effect on the landscape. A flat patio is unassuming until the first monsoon exposes every error.
Underestimating the Heat
Materials not suited to the El Paso sun will not hold up. Inferior sealants will degrade, an improper mix of concrete cures too quickly and is weaker for it, and some pavers will crumble or lose their colour after a few years of UV and temperature extremes.
Then there is the matter of installing in triple-digit temperatures. That is where one is tempted to cut corners. A concrete pour done in haste under those conditions is seldom a success.
The Tools and Time Add Up
A hardscaping job is supposed to put money back in your pocket. Until you total up the cost of rentals and materials and the time you have put in. One does not rent a plate compactor or a saw without practice, and they are not inexpensive.
DIYers are apt to be taken aback by:
- Having to rent equipment more than once as the job drags on
- Wasted product that must be replaced
- The trouble of ripping out finished work to correct it
- The exertion of handling stone and concrete in the heat
- Weekends consumed by a project that will not end
When DIY Turns Into a Redo
There is little point in patching a hardscaping project that has gone wrong. A slab with a bad base or pavers displaced by poor drainage calls for a fresh start. In the end you have spent more than if you had done it properly.
That is what you pay a professional for. Our crews have been putting in patios, outdoor kitchens, pergolas, fencing and hardscaping in El Paso, Horizon City, East El Paso, Sunland Park and Santa Teresa since 2020. We have four active crews and we are well acquainted with how the climate and ground behave.
Talk to Us Before You Start
We can put some perspective on whether you should tackle a patio on your own or bring in a crew. We will give you a free estimate and show you what is required for a build that will stand the test of time. And with financing available via GreenSky, Line and Regence, it is within reach.
Our hours are 9:00am to 7:30pm Monday to Friday and 9:00am to 5:30pm on Saturday. Do it once and do it right, call Exterior Elevate at (915) 265-0878.
