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Backyard Project

Lisa Bilski
Lisa Bilski
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DB - aggregate and stamped concrete combo.

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Is this what gravel might look like?

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I like the boulders in the landscaping.

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I love this layout and the rustic fire pit.

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The boulders look cool and I like the natural element they bring.

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Is this how stamped concrete would look?

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Love the stone fire pit.

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A better example than the interior stairs!

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These are the fanned out steps I was talking about.

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I really like the color combination, posts, railing and rail caps.

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We like the stairs, posts, and railing. Also like the partial low wall at the firepit.

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We like the stair location, the railing, and the pergola (which we have removed from the scope).

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Another view of the railing, posts, etc.

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We like the height of the fire pit and the colors used.

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If a paver wall is too expensive, would cast concrete save any money? ***Not really. By the time you frame it, build the rebar support and ensure a smooth finish, concrete is actually quite expensive in this application. It's the same reason that concrete counter tops are very often the most expensive option.*** Good to know!

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We like the color of the gravel, but really don't like the black plastic that surrounds it. We would rather have an edge of pavers to contain the gravel - especially an edge that isn't as high as a low wall but high enough to sit on - even if very close to the ground. ***Wall costs add up. Even edging it with a block/cobblestone could add $1,000 - $1,500 and a wall would be more.***

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We like the use of pavers ***Believe it or not, this is not as expensive as an add-on as many people think. That said, it does add cost to the already more expensive option of pavers***

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If we need to go with concrete, we like this option. But, we prefer pavers.

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We like the lighting and the use of multiple pavers.

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We like the transition from the more formal patio to the rustic fire pit.

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We like the lighting in the steps.

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We really like the layout of this patio and fire pit.

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We like the layout and use of multiple pavers on this project. This one MAY represent our "dream look." Love everything about it.

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We love the swing and the pavers!

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We like how the planters are built into the patio.

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We like the transition from pavers to grass, though I would probably prefer gravel to grass.

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We like the colors of the pavers and the amount of space around the fire pit. Also like the curved benches - better for guitar playing than an Adirondack chair!

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We like these pavers. ***This is arguably the most expensive option out there. This is pattern bluestone with veneered walls and custom-cut (possibly even laser-cut) bluestone treads topping the wall and fire pit. It really does not get more expensive that this***

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We like the way the gravel is contained within the pavers, and attached to a more formal patio. Doug really likes the way the low pavers contain the gravel but still can be sat on. He likes that the fire pit area is a step down from the main patio but would actually like a bigger step or two (with lighting). He also likes the slightly sunken fire pit, but that's not terribly important. Does sinking it save any money?

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If we need to go with gravel, we like this option.

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We like these pavers and the slightly sunken fire pit.

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We like the transition from pavers to gravel.

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