‘Landscape Pavers’ Articles at  Dream Retreats, Arizona’s Premier Landscape Contractor and Design

We’ve transformed another Arizona backyard landscape!  Our recent project created a useful and appealling Gilbert Landscape Design.  The client’s backyard began as a blank canvas, all dirt along with a satillo tile patio which the client wanted to keep!  After an initial design consultation we were able to suggest many Arizona backyard ideas that would work with what our client was hoping to achieve along with being harmonious  in our Arizona climate.

Fire, hardscape, recreation and relaxation are all elements incorporated in this Gilbert backyard remodel job. Landscape pavers created eye-catching patios, walkings and seating areas.  We were able to tie together the original satillo tile patio with all the new paver hardscapes.

Golf is a popular hobby for many Arizonians.  So an artificial turf backyard putting green was the perfect choice for these homeowners!    Not only will it provide endless hours of recreation but it’s also eco-friendly requiring virtually no maintenance!

After practicing on their golf game they can entertain friends around their stunning patio firepit!  The firepit was incorporated with the new landscape pavers which created a beautiful seating area to relax and unwind with family and friends.

When quiet solitude is what the homeowner is wanting,  the sideyard was created into a quiet sanctuary right off from the master bedroom doors.

With our creative designs and customized construction, taking a vacation in your own backyard becomes a reality!  Call or email Dream Retreats for a FREE consultation.

We’ve been recently working on many Gilbert landscape designs and are excited to share one of our recent jobs.  The job was a complete Gilbert backyard renovation which transformed into a beautiful Arizona backyard.

The first step into this backyard transformation was creating the perfect Arizona landscape design.   Our landscape designs are created by an Arizona landscape architect so our customer’s are assured that their getting the most bang for their buck.

Once the Gilbert landscape design was approved by the homeowner the renovations began!  One large aspect of this backyard renovation was using travertine landscape pavers to create a new pool deck, patios and walkways.  Travertine pavers, called overlay pavers,  can be placed right over an old existing pool deck.  A new outdoor kitchen was built in the backyard to create utility and add more outdoor living opportunities.  The outdoor kitchen was custom built for the customer and included a gas bbq, stainless steel sink, drawers for storage, granite tile bar top for seating and granite counters for food preparation.  This Gilbert landscape design included both recreational and relaxation aspects by incorporating an outdoor fireplace, water feature and artificial turf putting green.

If you are looking to complete or renovate your Gilbert landscape design, contact us for a free consulation.  Take a look at our amazing photo gallery for design ideas and inspiration for your own backyard Dream Retreat!

With the current recession that plagues us; there is growing concern of the number of unqualified landscapers that are working within the landscape contracting industry.  Concern of unqualified landscape contractors is growing within many Homeowner Association Communities who are trying to uphold standards regarding landscapes within their communities to aid in maintaining home values in an already challenging housing industry.  HOA’s aren’t the only segment that this concern is growing among, many licensed, experienced landscape contractors and manufacturers of building materials are also being affected by unqualified “landscapers.” Professional landscape contractors are being undercut in bidding wars with these so called landscapers along with manufacturers are being affected by the bad name their product is getting because these “landscapers” will almost always blame the product not the installation when their work begins to turn bad.

There are numerous unlicensed, unqualified, uninsured landscape contractors within the Phoenix area that many homeowners are hiring to provide landscaping services especially in the area of concrete landscape paver installations for new driveways, patio’s, sidewalks and pool decks.

Dream Retreats landscape paver pool deck

Landscape pavers are an alternate to poured concrete surfaces that provide brilliant color, shapes and sizes that can provide “curb appeal” and value to homeowners.  There are currently several different manufacturers here in the Phoenix area that produce superior products at reduced prices due to the collapse of the building industry.

The success of any landscape paver project depends on the willingness of the installer to install pavers correctly.  This often seems to be  the big problem!  Almost all paver installations should be installed over 2″ of base material (referred to as ABC) that needs to be compacted with 1/2″ to 1″of finish sand over the ABC to provide a proper bedding platform on which the pavers rest.  To do otherwise results in project failure (heaving and shifting movements that look like ocean waves) that often gets blamed on the paver itself, when in fact it is the installation process.  If paver projects are installed correctly by a licensed, experienced contractor, they will provide a lifetime of beauty and functional service.

There are a flood of purported contractors that leave business cards on homeowner doors.  Many of these are people that have no business being in business.  The only attraction they present to the unsuspecting homeowner is the cheap price.  Many of the prices we see out there are below the cost of what a legitimate installer can charge, let along the idea of making a profit to enable them to stay in business.  Usually it takes a year or so for paver project failures to present themselves- by then the cheap-guy in long gone.  Try calling him to stop by to correct the problem – more than likely he is long gone and you are stuck with a mess.  The blame for these failures are then unfairly placed on the pavers themselves.

Dream Retreats landscape paver patio

Thankfully, there is an organization named “I.C.P.I. of Arizona” short for “Interconnecting Concrete Paver Institute” that can provide homeowners with certified and licensed contractors to call for bids.  Dream Retreats is a landscape contractor that serves the Phoenix  area that is ICPI Certified.  At Dream Retreats we have gone through the professional training and certification through the ICPI Institute.  We will provide to homeowners the professional proper installation of landscape pavers.