Paver Patios in Kirkland & the Eastside
A paver patio on the Eastside costs $25 to $55 per square foot installed, and the difference between one that stays flat for thirty years and one that heaves in three winters is under the surface: base depth, compaction and drainage. Hans Construction builds paver patios on an engineered base for the clay and glacial till common across the Eastside, with the patio graded so water leaves the house rather than meeting it.
Get a Free Design & Quote — we will check the soil and the slope before quoting.
Get a Free Design & Quote Call +1(425) 518-1187
When a patio beats a deck
- The yard is level or nearly level at the door.
- You want a fire pit, an outdoor kitchen or heavy planters without structural design.
- You want the lowest maintenance surface there is.
- The space sits in shade where a low deck would stay damp.
When the yard drops away from the house, a deck is usually cheaper than building up a patio with walls and fill.
Paver types
| Paver | Look | Durability | Installed range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard concrete pavers | Uniform shapes and colors | Very good | $25 – $35 per sq ft |
| Architectural slab pavers | Large format, smooth or textured, modern | Very good | $32 – $45 per sq ft |
| Permeable pavers | Wider joints with open aggregate | Very good, reduces runoff | $35 – $50 per sq ft |
| Natural stone (basalt, granite, flagstone) | Varied, natural | Excellent | $40 – $55+ per sq ft |
| Porcelain pavers on pedestals or base | Indoor-style finish, very flat | Excellent, stain resistant | $40 – $55 per sq ft |
The base
- Excavation to 8 to 12 inches below finished grade depending on soil and use.
- Geotextile fabric where the subgrade is soft clay or mixed fill.
- Crushed rock base installed and compacted in lifts.
- A screeded bedding layer.
- Pavers laid in pattern, edges restrained with concrete or a buried edging.
- Joints filled with polymeric sand, or open-graded chips for permeable systems.
- Slope of about 1/4 inch per foot away from the house.
Most patios of 300 to 500 square feet take four to seven working days.
Drainage and runoff
Eastside soils drain slowly and many cities limit new impervious surface on a lot. Permeable pavers let rain soak into a stone reservoir under the patio and can count as pervious under city stormwater rules. On lots near their impervious limit, they can be the difference between a patio and no patio.
A paver patio we built
Slab-paver patio with fire pit and seat wall
Paver patio questions
Will weeds grow between the pavers?
Polymeric sand sets firm and resists weeds and ants. Expect some moss in shady joints, which a stiff brush and a moss treatment handle.
Do pavers move in winter?
Not on a properly compacted base with drainage. Frost heave and settling come from shallow bases on wet soil.
Can pavers go over my old concrete patio?
Sometimes, with a thin bedding layer, if the slab is sound and the height works at the door. Usually removing it gives a better result.
Do I need a permit for a patio?
Ground-level patios usually do not, but large new impervious areas can trigger a stormwater review. The Deck Permit Checker covers it by city.
How do pavers handle a hot tub or kitchen?
Very well, with a reinforced base under the heavy element. That is one reason kitchens often sit on pavers.
Send the patio area's rough size and a photo. We will tell you which paver fits the house.