Stone patios can look lovely, and are certainly hard wearing. The hardest part is actually laying them correctly. If you look at DIY websites and books, it seems to be a fairly straightforward task. In reality – it can be very difficult for people who don’t possess the skills, equipment and background knowledge to choose the right stone and lay it correctly.
Over the past few years, the range of stone on the market has expanded substantially. It is no longer just a few traditional stones local to this country. Paving stone is being imported form all over the world, particularly India and China, and such stone is not always suitable for every location. There is, quite simply, no one size fits all approach to stone paving. Each job now has to be assessed individually, with specific site conditions such as sub-soil and soil type needing to be taken into account. Sub base levels can vary considerably. Then there is the question of the aspect of the garden, and which way it faces. Northern facing gardens experience slightly different climatic conditions to those gardens that face south. What about sealing the stone? Is it a good idea or not? Under what circumstances should natural stone be sealed?
Faced with this plethora of questions, more and more people are turning to professional landscape contractors to do the job. Trained landscape contractors have the skills, knowledge and equipment to lay stone paving of any kind correctly and efficiently. They can also advise on the choice of stone, ensuring that it is suitable for your particular garden requirements. Using a landscape contractor reduces the risk of unexpected problems occurring during construction. If any such problems occur for example the discovery of hidden foundations underground, or unexpected pipes and wiring; a landscape contractor will know how to respond immediately.
Another advantage is the simple fact that a landscape contractor may be able to take your ideas and make the final result even better than expected. Instead of laying a mono-colour block, the contactor could create patterns, or introduce some additional colour, which you might not otherwise have considered.
Using the right product for the location can make a lot of difference to the long term maintenance thus keeping patios and stone pathways looking good for much longer. Talking to a hard landscape contractor can make financial as well as visual sense!
If you would like to discuss a project please get in touch via our website www.eastlondonlandscapes.com, email office@eastlondonlandscapes.com or call 020 3633 6413 or to arrange a free consultation.
