Fixing Other Contractors' Mistakes: You Get What You Pay For
Fixing Other Contractors' Mistakes: You Get What You Pay For
A good share of our work isn't new construction. It's redoing patios, walkways, and walls that another installer built only a few years earlier. Homeowners are often surprised by how quickly a project can fail, and even more surprised to learn the cause is almost always the same. Here's what goes wrong, what it looks like, and how to avoid paying for the same project twice.
The Most Common Failure We See
When we're called to fix another contractor's patio, the problem is usually not the pavers or the stone. It's what's underneath. The most common failure we see is simply not enough base material. Without a deep enough, properly compacted base, the ground under the patio settles, and within a couple of years the surface starts to sink.
Why Skimping on the Base Shows Up Fast
Base material is the part of a project nobody sees once it's finished, which makes it the easiest place to cut corners. Less digging and less gravel mean a faster, cheaper job on day one. But in Connecticut, a thin base can't stand up to settling soil and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. The result is sunken sections, uneven pavers, and low spots where water collects after every rain.
A Real Story: The Patio That Sank
One homeowner chose a cheaper installer for her patio. It looked fine at first. A few years later, the patio had sunk, and she called General Masonry to redo it. That meant removing the failed patio and building it again from the ground up, this time with the proper base it needed from the start. The lower price at the beginning ended up costing her a second project.
How to Avoid Paying Twice
Before you hire anyone, ask how deep they excavate, how much base material they use, and how they compact it. A contractor who builds it right will be happy to explain. At General Masonry, every paver patio, stone patio, and walkway starts with proper excavation and base preparation. If you already have a failing patio, our masonry repair team can assess whether it can be repaired or needs a rebuild.
Frequently Asked Questions About Failing Patios
Why is my patio sinking after only a few years?
A patio that sinks within a few years usually wasn't built with enough base material. Without a deep, properly compacted base, the soil underneath settles over time, and the patio surface sinks with it. Connecticut's freeze-thaw cycles speed up that process. The fix is typically removing the patio and rebuilding it on a proper base, rather than just resetting the pavers on top.
What are signs a patio was installed poorly?
Common signs of a poorly installed patio include sunken or uneven sections, pavers or stones that rock when you step on them, low spots where water pools after rain, and joints that keep opening up. If these problems show up within a few years of installation, the base underneath is usually the cause. A professional assessment can confirm what went wrong.
Can a sunken patio be fixed, or does it need to be redone?
It depends on the cause and how widespread the damage is. If only a small area has settled and the rest of the base is sound, a section may be repaired. If the patio was built without enough base material throughout, it usually needs to be removed and rebuilt from the ground up. General Masonry assesses each patio to recommend the option that will actually last.
What should I ask a patio contractor before hiring them?
Ask how deep they excavate, how much base material they use, how they compact it, and how they plan for drainage. A quality contractor will explain each step clearly and won't treat the base as an afterthought. It's also worth asking to see past work and reading reviews from homeowners whose projects have held up for several years.
Is the cheapest patio quote a bad idea?
Not always, but a much lower quote is worth a closer look. The difference often comes from less excavation and less base material, which are hard to see once the job is done. That shortcut can lead to a sinking patio within a couple of years and the cost of redoing it. Comparing what each contractor includes below the surface matters as much as comparing price.
Dealing with a patio that's already sinking? General Masonry is a second-generation, family-owned masonry contractor serving Western Connecticut for nearly 20 years. See what homeowners say on our reviews page, then call (203) 757-5590 or request a free estimate to get it done right.
