Provo, Utah
Your dream yard. Done right. Done on time.
Tell us about your project. Jackson gets back to you fast.
Paver patios, walkways, fire features and outdoor kitchens for Provo yards, from the Riverbottoms to Rock Canyon, set on a base that matches the ground under them.
“Sidewalks, retaining wall, and raised garden are all beautifully done.”
“I will definitely use you again for any future landscaping needs.”
Hardscaping and Concrete in Provo
Most of the cracked patios we get called to in Provo looked fine the day they went in. The trouble was under them. The valley floor here is Lake Bonneville silty clay, and it swells when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries out. Pour a slab or lay pavers on two inches of sand over that, and the first wet spring starts lifting corners. By the third winter the joints are open and the steps rock when you stand on them.
Provo also is not one kind of ground. Down in the Riverbottoms and out toward Sunset, lots sit low and flat with water closer to the surface. Up in Edgemont and Rock Canyon you dig into gravel and cobble, and the yard tips toward the valley. A patio near the Provo River and a patio on the east bench need different digs, different base depths and a different plan for where the water goes once it leaves the stone.
So we start every Provo hardscape job with a shovel, not a catalog. We look at what the ground is made of, how the yard drains today, and where you actually want to sit on a July evening when the sun drops toward Utah Lake. Then we build the base for that ground, and the pavers, the fire pit or the outdoor kitchen go on top of something that will not move. Jackson walks the yard with you before any number goes on paper.
Provo runs from the Utah Lake flats up to the Rock Canyon bench, so one side of town is heavy clay and the other is gravel, and the yard has to be built for the ground it actually sits on.
Know your Provo ground
The Provo challenges
Provo's valley clay holds water for days after a storm or a long sprinkler cycle. When it freezes it heaves, and when it dries out in August it pulls away and leaves voids. A base that is too thin, or set right on top of the clay, lets the pavers ride up and down with it. That is how you end up with a dip by the back door and a lip at the lawn edge.
Lots near the Provo River sit low, and the ground stays wet longer than it does a mile east. A patio or a sunken fire pit area down there can turn into a pond if the grade runs the wrong way. Water sitting under a slab through a January freeze is the fastest way we know to crack concrete that is only a few years old.
In Edgemont and Rock Canyon the yard usually falls toward the valley. A flat patio on that kind of slope means a cut on the high side, fill on the low side, and sometimes a short wall to hold it. Fill that is dumped in one pass instead of packed in thin lifts will settle, and the patio edge sinks right along with it.
Secondary water is untreated, and rotors that overspray onto pavers and concrete leave dirty spotting along the edges. Worse, a patio that gets hit every night keeps its base wetter than it should be, and wet base on clay is what heaves. Where the heads point is part of the hardscape plan, not an afterthought for the sprinkler guy.
The J&H approach
We remove the organic topsoil and soft clay under the patio area, lay geotextile fabric, and compact road base in thin lifts. The depth changes with the ground. A Riverbottoms patio usually gets more base than a gravel bench lot, because the clay under it moves more.
Each patio, walk and slab gets a set fall away from your foundation, and we decide where that water ends up before a paver goes down. On low lots that can mean a channel drain and pipe. On bench lots it is often a swale along the high side so runoff goes around the patio.
Fire pits and outdoor kitchen counters get their own footings, not just a paver field under them. Gas and power are run before the base goes down, so nothing gets cut in later, and we leave room for movement where stone meets concrete so a hard Provo winter does not crack the joint.
From our job sites
Short videos from real J&H job sites. Tap one to play it with sound.
What homeowners say
"We had a really big project (full lot project) and a crazy timeline, and Jackson and his team were awesome. They are very efficient, work hard to get things done quick, and the quality of their work is top-notch. Great company. Great guys. I would highly recommend them for any landscaping needs."
"Jackson and his crew did a phenomenal job on our back yard. I had a vision and they brought it to life. We had them do a retaining wall, grading, underground trampoline, sprinkler system, and sod. They met deadlines, communication was on point, and the whole crew was friendly.…"
"…The job was completed quickly without sacrificing quality, and the results exceeded our expectations. We would absolutely hire this team again and recommend them to anyone looking for landscaping help."
Everything we do in Provo
Hiring in Provo?
Hardscaping and Concrete near Provo
Provo questions
Your dream yard. Done right. Done on time.
Tell us about your project. Jackson takes a look and gets you an honest quote, no pressure.
