Highland, Utah
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A plain guide to picking a hardscape contractor in Highland, with what to ask about base, drainage, walls and permits before anyone pours concrete on your lot.
“The craftsmanship of the pavers is absolutely stunning, every detail meticulously executed, transforming our outdoor space into a work of art.”
“they will definitely be my go to landscaper for many years!”
Best Hardscape Contractors
Every patio looks good on the day it is finished. The difference between contractors shows up three winters later. In Highland that difference is mostly about base. The bench under town is an old Lake Bonneville delta, and USGS notes the central bench sand runs high in silt and clay. Ground like that can hold water and heave when it freezes.
Highland yards also ask a lot of hardscape. Big lots tend to get big projects: long walkways, wide patios, outdoor kitchens, fire features, court slabs and stone walls. Each one adds runoff, and the city wants water from permitted walls kept on your lot or sent to an approved spot. A good contractor plans where water goes before the first form board goes down.
Here is what to look for, what to watch out for, and how J&H compares. We kept it to things you can check on a site visit or in the written bid, because a promise you cannot check is not worth much when you are spending real money on stone and concrete.
What to look for
Ask how they will figure out base depth. The right answer involves digging in more than one spot, since bench soil changes across a yard. Then they size the base for the worst soil they find, not the best.
A real bid lists the base material, the depth and how it gets compacted. Thin lifts, compacted one at a time, hold up. A bid that lists only square feet and a price leaves the most important part unwritten.
In Highland a concrete patio with no roof does not need a building permit. A patio cover, a deck over 30 inches and walls 4 feet and up do. Every retaining wall also needs city approval. Ask them to name which parts of your project need what.
Outdoor kitchens, fire features and court lights need lines under the hardscape. A good contractor places sleeves and conduit before anything is poured, so nothing has to be cut open later. On a big lot, those runs are long.
What goes wrong in Highland
Some crews skip the compacted road base and set pavers on a thin bedding layer over native soil. On silty Highland ground, that patio heaves and dips within a few winters. Ask to see the base before the pavers go down.
If a contractor says a 5-foot wall does not need anything, they are wrong in Highland. Walls 4 feet and up need a building permit with a stamped engineered plan and a drainage plan. A wall built without that becomes your problem later.
Ask where water from the new patio will go. If the answer is a shrug, or the street, keep looking. Highland wants runoff from permitted walls handled on site or sent to an approved spot, and a big patio draining toward the house is a real risk.
Why Highland picks J&H
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."
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