By Greenline Editorial · 8 min read
As a Belgard Authorized Contractor, half of what we do is install new hardscape. The other half is the conversation we have with owners of 10- and 15-year-old hardscapes who can''t tell whether they need a renovation, a tear-out, or just a really good cleaning. There''s a real answer for each case — and the difference can be $30,000.
Start with the base. Always.
Every diagnostic conversation we have starts in the same place: pop a paver near a problem spot and look at the base. The pavers themselves are rarely the issue — they''re extruded concrete that doesn''t actually fail. What fails is what''s under them. The three things you''re looking for, in order:
- Is there a real 4–6 inch base of compacted GAB? If it''s sand-over-clay, you have a tear-out. No amount of resetting fixes a missing base.
- Is the edge restraint still doing its job? Buried plastic edging eventually breaks down and lets pavers drift. Restraint replacement is a fixable job — you don''t need a tear-out.
- Are the joints holding sand? Joint sand washes out over years. Polymeric joint refresh is a maintenance item, not a structural one.
When a renovation is the right call
If the base is solid (compacted GAB at depth) but the surface looks tired, you''re a candidate for a Belgard renovation. Two paths:
Path A: lift, sweep, polymeric reset
Pull problem pavers, sweep clean joints, reset to grade with new screed sand, lock everything in with polymeric joint sand. Two crew days. Typical: $3–$6 per square foot. Best for: a base that''s structurally sound but settled in a couple of places, or where joint sand has washed out.
Path B: full reset on the existing base
Pull every paver, re-screed the entire surface with fresh sand, replace any spalled or stained units, reinstall, polymeric. A week of crew time. Typical: $7–$12 per square foot. Best for: a 10–15 year-old patio that''s gone wavy across the whole field but you confirmed the base is intact when you spot-checked.
“A renovation done on a bad base is a $15,000 candle. It''ll look great for one season and then settle right back.”
When a tear-out is the right call
You''re a tear-out candidate if any of the following are true:
- No real compacted GAB base (sand or fines straight onto clay)
- Multiple settled areas more than ¾ inch deep across the surface
- Standing water in the same spots after every rain (a grade problem the surface can''t fix)
- Roots heaving the field from below
- Discontinued paver lines where replacement matches are impossible
A tear-out is also when you reconsider the design. The patio you put in 15 years ago may be undersized for how you use the yard now. Demo + dispose + rebuild on a proper base is in the $24–$38 per square foot range in the Atlanta metro right now (2026 pricing). Add lighting, irrigation, drainage, and edge plantings on the same scope to avoid a second mobilization later.
Why we''re specifically a Belgard contractor
Belgard is the only paver manufacturer whose unit colors are still being run a decade after installation. That means if you renovate or expand a Belgard patio in 2030, we can usually still get the matching paver. With most of the cheaper paver lines — even ones you can still buy at retail — the color blend rotates every 4–6 years and your additions won''t match the originals. For homeowners who think about hardscape as a 25-year asset, this matters. Belgard also backs every install with a transferable lifetime warranty on the paver units themselves (separate from the install warranty), which we can register at our office.
The honest install timeline
For full transparency — from the day you say yes to the day we''re sweeping polymeric sand into joints:
- Design + scope: 7–14 days
- Paver order from Belgard distributor: 2–3 weeks (most colors)
- Demo + base prep: 2–4 days depending on access
- Set + cut: 3–6 days for a typical residential field
- Polymeric + cleanup: 1 day, with a 24-hour cure before walkable
Most of our hardscape projects move from contract signed to patio party in 6–9 weeks. Spring is the busy season — if you want a summer patio, the conversation starts in February. See full hardscape services here, or book a free walk-through and we''ll tell you straight whether you''re a renovation or a tear-out.
