What Is Cheaper Poured Concrete Or Pavers?

If you are considering replacing or adding a walkway, patio, or driveway to your outdoor living area, you may be perplexed by a myriad of choices you have. Some paving materials are more cost-effective than others, and some types are more durable and easier to maintain.

 

Each option can offer different advantages depending on your needs. Due to their cost and ease of installation, poured concrete slabs are often used for outdoor living spaces. With the development of stamped concrete, homeowners also have options for designs and textures.

 

Paving stones or brick pavements are individual sections made of various materials, such as natural stone, concrete or brick. Many of these pieces are interlocking, which makes a flexible system extremely durable.

 

Paver Installation Costs

 

The installation of interlocking pavers has a number of factors that help determine the final cost. Depending on the materials used and the installation company, the prices will vary, as will the quality of the work.

 

Paving stones require a lot more preparation, which makes for a more labour-intensive installation. The installation process of the paver includes: excavation, grading, subbase compaction, installation of geotextile fiber, base preparation, sand preparation, laying of the pavements, cutting of the borders, preparation of the bond beam, compaction of the stones and, finally, sealing of the pavements upon completion.

 

Since there is no curing time for paving stones, the paver installation is ready to be used immediately upon completion. Also, if the grading happened to be slightly off or settled later down the line, the pavers can easily be readjusted to correct the problem by removing them, regarding the problem area and replacing the stones.

 

When you get an estimate for the installation of a paver, you should expect to pay a minimum of $15 per square foot for the installation of a quality stone paver. The cost will be about $15,000 for a 1,000 square foot installation area.

 

Concrete Slab Installation Costs

 

As a common material choice for most exteriors, the price of the installation of concrete slabs depends on similar factors for the installation of interlocking pavers.

 

Concrete slabs are a bit easy to install, but the material will take time to dry and cure, which means that your driveway, patio or walkway can not be used until this curing process is completed. The installation process includes excavation, grading, preparation of the foundation, setting forms, and pouring the concrete.

 

Because a minimum order may be required, you may end up paying more concrete than you need. One of the major downsides to concrete is that it can crack when the ground below it flexes, when tree roots grow beneath the slab or, for other reasons, when it ages.

 

It is also very important to get the grade right with a concrete installation, as it can be a very costly error to fix once the concrete has been poured. Improper concrete grading can lead to low water retention spots, leaving discoloration and staining.

 

Or a simple quality concrete slab installation without texture / stamping, the estimated minimum cost is approximately $14 per square foot. This is $14,000 for a 1,000 square foot patio, walkway, or driveway.