Driveway pavers in Palm Bay FL - a paver driveway that stays level and tight
Sinking spots, loose edges or a cracked old slab? We build the base and edge first, so your pavers stay put.
Are pavers the right choice for your driveway?
Driveway pavers in Palm Bay are concrete pavers laid on a packed stone base and a bed of sand and locked in by a solid edge. Done right, they give you a driveway that can last for decades.
Most driveway calls I get start with a cracked concrete slab, or an old paver drive with low spots where the tires sit and pavers drifting out at the sides. The price moves with the size of the driveway, how much old surface has to be broken out and hauled off, how deep we have to dig to reach firm ground, and the paver and pattern you pick. The schedule turns on that tear-out, the weather, and whether the work reaches the street and needs a city permit first. I write every estimate myself after walking your driveway, so the figure you get is for your job and not a guess. If the front walk is in the same shape, we often do it at the same time as part of our walkway construction work.
How we install driveway pavers
Most paver trouble starts underneath, so that's where I want our time spent. Our crew breaks out the old surface and hauls it away, digs down to the depth the driveway needs, and compacts the soil, because ground that isn't packed well is what settles later into the low spots you see on tired paver drives. Then we spread the stone base and compact it in layers, set a solid edge restraint along the sides, screed a level bed of sand, and lay the pavers, cutting them in tight at the edges. We won't use flat plastic or metal landscape edging, because it doesn't give the side support that holds pavers tight together, and we won't use timber, because it warps and rots. Last, we run a compactor over the pavers, sweep sand into the joints and clean up. If you're comparing bids, ask each crew how they compact the ground and what holds the edges, since those two answers tell you most of what you need to know.
A driveway rarely sits by itself. Where a slope or a raised bed crowds the drive, our retaining wall construction work holds the ground back so dirt and water don't wash onto the new pavers. If brick steps, columns or planters along the drive are crumbling, our masonry restoration work repairs them so the old masonry holds up beside the new driveway.
Replacing a cracked concrete driveway
This suits you when the old slab is cracked, heaved or broken up and you'd rather have a surface made of many small pieces than one big slab. It means more tear-out and haul-off, so it usually costs more up front than relaying an old paver drive.
Relaying an old paver driveway
When pavers have sunk or spread but are still in good shape, we can often lift them, fix the base and edge underneath, and set them back down. You only know how many of the old pavers can be reused once the drive is opened up, and I'll tell you what I find.
Driveway pavers in Palm Bay and the city's permit rules
In Palm Bay, the city's Public Works Department issues a driveway permit to anyone who builds, removes, alters, repairs or relocates a driveway, pavement, curb, culvert or sidewalk in a city road or easement, which usually takes in the stretch of driveway that meets the street. Once the permit is issued, Public Works gives the pipe and grade details for that section, and the swale, the shallow ditch along the road that carries rainwater, has to go where the permit shows, with any change needing written approval from the city. On a new home, the city won't issue a certificate of occupancy until the driveway permit has Public Works final approval, and the owner agrees to finish the driveway within ninety days of the permit being issued. Before work starts, I check with the office that covers your address, and we handle the permit when your job needs one. You can also ask the city's Driveways & Lot Drainage Permitting office about your lot yourself.
The spot we watch most on driveways here is where the drive crosses the swale and meets the road, because that's where heavy summer rain runs and where a weak edge lets pavers spread first. We take extra care with the base and edge there and slope the surface so water heads for the swale instead of your garage. We do the same work north toward Rockledge and south into the West Vero Corridor, and in plenty of cities in between.
Paver driveway patterns and finishes
Why call us for driveway pavers
The owner walks every driveway
I come out to look at every job and write the estimate myself, and a crew led by our lead mason does the work. The person answering your questions is the one who actually saw your driveway, and no question is too small.
Our own business since 2013
Before we opened our doors in 2013, I spent years as the right hand to another Palm Bay mason, running his jobs and his crew. That's where I learned to find the cause under a problem before I price the fix.
Fully licensed and insured for driveways
We're fully licensed and insured. Brevard County lists paver work as an unregulated specialty trade, so it's worth asking any crew you're considering how they're covered before they start digging.
If your driveway is cracking or sinking, send us the details or call (321) 326-1779, and I'll come out and show you what's going on underneath.
(321) 326-1779Request your free paver driveway estimate
We reply to every request within one business day, then I set a time to come out, look at your driveway and write a free estimate on site, with no obligation. Tell us your address and whether the work runs out to the street, so I can check the permit side before I come.
Paver driveway questions from Palm Bay homeowners
How long does a new paver driveway need before I can drive on it?
You can drive on concrete pavers as soon as they're installed, with no waiting for a slab to cure. Once our crew has compacted the pavers, swept in the joint sand and cleaned up, you can park on it. That helps if you can't leave the car on the street for long.
Do paver driveways crack like concrete driveways do?
Not the way a slab does. The joints between pavers help reduce the cracking you usually see on asphalt and poured concrete, and that's one of the main things to weigh when you're choosing between the three. The catch is that pavers only hold up when the base and edge are done right, which is why we spend our time there.
What is the best way to care for a paver driveway in Palm Bay?
Properly installed pavers need little upkeep. Cars still bring the dirt, stains and wear any driveway gets, so care comes down to cleaning, stain removal, and stabilizing or sealing the joints if they need it. I'll tell you what your driveway is likely to need once we finish.
Who issues driveway permits in Palm Bay, FL?
Palm Bay's Public Works Department issues them for driveway work in a city road or easement, as the permit section above explains. Its Driveways & Lot Drainage Permitting office lists (321) 952-3403 if you want to ask about your address.
How much does a paver driveway cost in Palm Bay?
The price comes down to your driveway, so I give you a figure after I've seen it. Size matters most, then how much old concrete or pavers has to be torn out and hauled off, how much base it needs, and the paver and pattern, since herringbone and curves mean more cuts. Work at the street that needs a permit adds a step too.
What happens to my paver driveway if a utility has to dig under it?
Pavers can be lifted and set back after a utility cut without damage to the surface, which you can't do with poured concrete or asphalt. The pavers come up, the trench is filled and packed, and the same pavers go back down. That's worth knowing if a line runs under your drive.
Plan your paver driveway and the walls beside it
Our hours run seven days a week, early to late, so call (321) 326-1779 or send the form whenever it suits you.
