Patio Installation in Massachusetts & Connecticut
Paver, natural stone and poured concrete patios, walkways and driveways, built on a compacted gravel base so they stay level through New England winters. We build them across the South Shore and Connecticut.
A patio gives you a level, solid spot for the grill, the table and the fire pit, right outside the back door. Sustainable Decks is locally owned, with 1000+ projects completed and a 5.0 Google rating from homeowners on the South Shore and in Connecticut. Pavers, stone or concrete, every patio we build sits on a base dug and compacted for your soil, so it's still level after the first hard winter.
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Prefer to talk it through? Call (617) 913-4042.
What's under a paver patio that stays level?
Pavers and joint sand
The part you see. Polymeric sand is swept into the joints and misted to set, which locks the pavers together and keeps weeds from coming up between them.
Bedding sand
A thin layer of sand, leveled with a straightedge, that every paver is set into. The gravel underneath is rough by nature, and this layer is what lets the finished surface come out flat.
Compacted gravel base
The layer that decides whether a patio lasts. Crushed stone goes down a few inches at a time, and each layer is compacted before the next one goes on. Dumping it in deep and compacting it once is one of the most common shortcuts, and it's why some patios sink within a couple of years.
Your soil, dug out and graded
We dig out the topsoil and grade the bottom of the hole so water runs away from the house. Sandy ground drains on its own. Clay holds water, so it gets a deeper base than sand does.
Why hire Sustainable Decks for your patio?
- Google rating
- 5.0
- Google rating
- Projects completed
- 1000+
- projects completed
- TrexPro® Platinum Installer
- TimberTech Gold
- Licensed and insured
- Locally owned and operated
- Affordable pricing
- Financing available
- Free on-site estimates
Run by Ted Labonte, President & Licensed General Contractor, out of our offices in Braintree, Wellesley and Middletown, CT.
Pavers, natural stone or poured concrete: which is right for your patio?
Concrete pavers
The widest choice of colors, shapes and patterns, from a simple running bond to herringbone. Each paver can move a little with the frost without cracking, and a damaged one can be lifted out and replaced on its own.
Natural stone
Bluestone, flagstone and other quarried stone, where no two pieces match. It costs more than pavers, and because each piece varies in thickness, it takes more leveling work to lay flat.
Poured concrete
The lowest material cost of the three. It can be broom-finished for grip, stamped to look like stone or pavers, or left as exposed aggregate. Control joints are cut in so that when the slab cracks, it cracks along a straight line you planned for.
Patio or a low deck: which suits your yard?
A patio sits right on the ground, so it suits a flat yard and a back door close to grade, and it's the better base for a fire pit or a heavy grill. If the door sits a step or two above the yard, or the ground slopes away from the house, a low composite deck often makes more sense. It can meet the door without a step down and stay level over uneven ground. We build both, so the site walk is where we'd tell you which one your yard calls for.
What else do we build with pavers and stone?
Walkways and front steps
A paver or stone walk from the driveway to the door, built on the same compacted base as a patio. Where it meets the house, it can finish in stone slab steps and a landing at the door.
Driveway pavers
A driveway carries cars, so it gets a deeper base than a patio, even where the pavers on top look identical. Edge restraint runs along both sides so the pavers can't spread under the weight.
Fire pits and lighting
A fire pit goes in with the patio, set into the same base, rather than sitting on top of it later. Low-voltage lighting from In-lite can be built into steps and edges while everything is still open.
Drainage
Every patio gets pitched to shed water away from the house. Where the yard holds water anyway, drainage is planned before the base goes in, because adding it later means lifting the patio.
What do homeowners say about us?
Excellent experience from start to finish! The team was professional, on time, and did an amazing job building our deck. The craftsmanship is top-notch, and everything turned out even better than we expected. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for quality work and great customer service!
We recently had our deck rebuilt and couldn’t be happier with the results. The team was professional, punctual, and paid attention to every detail from start to finish. The quality of the workmanship is outstanding, and the finished deck looks absolutely amazing. They kept the work area clean, communicated clearly throughout the project, and completed everything on time. I highly recommend this decking company to anyone looking for top-quality work and excellent customer service. Five stars all the way!
Amazing work. Ben's been great to work with on our new deck and it turned out better than my wife and I hoped. We can't wait to move into our new space and start enjoying a bug free outdoor space! If you're thinking about building a screened in porch these guys are great!
Sustainable Decks did a great job at a reasonable price for a replacement deck. Their office responded promptly to all inquiries. The supervisor showed up on time and was really helpful. The construction crew was great - capable, quiet, polite. Got the job done fast! I highly recommend Sustainable Decks.
We had Sustainable Decks replace our old dilapidated deck and add an extension so it encompassed the entire back of our house. We could not be more IMPRESSED with their work. Ben was hands on from the initial estimate to the completion and walk through. Nick and Chucky were the guys that did all the work and it looks amazing. Also we thought their pricing was incredible. We had several estimates and they came through with the best price and the craftsmanship is awesome. I will be including before and after photos. If you want to get a deck replacement or add a new one THESE ARE THE GUYS TO CALL. Thanks Ben and crew for taking such good care of us and our property. They finished in the time frame promised and their attention to detail is awesome. We will definitely be using them to put a farmers porch on the front of our house next year. You will not be disappointed when you have these guys do work for you.
Questions people ask about patios
Do patios need a permit?
Usually not. A patio laid at ground level generally doesn't need a building permit in Massachusetts or Connecticut. Retaining walls are different: one over about four feet tall usually needs its own permit, and sometimes an engineered design. We check your town's rules before we quote.
How deep does a patio base need to be?
It depends on your soil and on what the patio has to carry. Clay needs more base than sandy ground that drains well, and a driveway needs more than a patio. We size it at the site walk rather than using one depth for every job.
Which holds up better in a New England winter, pavers or concrete?
Pavers, in most yards. Each paver can move a little with the frost without cracking, and one that does get damaged can be lifted out and replaced. A poured slab is one piece, so when the ground moves under it, it cracks. Control joints make sure it cracks in a straight line rather than across the middle.
Can a patio go right up against the house?
Yes, as long as it's pitched away from the foundation. A patio laid dead flat against the house sends rainwater toward the basement, so we set the slope before we finalize the layout.
Why do paver joints wash out?
Usually because the polymeric sand got rained on before it cured. It has to stay dry for the window its manufacturer specifies, which is why finishing the joints is the one step of a patio job that waits on the weather.
Ready to plan your patio?
Tell us where it's going and roughly how big, and we'll come out for a free on-site estimate.