Patio Installation & Design · Alexandria, VA
Patio Installation in Alexandria, VA
Alexandria yards run from Old Town courtyards a few feet wide to large lots on the Fairfax County side of an Alexandria address. We design and build paver, natural stone, brick, and stamped concrete patios for both, starting from the base and from where the water goes.
5-year workmanship warranty
In writing, on every job we install.
- 5 years Paver patios, driveways, and walkways
- 5 years Concrete driveways, patios, and walkways
- 5 years Masonry, brick, and stonework
City of Alexandria or Fairfax County?
Many homes with an Alexandria mailing address, particularly south and west of the city line, are actually in Fairfax County. It matters, because the two have different rules for permits, stormwater, and historic districts.
Your real-estate tax bill tells you which one you are in. We confirm it at the site visit and design to the rules that apply to your lot.
Patios in the historic districts
Inside the Old Town and Parker-Gray historic districts, exterior changes that can be seen from a public street generally need approval from the Board of Architectural Review. A rear patio behind the house often cannot be seen, but front walks, steps, and side yards facing a street can.
We tell you at the site visit whether a design is likely to need review, and we provide the drawings and material samples for the application.
Brick that belongs with the house
Alexandria is a brick city. On an older home, a clay brick patio laid in herringbone or basketweave, or a paver chosen to sit with the brick of the house, usually looks more at home than a cool grey concrete paver. We bring samples to the site so you can see them against your own walls before you choose.
Small yards are a drainage problem first
On a tight lot, water has nowhere to go but toward the house or the neighbor. Every patio we build is pitched away from the foundation, and on small courtyards we decide where the runoff ends up before we choose the surface. Larger projects can also fall under stormwater and land-disturbance rules; we check before we design rather than after.
Patio Installation & Design, step by step
Every job follows the same sequence. You are told which stage you are at and what happens next.
How you will actually use it
Before any layout, we talk about what the space is for (dining, a fire feature, a route to somewhere else) and how many people at once. Patios that feel wrong are usually the right material at the wrong size.
Layout and material selection
We set the shape and size out on the ground so you can walk it before anything is dug, and choose material against the house, the light, and the maintenance you are willing to do.
Excavation
The area is dug out to the depth the base needs, not to the depth that happens to be convenient. This is the stage that decides whether it stays level.
Base and compaction
Aggregate goes in and is compacted in lifts, with the grade already pitched so water leaves the surface and travels away from the house.
Setting bed and laying
A screeded bedding layer, then units set to the pattern. Cuts at the edges are made to fit rather than filled in with slivers.
Edging, jointing, and compaction
Edge restraint holds the field together, joints are filled with polymeric sand and compacted in, and the site is cleaned down.
Walk it before we leave
We go over the finished patio with you, check the fall with a hose if there is any doubt, and leave you spare units from the same batch.
Recent patio installation & design work nearby
Jobs from elsewhere in Northern Virginia, each with its own page. The same crews and the same standard apply in Alexandria.
Patio Installation & Design photographs
Frequently asked
Do I need approval for a patio in Old Town Alexandria?
If the patio, or anything that goes with it such as steps or a wall, can be seen from a public street in the Old Town or Parker-Gray historic districts, it generally needs Board of Architectural Review approval. A patio fully behind the house often does not. We tell you which case you are in and help with the application if it does.
What patio material suits an older Alexandria home?
Usually clay brick or a warm-toned paver that sits with the brick of the house, laid in a traditional pattern. Bluestone and other natural stone also suit older homes well. We bring samples so the choice is made against your walls, not a showroom photograph.
How big a patio do I need?
Plan it around what you will do on it. A table for four needs roughly twelve by twelve feet so chairs can be pulled out; a pair of lounge chairs needs about eight by ten. In a small yard we often fit both by changing level or shape rather than by making the patio bigger.
Is my Alexandria address in the city or in Fairfax County?
Look at your real-estate tax bill: it is issued by either the City of Alexandria or Fairfax County. We confirm it during the site visit either way, because it decides which rules apply.
Ready to start? Schedule a free estimate.
Or call (703) 929-1621