Building Paver Patio on Slope - PICS

[Agape]

I like the story the empty space tells without having to say anything.
Obviously a representation of mans desire to be at peace with ones inner turmoil.



.............I wept a little when i gazed at it too long

[shovelracer]

Originally Posted by JimLewis

Ok. So you're saying go back and fix the steps on the deck so that the steps are evenly spaced. Gotcha. Can do.

Correct, sorry I figured since several other people pointed it out than it became known. I was not avoiding the topic, just figured it was understood being a construction forum and all.

[jbailey52]

It's funny the people who criticize the most have no pictures of their work to be soon.

[shovelracer]

Originally Posted by jbailey52

It's funny the people who criticize the most have no pictures of their work to be soon.

You would not be talking about me would you. I have met my annual verification, feel free to search. As for the criticizing, the issue although small is size is a very big deal. This violates code and when the unemployed neighbor trips on those stairs and shatters a femur they will come after Jim, and when the judge determines the company was negligent for allowing the code violation to exist than they will be up the creek. You do not have to like it but this is the world we live in.

[DVS Hardscaper]

Originally Posted by shovelracer

You would not be talking about me would you. I have met my annual verification, feel free to search. As for the criticizing, the issue although small is size is a very big deal. This violates code and when the unemployed neighbor trips on those stairs and shatters a femur they will come after Jim, and when the judge determines the company was negligent for allowing the code violation to exist than they will be up the creek. You do not have to like it but this is the world we live in.

Correct, Shovel DID subit his annual verification picture for 2012.

And correct about the unemployed suing. I have a buddy who has been unemployed for about 2 yrs. Low and behold he was rear ended. And guess what??!! He Sued!! I am fairly sure had he not been unemployed and facing foreclosure he would not have sued.

[meets1]

I like the work. Just rebuild those steps. Easy fix.

[zedosix]

It is a very nice job Jim, how long have you been doing hardscapes?
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[jbailey52]

No one in particular I meant. We all have what we think is correct about the legalities of those steps and who would be responsible (I don't really know who would be either way) but really wish there were concrete ways to find out issues like this. I may have to much faith on the judicial system (never thought I would say that) but I would hope a judge would see all the evidence and see he did not construct it. But I do understand he built up to it, thus using it at its current heights. But what about if on top of those steps was a deck that had to small, or no railings? Where is the line for what/when you are liable?

[mrusk]

Im not feeling this job. I often feel Jims work is only B range work. He has the fundamentals down, but he always has some weird design mess up. You guys are all focusing on the deck steps, but what about the big drop off, from the patio to the lawn?!?! Yea, it was creative use of boulders, but was it really worth the effort? Its not good design. The boulder wall should of been built 3-4' away from the edge of the patio. Then there should of been a planting bed between patio and boulder wall. The way its currently built is flat out dangerous.

I'm not bashing Jims work. He has the fundamentals down, I just feel he needs some design help.

[JimLewis]

Originally Posted by mrusk

what about the big drop off, from the patio to the lawn?!?!

The patio to the lawn? What lawn? There is no lawn. This back yard was nothing but a bunch of weeds on a 20° slope. The only thing usable was the deck before. Now we installed some nice pathways, a nice water feature and a small patio where the couple who lives here plan to put a small bistro table and have coffee in the morning. It's just the private little retreat they wanted. They worked with one of the better designers in our area to come up with something that was exactly what they wanted. Who are you to tell them that this landscape isn't right for them?

Had we pushed out the rock wall 3-4' more as you suggest, the wall would have easily been 5' tall, needing engineering and an even more severe drop off. They didn't want that. And they didn't want a planting bed next to their patio. They specifically wanted a nice patio that overlooked the forest / green space that their back yard opens up to.

Before they had no way of getting down to use any of their back yard. Now they have exactly what they wanted. When we left the job the clients couldn't have been happier. Who are you to tell them it should have been done your way?

I know landscapers that are like you in my area. They push THEIR ideas on every customer and what THEY think would be best for their yard. Sometimes people go for that. But a lot of people get turned off by that. It's pompous and arrogant to think that you know better what someone should do or have than they would. And a lot of people see it that way. We pick up a lot of jobs from snobby landscapers who turned off the customer by not really listening to their wants and creating a design that really wasn't at all what the customer wanted.

Our focus has always been to give our clients what THEY want, with a little of our own input or our designer's input. We try to steer them away from something that would be too outlandish and the designer we work with inserts her own creative flair into every project. But we work very closely with the customer through the design process, involving them in rough drafts, revisions, etc. until we come up with a plan that is exactly what they wanted. The end result may not always be exactly how I would have done it. But it always ends up being something the customer really wanted and loves. That's why we maintain an A+ rating at the BBB and A ratings in 12 different categories on Angie's list. And we consistently win more awards in more categories on Angie's list than any other landscape firm in the area, precisely because our focus is on customer service and getting the customer what they want.

You may have a different recipe. And I admire the fact that you are so much better than we are. I should start paying more attention to your amazing work. I could probably learn a lot. But so far, it's working pretty well for us. We grew by over $500,000 in sales the last two years, during a recession...will do over $2.5Mil this year in custom residential landscaping all the while constantly getting A reviews from our clients. I'd like to think all this didn't happen because we do B-grade work. But what do I know? I should probably watch you and learn....