Let me tell you why it's so tough to get a simple quote for your patios. 

Here's the problem: people want a cost like it is a Walmart, right? I'm going to buy a TV. What is that going to cost me? I'm going to scroll through Amazon and buy an outdoor space with a covered patio. It's not that easy, like a TV, that you can find a patio contractor that easy.

It's not that easy….

Because there's a myriad of decisions that you have to make that cover costs of your covered patio. 

• Do you want a metal roof? 
• Do you want a shingled roof? 
• Do you want a flat roof, which is also called a shed roof? 
• Are we doing a gable? 
• Are we doing a hip? 
• Are you doing cedar trim? 
• What kind of a cover are you putting underneath it? 
• What's your lighting and electrical plan? 

All of these questions, everything, add to the cost of your quote from the patio contractor near you.

Creating the design of your concrete patio

Here's the problem: You need to create a design. Years ago, many driveway and patio contractors like Phoenix Driveways began offering design services. They do it in-house, and so you work with their design team to come up with your dream space. You must point out that…

This is exactly what I want my structure to look like. This is what I want my outdoor space to look like. 

Maybe you need some help. You're not sure about the size or the tie-in. The patio contractors near you can help you with that. 

Patio contractors must answer all of your cost queries

As contractors for patio pavers work through this process, they answer these questions. They're going to do a shingled roof, which is tied into your roofline because you've got a ranch home. 

They're going to do a car-sided cathedral ceiling with some can lights, two or three ceiling fans, depending on the size, and maybe a plug-up high for some string lights. 

All of these questions are going to be answered in your design phase, and then contractors for patio pavers will give you a price. And whenever they give you a price, that price is line-itemed out, right, with exactly what they're doing from demo all the way down to finish paint, final grade, seed, and straw. They're going to tell you what each one of those things is going to cost.

Better intent of design helps in decision

So, you can decide, you know what, that wooden-sided oak ceiling that we thought we wanted isn't that important because I don't want to pay $5000 for that. And so this is why, whenever you have contractors come out, some won't even give you a quote because they don't have a design or know how to approach it. Some of them just give you a big number, but you're asking yourself, what will it look like? Where's my money going? 

Always choose an honest patio company

The best patio contractors always tell you what your patio will look like and how much it will cost by line items so that you have control and can decide what you want to spend on your space. 

Here's the problem: if you have five contractors come out, and you don't have a design or a drawing that shows exactly what you want. You're going to get five different numbers, but not because they do different quality of work; they're quoting different things.  

It's your hard-earned money, folks!

The concrete patio service provider is going to have all of your selections picked out in this design process. They will take your thoughts and turn them into 3D renderings. This way you can see exactly what your space is going to look like at the back of your house before you spend any money. Those 3D renderings are converted to permittable architectural designs, and you can also turn them into your bank if you want to get a loan. The bank will be able to tell you what this is going to be worth after it's finished, and maybe it will help you get a better equity line of credit. But the most important facet of this that I want to make sure that you understand is where my money is going. This is hard-earned money.

You PAID, NOW that is your design!

So now they have your designs done; they're permitable. You can take them to other contractors if you want. You've paid for them, right? These are your designs. But the most important thing is you've got a value, and now you have a plan. And whether you can afford it now, or you want to phase it out, or you want to put it off until next year or the year after that, you can save up for it. But now you know exactly what your backyard is going to look like. 

People struggle with the quote

This is why people struggle to give you a quote because they don't know what you want; they don't know how to put it. So how many times have you called a contractor and they don't ever call you back? 

Hey, I'll give you a quote by the end of the week. 

Three weeks go by, and you call them; they ghost you. If they are professional patio contractors, then they will give you the final designs that you have approved, along with a scope of work itemized with our costs. Next to each one of those line items, you can be educated and make a good decision. 

Construction sucks, right?

At the end of this, construction sucks, right? It sucks to have people that you don't know show up to your house and do work. But you must know their goal is to streamline the construction process. All of these decisions are made, all of the selections are made; they order all the products, and they're in and out as quickly as possible, within reason. And when we're done, you have a product that you love, that you approved a couple of weeks ago, whenever they did the design. That's the whole beauty of the design-build process. Happy paving!