Hardscape & Patios

The foundation of your outdoor living space

A patio is the most-used feature in any backyard. It’s where you eat dinner outside, where the kids play, where you set up chairs on a Saturday morning with coffee. Everything else — pergolas, furniture, fire pits — sits on top of it.

Like any foundation, a patio is only as good as what’s underneath it. The surface you see is the last step. What makes a patio last 20 years instead of 5 is the base: proper excavation, compacted gravel, correct slope for drainage, and a surface laid level on top of all that prep work.

Ryan builds patios the right way. No shortcuts on the base. No skipping the compaction. No eyeballing the slope.

Patio materials we install

Poured concrete

The most versatile and cost-effective option. Ryan pours concrete patios with broomed, stamped, or smooth finishes. Stamped concrete can mimic stone, brick, or tile at a fraction of the cost. Concrete can be integrally colored or stained after curing.

With proper base prep and control joints, a concrete patio lasts decades. Ryan places control joints strategically — for both crack prevention and visual design.

Interlocking pavers

Pavers create a refined, modular surface that handles movement better than solid concrete. If one area settles, individual pavers can be lifted and re-leveled without tearing out the whole patio. Ryan installs pavers in herringbone, running bond, basketweave, and other patterns — edge-restrained to prevent shifting.

Pavers come in concrete, porcelain, and natural stone varieties. The material matters less than the base preparation, and Ryan’s base prep is the same regardless of surface: excavate, compact, grade, and lay a consistent gravel bed.

Natural flagstone

For homeowners who want an organic, high-end look. Flagstone is irregular by nature, and each installation is unique. Ryan dry-lays flagstone on a compacted gravel and sand base or sets it in mortar on a concrete slab, depending on the application.

Flagstone blends naturally with Altadena’s foothill landscape. Colors range from warm tans and golds to blue-grays.

Decomposed granite

A budget-friendly, permeable surface for casual patios, seating areas, and garden paths. Ryan installs DG with stabilizer for a firmer surface that resists erosion. Not ideal for dining areas, but excellent for secondary zones and transitional areas.

What goes under your patio

This is the part most homeowners never see — and the part most contractors rush.

Excavation

Ryan excavates to the correct depth — typically 6-8 inches for pavers and 8-10 inches for concrete. The subgrade is compacted with a plate compactor. Soft spots get dug deeper and backfilled with gravel.

Gravel base

A layer of crushed gravel — typically 4-6 inches — spread and compacted in lifts. “In lifts” means 2 inches at a time, with compaction between each layer. Slower than dumping a full layer, but it creates a stable, uniform base that won’t settle.

Slope and drainage

Every patio Ryan builds slopes away from the house at a minimum of 1/4 inch per foot. This directs rainwater off the surface and away from your foundation. On larger patios, he may install a channel drain at the low edge. Flat patios pond water — and ponding water stains, grows algae, and undermines the base.

Edge restraint

Pavers without edge restraint migrate over time. Ryan installs rigid edge restraint — aluminum or plastic — staked into the base around the entire perimeter to keep the paver field locked in place.

Patio design for Altadena properties

Working with slopes

Many Altadena backyards slope, which means a patio may require a retaining wall. Ryan builds the retaining wall and patio as a single integrated project — the wall’s drainage, the patio’s slope, and the overall grading all need to work together.

Maximizing outdoor living

Ryan designs patios to be functional, not just decorative. Where does the grill go? Where does the table fit? Where does shade fall in the afternoon? He measures for your actual use and sizes the patio accordingly.

Connecting to the house

The transition from inside to outside matters. Ryan builds patios that meet your door threshold cleanly, with proper step-down height and a finished edge. No awkward gaps, no trip hazards.

Combining materials

Some of the best patios use multiple materials — pavers for the main area, DG for a fire pit zone, flagstone stepping stones through the garden. Ryan designs these transitions so they look cohesive, not like three separate projects bumped into each other.