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How to Choose the Right Paver Patio Contractor A Homeowner’s Checklist (Built for Chicagoland Water, Freeze-Thaw, and Real Life)

  • Writer: Jonathan Garcia
    Jonathan Garcia
  • Jan 10
  • 5 min read

Why this matters in Aurora/Naperville/Downers Grove/Hinsdale

In northern Illinois, patios don’t just need to look great—they need to survive:

  • Freeze-thaw cycles (tiny water pockets become little ice jacks)

  • Heavy rain events (our storms can be intense, and “almost flat” patios love to hold water)

  • Flat lots + clay soils (water sits, then finds the worst possible place—your foundation, steps, or low spot)

A paver patio is basically a good-looking driveway for your feet. If the base and drainage are wrong, it will settle, shift, or collect water. If the drainage is right, your patio stays tight, level, and low-maintenance for years.

The Homeowner’s Checklist (Use this when comparing contractors)

1) The credibility checklist (the “are you real?” section)

You’re not being picky—this is how you avoid the “two guys and a skid steer” special.

Ask for:

  • A written proposal with materials, thicknesses, and steps (not “install patio - $X”).

  • Proof they’re established (business address/website, reviews, photos of their work).

  • References for projects similar to yours: grade issues, downspouts, low areas, not just “a rectangle patio.”

Green flags

  • They talk about what happens to water before they talk about what color pavers you want.

  • They’re comfortable explaining their base and drainage plan like it’s normal (because it is).

Red flags

  • “We’ve always done it this way.” (Cool. That’s also how patios fail.)

  • They won’t put the build spec in writing.

  • They avoid drainage conversations or act annoyed by them.

2) The planning checklist (design, layout, and the stuff you can’t “fix later”)

A good contractor helps you avoid the classic regret: “I wish we made it bigger / added lighting / planned for steps.”

Make sure they ask about:

  • How you’ll actually use the space (dining, lounge, hot tub, fire pit, outdoor kitchen)

  • Door thresholds, step heights, and existing grades

  • Utilities: gas/electric lines, cleanouts, irrigation heads, downspouts

Pro move: Ask for a quick layout concept that includes:

  • Traffic paths (doors to grill, grill to table, table to yard)

  • Future add-ons (lighting sleeves, gas line stub, pergola footings)

3) The drainage checklist (this is the “Chicagoland difference”)

Here’s the truth: Water is the boss. Your patio is either designed to move water—or water will redesign your patio.

Must-ask questions

  1. Where will water go during a heavy rain? (Not “it’ll drain.” Where, specifically?)

  2. How will you pitch the patio away from the house?

  3. What are you doing with downspouts near the patio? (extensions, buried lines, pop-up emitters, catch basins, etc.)

  4. If there’s a low spot, what’s the fix? (regrading, drainage system, channel drain, etc.)

Manufacturers specifically call out that installations should be sloped for drainage and built over properly compacted base layers.

What “drainage-aware” looks like

  • They identify roof runoff and recommend moving it away from foundations/low areas using appropriate drainage components and discharge locations.

  • They understand stormwater expectations (in many suburbs/areas, stormwater drains to separate systems and local waterways, so controlling runoff matters).

Extra-local tip (DuPage / municipal grading rules)

Some local grading regulations restrict how sump/downspout discharge is handled (often requiring discharge to a vegetated swale and not directly tying into storm sewer—unless approved). That’s why the right contractor doesn’t “wing it” with drainage.

4) The build-spec checklist (what a premium paver patio install should include)

This is where the best contractors separate themselves—because the details are boring… until your patio starts sinking.

A pro install typically includes:

  • Proper excavation to allow for a stable base + bedding + pavers (depth depends on soil, use, and site conditions)

  • Base installed and compacted in lifts (not dumped and “tamped once”)Unilock guidance, for example, describes compacting base in 2"–3" lifts and using proper slope for drainage.

  • Correct bedding layer (commonly about 1" of appropriate coarse bedding sand, depending on system)

  • No “stone dust as bedding” shortcuts (it can inhibit drainage and create instability)

  • Edge restraints installed correctly around the perimeter (this keeps everything tight and prevents lateral creep)

  • Proper joint fill and compaction sequence (so pavers lock together, not “float”)

The easiest way to compare bids

Ask every contractor to write these in the proposal:

  • Base material type and thickness range

  • Compaction method + lift thickness

  • Bedding material (not “sand,” but what kind)

  • Edge restraint type + how it will be anchored

  • Drainage plan (slope direction + handling of downspouts/low areas)

If someone won’t specify this, you’re not comparing apples-to-apples—you’re comparing sales pitches.

5) The permits & inspection checklist (local reality)

Permits vary by municipality. A quality contractor should help you navigate it and make it painless.

Examples in our area:

  • Naperville states a permit is required for patios over certain conditions (including size thresholds and features like permanent fire pits, utilities, height, etc.).

  • Aurora provides an official permit process/checklist and application steps.

  • Downers Grove and Hinsdale have permit resources and requirements through their village sites.

Green flag: “We’ll pull the permit (or provide the packet), supply the drawings/info you need, and schedule inspections if required.”

6) The contract & warranty checklist (protect your budget and timeline)

A professional proposal should include:

  • Exact scope (demo, base, drainage items, pavers, steps, lighting sleeves, etc.)

  • Payment schedule tied to milestones (not “80% upfront”)

  • Change order process (how upgrades/unknowns are priced)

  • Care and maintenance guidance (polymeric sand expectations, sealing options, winter tips)

Red flag: Vague warranty language without stating what’s covered (settlement, edge movement, joint sand, drainage performance).

So… why G Construction & Landscape is built for this job (especially here)

If you’re in Aurora, Naperville, Downers Grove, Hinsdale, Oswego, Plainfield, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Elmhurst, St. Charles, Batavia, or nearby—your patio needs more than good looks.

Our difference is simple:

We build patios like a hardscape project + a drainage project—at the same time.

Our process (how we prevent the common failures)

  1. Drainage-first site walk: downspouts, low areas, where water currently goes

  2. Slope + elevation planning (so water moves away from the house and off the surface)

  3. Base built in compacted lifts and checked for tolerance before bedding and pavers

  4. Manufacturer + industry-aligned install methods (base, bedding, edge restraint, jointing)

  5. Drainage solutions integrated cleanly (catch basins, downspout lines, pop-ups, channel drains, regrading—only what’s needed)

  6. Final walkthrough + care plan so the patio stays locked-in and low maintenance

Translation: we don’t just “install pavers.” We solve the site—because in Chicagoland, that’s what makes the patio last.

FAQ

How do I know if a paver contractor is cutting corners?

If they avoid specifying base thickness, don’t compact in lifts, use stone dust as bedding, skip edge restraints, or can’t explain where water goes—those are the big ones.

Do I need a permit for a paver patio in Naperville/Aurora/Downers Grove/Hinsdale?

Sometimes. It depends on patio size, height, added features (fire pits, gas/electric), and local rules. Start with your village/city permit pages (examples cited above).

Why is drainage such a big deal for paver patios?

Because trapped water + freeze-thaw + base instability = settlement and shifting. Good installs manage water at the surface and around the patio (downspouts/low areas).

What slope should a patio have?

Enough to move water away from the home and prevent pooling. Your contractor should explain the direction, not just say “we’ll slope it.” (Manufacturers emphasize sloping away for drainage.)


ICPI Tech Spec 2 (Construction of Interlocking Concrete Pavements): https://www.orco.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/ICPI-TechSpec2-ORCO.pdf

NDS Principles of Exterior Drainage (short course PDF): https://www.ndspro.com/media/wysiwyg/files/principles-of-exterior-drainage.pdf

NOAA Atlas 14 Precipitation Frequency Data Server (Illinois): https://hdsc.nws.noaa.gov/pfds/pfds_map_cont.html?bkmrk=il

NWS Chicago Region Extreme Rainfall / Atlas 14 comparison (PDF): https://www.weather.gov/media/crh/publications/TSP/TSP-21.pdf

Downers Grove permits page: https://www.downers.us/permits

 
 
 

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