by Dwayne Regehr
Earthworks Landscaping does woodwork and stonework. Let's figure out which one is right for you.
(Patio-bias warning! Though decks are more popular than patios, we do admit to having a patio bias.)
Decks range in price from about $30.00 / sq ft (for the simplest pressure-treated wood construction) to $100.00 / sq ft or more (for things like low-maintenance composite decking, aluminum and glass handrails, etc.)
Patios range in price from $20.00 / sq ft to $60.00 / sq ft. The price depends on materials chosen, complexity of design and location of patio. As you can imagine, simple shapes are quicker to do than complex free-form designs. And, as far as the location of the patio goes, if we can get our machinery into the area, it's much easier to excavate and bring in stone base.
Wooden decks require regular maintenance to stay looking great. Typically, treatment with water repellent and stain every three to seven years does the trick. Composite decks require less maintenance, although the wood framing will still deteriorate over time.
Patios require much less work. By using polymeric sand between stones and pavers, the problem of weeds in joints is all but eliminated. Patios will last longer than decks, with less maintenance. There's a reason the Romans built their roads from stone instead of wood!
Decks are typically restricted to right-angled shapes. Wood curves can be really interesting to build, but they are also challenging and therefore costly.
Patios can be built relatively easily in any shape. This gives you complete design freedom!
Terraced patios can get pricy, so if you want that third dimension, a multi-level deck isn't a bad way to go. That said, an elevated stone patio with built-in seating is a very impressive sight.
No permits are required for most patios under two feet in height.
Most decks require a permit, so be prepared to spend a fun afternoon at the City of Winnipeg permit office!
Either way, deck or patio, we can help you sort it out. You can tell we love patios, but building decks are also great projects.
We love all this stuff over at Earthworks, so don't hesitate to send us an email at dwayne@earthworkslandscaping.ca
★★★★★
Looks great and he billed what he quoted! This was our second project with Earthworks and we would recommend them to anyone.
★★★★★
These guys are fantastic. So professional. We got them in to build us a patio about 8 years ago, and they were so good I would never use anyone else. We had them back this summer to do anotherRead more … walkway job and they were just as good. The quality of the work is perfect.... beautiful. Their work is so good that the company who built our garage asked for their contact info so they could work with Earthworks in the future. They are very quick, efficient, and polite as well. I highly recommend them.
★★★★★
We've used Earthworks twice now, and have been incredibly pleased with both jobs. Highly recommended.
★★★★★
Dwayne came to our home about a month ago, saw what we wanted done, gave us a quote and indicated it would be around 6 weeks before they could get to it. In about 5 weeks he called to indicate thatRead more … they would begin the next day at 8. They were on time, did a great job, in extreme heat & humidity and the end cost was as quoted. Needless to say I enjoy working with people who are on time, honest and do professional work - Earthworks Landscaping covers off all of these important points for me.