Old driveway cracked, stained or just tired? We lay pavers over a packed stone base sized for the cars you park every day.
At Custom Aliso Viejo Masonry & Concrete, we build driveway pavers in Aliso Viejo, CA as concrete pavers set on a leveled sand bed over a packed stone base, with edging along each side that keeps the pavers from creeping out under your cars.
Most people call when their driveway is cracked, sinking in spots or just looks tired next to the rest of the house. Pavers fix that well, but only when the layers under them are built for a car parked and turned on them every day, so that's where I start the conversation.
The price mostly turns on the driveway's size, whether an old slab has to come out first, how deep the base goes and the paver and pattern you pick. The schedule depends more on your association's sign-off and the city's work hours than on the laying itself, and your own figure comes from the estimate I write after walking the driveway with you.
Call (949) 619-8220 or use the form and tell us a little about the driveway. We'll set a time for me to come out and see it.
I look at the current surface, the slope and where water runs, answer your questions and go over the base, pattern and edging with you. The estimate spells out what goes under the pavers, layer by layer, so you can compare it fairly with other quotes.
Once you're ready, we take care of what the city or your association needs before any digging starts. Aliso Viejo allows construction from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, with no work on Sundays or federal holidays, so we plan saw cutting and compacting inside those hours.
We dig out, pack the stone base, level the sand, lay and cut the pattern, set the edging and sweep sand into the joints, then haul off the old material and walk the finished driveway with you. If you have leftover debris of your own, the city points residents to its hauler, CR&R, at 800-826-9677 for construction waste.
It starts with layout and digging deep enough for the base, because that packed stone layer is what carries the weight of your cars. On top goes a thin, leveled bed of sand, then the pavers, cut to fit along the edges, with a restraint down each side so the field can't spread outward. A fabric layer under the base is optional, and we'll talk about whether it's worth adding on your job.
Most of what you see on a finished driveway is the pavers, but most of what you're paying for is underneath. That's why I go over the base, the pattern and the edging with you before we start, and write down what goes under the pavers so there's nothing to guess about later.
What a paver driveway job includes:
If a few pavers have dipped or one corner has spread, we can usually lift that patch, rebuild the base under it and set the same pavers back, which is a real advantage over a poured slab. When the whole driveway rolls or the base was thin from the start, patching just moves the problem, so I'll tell you it's time to rebuild. Worn brick or stone borders beside the drive are often better served by masonry restoration.
Size comes first, then whether an old slab has to be broken out and hauled away before we dig. Base depth matters because more stone means more digging and compacting, and a herringbone layout takes more cuts along the edges than a straight one. The paver you pick, how tight the access is and the slope all play a part, and a drive cut into a hillside may need retaining wall construction to hold the grade beside it.
I taught myself brick and block, learned the rest on real jobs and started this business in 2023. I still come out to every job, write the estimate and work it with our masons and helpers, so the person who explained your driveway is the one standing on it while it gets built.
I'd rather take extra time explaining your driveway than have you pay for work you don't need. On site we keep the street and sidewalk clear, protect your planters and keep a path to your door, and we clean up before we leave each day. We're licensed and insured. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Have the driveway's rough size, what's on it now and your association's name handy when you call, and I can plan the visit around it.
Tell us where you are and what's on the driveway now, and we'll reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate. I'll come out myself, and there's no pressure to book.
Sand-based concrete paver driveways in Orange County usually cost about $16 to $20 per square foot, base included. That figure doesn't cover removing an old driveway, so if you have an existing slab, expect added cost for breaking it out and hauling it away. Your own number comes from the on-site estimate.
Trade association guidance calls for a compacted base at least 6 inches thick under a home driveway on well-drained soil, compared with 4 inches for a patio. The Orange County price figures above assume a 4-inch base, so when you compare quotes, check how deep each one says the base will be. We go over the depth for your driveway on site and write it into the estimate.
If your home is under the Aliso Viejo Community Association, yes, because its architectural guidelines cover building, changing or removing a driveway, and you need Master Architectural Committee approval first. Work done without it breaks the community's CC&Rs, its recorded rules, and may have to be removed or changed at your expense. We help you put the request together and plan the start date after it's approved.
They can be, but permeable pavers, which let rainwater soak through, generally aren't used where groundwater sits within 2 feet of the bottom of the pavement, so the first step is finding out how deep groundwater is at your house. On a driveway that slopes more than 2 percent, the soil underneath may need to be terraced into level steps so stormwater doesn't run through the pavement. If they do suit your lot, they're cleaned with ordinary sweeping or vacuum equipment, and vacuuming can open up a clogged surface again.
For a driveway, trade association guidance recommends a herringbone pattern, a zigzag layout, because it gives the most interlock and strength where cars drive every day. I'll show you herringbone in the pavers you like next to anything else you're considering, and tell you plainly how each one handles tires turning on it.
Most of the time it's what's underneath, either a stone base that's too thin or poorly packed for car weight, or edging that's missing or has given way so the pavers creep outward. Water running under the pavers makes either problem worse. When I come out, I'll lift a paver if I need to and show you what's going on before you spend anything.
We're based in Aliso Viejo and build driveways in the cities around it, including Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo. Pick your city below, or call if yours isn't listed.
