Paver Patio & Walkways, Discovery Hills San Marcos
Overview
A San Marcos homeowner replaced cracked concrete walkways and an old patio with 994 square feet of interlocking pavers, new planter walls, a 78-linear-foot drainage system, and six step lights. The work wrapped in about two weeks on site and added durable hardscape across the entry, side yards, and rear patio.
Quick Facts
City San Marcos
Neighborhood Discovery Hills (92078)
Constraints/Challenges Backyard and pool-deck access meant crews had to move tools and materials across 994 sf of work area. The side yard is a narrow corridor between the house exterior and a block wall, limiting equipment movement during demo and installation. Existing concrete contained wire mesh and rebar, adding time and disposal effort to the demo phase.
Goals The homeowner wanted to replace deteriorating concrete walkways and an aging patio with low-maintenance interlocking pavers that would tie together the entry, side yards, and rear patio. A proper drainage system was also a priority to direct surface water away from the home.
Scope 994 sf ORCO Villa Express interlocking pavers, raised planter walls with stucco finish, 78 lf of 3-inch SDR35 drainline with 9 drain caps and 1 pop-up emitter, 6 Pro-Trade SL1 LED step lights, 16 lf electrical conduit, 30 lf concrete sawcut, demo of 800 sf reinforced concrete and 100 sf brick/tile
Style Transitional
Timeline About 9 build days
Price Range $21k–$26k
The Challenge
- Water pooled on the existing concrete patio and along the side yards after rain, with no drain system to move it away from the foundation.
- The concrete walkways were cracked and uneven, making the entry and side-yard path difficult and unappealing to use.
- The old brick and tile sections at the entry had settled unevenly, leaving gaps and trip hazards that the homeowner had worked around for years.
How Install It Direct Helped
Market Context
Neighborhood Context
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The Plan
- ORCO Villa Express interlocking pavers selected for the full 994 sf, covering front entry landing, side-yard walkways, and rear patio under the pergola.
- Raised planter walls finished with a stucco skim coat to match the home exterior, providing defined garden borders along the entry and patio perimeter.
- 78 lf of 3-inch SDR35 drainline with 9 square drain caps and 1 PVC pop-up emitter routed to carry surface water from the rear patio away from the foundation.
- 16 lf of electrical conduit run beneath the paver field to serve the low-voltage lighting system, keeping wiring protected.
- Six Pro-Trade SL1 4.5-inch surface-mounted LED step lights placed at grade transitions, powered by a 150W Pro-Trade TR1 stainless steel transformer with a smart socket timer.
- 30 lf of sawcut to cleanly separate the existing concrete from the new paver zones before demolition began.
The Build
The crew sawcut 30 lf of existing concrete at the transition lines, then demolished 800 sf of wire-mesh and rebar-reinforced concrete and 100 sf of brick and tile. Approximately 1.5 yards of soil were hauled off before drainage work began.
Immediately after demo, the crew trenched and installed 78 lf of 3-inch SDR35 drainline with 9 drain caps and a single PVC pop-up emitter. The project manager verified all drain locations and excavation depths on site before base prep began.
Base material and sand were brought in. Excavation depths were verified with a tape measure at the paver edge and retaining wall face. A vibratory plate compactor was staged on site for subgrade compaction before bedding sand was screeded.
ORCO Villa Express pavers went down across all 994 sf, including the entry landing, side-yard corridors, and rear patio. Electrical conduit was set in the field before the paver layer was completed. Six Pro-Trade SL1 step lights were set at grade transitions and wired to the 150W transformer.
Planter walls were built and received a fresh stucco skim coat. Polymeric sand was swept and set across the full paver field, and final sign-off followed shortly after.
The Result
Narrow side-yard shows an installed interlocking paver walkway between a home exterior and a tall stacked stone retaining wall. Small planting strips with shrubs and an exterior wall light are visible; the installation appears clean and finished.
Narrow residential paver walkway with interlocking pavers and a metal pedestrian gate leading to a small courtyard. Stucco house walls flank the path with river-rock edging and planters visible; overhead pergola beams cast shadows and the photographer's shadow is present.
Finished residential entry/patio showing interlocking pavers laid in a rectangular pattern adjacent to a capped raised planter wall with a pergola overhead casting shadows. The scene includes a decorative statue in the planter and clean joints indicating a recently completed hardscape installation.
Finished interlocking paver patio under a pergola adjacent to sliding glass doors. The installation includes a central floor drain and a low seat wall with planted corners, showing a clean, completed exterior living area.
Finished interlocking paver walkway beside a residential wall with a low stucco planter/retaining wall topped with stone coping. Ornamental plantings sit in the planter and joints on the pavers appear clean and well-compacted, indicating a completed installation.
Front entry landing and adjacent walkway paved with interlocking concrete pavers in a modular pattern. A central recessed drain/grate is installed and clean joints are visible next to the homeowner's exterior and planting beds.
Investment
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Frequently Asked Questions
A project like this one in Discovery Hills (92078) ran in the $21,000 to $26,000 range for 994 sf of interlocking pavers, reinforced concrete demo, a 78 lf drain system, planter walls, and six step lights. Simpler patio-only projects on flat, accessible lots will cost less. Access difficulty, existing concrete with rebar, and drainage add to the total.
Most projects in this area of this scale run 2 to 4 weeks on site depending on access, drainage, and demo complexity. Scope here included demo of 800 sf of reinforced concrete, drainage trenching, base prep, paver installation across three zones, stucco wall finish, and low-voltage lighting.
Interlocking concrete pavers need very little upkeep. Occasional sweeping and re-sanding of joints every few years keeps them stable. The polymeric sand used here hardens to resist washout. If a paver is ever damaged, individual pieces can be lifted and replaced without disturbing the rest of the field.
In the City of San Marcos, retaining walls taller than 3 feet (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall) generally require a building permit, and paver patios on their own typically do not. This project included planter walls; if any section exceeded the 3-foot threshold, a permit would have been required. Always confirm current thresholds with your local building department before starting. Verify current requirements with a licensed contractor or your local permit office.
Good drainage keeps surface water off the foundation. On this project, a 78 lf SDR35 drain system with nine drain caps and a pop-up emitter was installed under the patio before the first paver went down. Without it, water pools against the slab edge and can work into the foundation over time.
Yes. On this project, six Pro-Trade SL1 LED step lights were set at grade transitions and wired through 16 lf of conduit run beneath the paver field. A 150W transformer with a smart timer controls the system automatically, so the path lights turn on at dusk without a wall switch.
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Your Project Manager
Troy MacMillan
Install It Direct has installed interlocking paver patios, walkways, and drainage systems across San Marcos and the surrounding communities for years. Every project is managed by a construction manager who verifies drainage, base depth, and paver layout on site before sign-off. We pull permits when required and stand behind our work after the final payment is collected.
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