9 Types of Hardscaping Services You’ll Love
A raised flower garden with seat wall — with pillars and natural stone coping — made of brick beside a tumbled paver driveway.
A yard can be so much more than just a grassy area. If you are dreaming of a backyard oasis and a gorgeous, functional outdoor living space, hardscaping can get you there.
Maybe all you need are some ideas to get you started.
In this post, we’ll cover topics like:
What is hardscaping
What types of hardscaping services are available?
How much does hardscaping cost?
Does hardscaping add value to your home?
If you are looking for hardscapers near you in the Columbia, SC area, we can help.
At Boots On Enterprises, we are experienced hardscape contractors serving Lexington and Richland Counties in the Midlands of South Carolina.
We can also provide all the landscaping, tree services, wood fencing, and paving services you need, as well.
Please contact us today for a FREE estimate:
Phone: 803-521-4978
Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com
The gorgeous hardscaping details of brick and natural stone for this luxury home add curb appeal for days.
What is hardscaping?
If you are wondering, “What is a hardscape?” You’ve come to the right place.
A good hardscape definition is any kind of manmade hard surface that enhances the functionality and/or beauty of your property.
Essentially, hardscaping is a solid material structure in your yard that is not living plant life.
This includes materials like natural stone, brick, concrete pavers, gravel, rock, wood, and even concrete/asphalt structures.
A natural stone walkway with landscaping and pine straw mulch near a brick home done by Boots On Enterprises.
What types of hardscaping services are available?
Many hardscaping companies near you provide a variety of paving, outdoor building, and stone installation services. Some may also do deck building, gazebo installation, fence building, landscaping, and other services.
Here are some of the most popular types of hardscape homeowners are interested in.
9 must-have hardscaping services
Some of the most common hardscape landscaping services available include installation, repair, and cleaning of the following things:
A long asphalt driveway near Lake Murray, SC with brown leaves on the ground on each side and a view of the lake - installed by Boots On Enterprises.
1. Driveways
Whether you want gravel, crushed concrete, paver, stone, or a blacktop driveway, your driveway is usually the most obvious hardscaping element on your property at first glance. Its appearance sets the tone for your home’s curb appeal in a big way. And driveways need to be well-made to be functional and durable. So it’s important to get it right.
A custom wood burning fire pit made of concrete blocks with a gravel and paver patio area surrounded by a wood fence installed by Boots On Enterprises in Columbia, SC.
2. Fire pits
A fire pit is the perfect finishing touch for an outdoor living space to draw family and friends on the weekends. It extends the use of your outdoor space into cooler weather and provides a great opportunity for bonding over s’mores and hot cocoa.
The least expensive fire pit options are premade fire pits that you just buy at a store and set down on your patio. You can find them made of copper, steel, or other metals.
And then there are beautiful, custom fire pits made of natural stone, brick, pavers, or concrete that become a permanent part of your hardscaping. Choose from wood-burning, propane, natural gas, or gel fuel-burning firepits.
A beautiful paver patio hardscape with a wooden and stacked stone gazebo makes a wonderful outdoor entertaining space.
3. Patios
A patio is a fantastic investment as an outdoor living space in your own backyard. It’s a perfect place for dining outside, relaxing around a fire pit, watching movies on an outdoor TV, and more. Patios come in a variety of materials including concrete, gravel. pavers, stone, and brick.
Concrete patios are the most popular, as concrete is the most affordable material for a patio, other than gravel. But pavers and stone are gorgeous and full of charm, so many people enjoy using those materials for their durability and aesthetics.
A lovely custom infinity pool with concrete pool deck and padded wooden pool chairs near a stucco wall.
4. Pool decks
Pool decks are very similar to outdoor patios but they surround a pool area. For above-ground pools, a wooden deck is usually best. But for in-ground pools, all the materials you might think of for a patio work perfectly, as well.
The main difference when you are planning a pool deck (as opposed to a patio) is that you want to be sure you use a non-slip textured surface and a paving material that can handle pool chemicals or salt.
This patio seating wall has a wide ledge along the top for sitting and complements the blooming flowers and plants in the flowerbed behind it.
5. Retaining walls/seat walls
A retaining wall is usually made of wood, brick, or concrete block and they hold dirt or earth back and keep it from losing shape or eroding. Short retaining walls are perfect for raised flower beds or terraced gardens. And larger retaining walls are used to help support steep inclines or hills made of dirt to protect the property below from erosion or mudslides during heavy rain.
Retaining walls can also add a lot of texture and beauty to a garden, landscaping project, or property. They do wonders for curb appeal. Especially when you use rustic-looking stone or blocks.
A new concrete sidewalk and fresh landscaping with pine straw mulch near a brick house - installed by Boots On Enterprises.
7. Pathways/sidewalks/walkways
Whether you opt for a gravel path with whimsical stepping stones or choose a paver walkway or concrete, your yard needs paved sidewalks if you plan for people to use entrances other than your garage.
Walkways keep your feet from getting muddy or dirty. And they provide a smooth area for transporting things in and out of your home. Hardscape contractors near you can give you suggestions for the best materials or design for your yard based on your landscaping goals and budget.
Stone landscaping walls line the floral landscaping in this yard, guiding the eye to rustic stone steps.
8. Steps
Steps may be a necessity in your yard if you have a slope or if your home is elevated above ground level. But that doesn’t mean they have to be boring.
Steps are just as much a part of your hardscaping as your walkways and driveway. Their first job is to be functional and non-slip. But they can also make a stylistic statement like the ones pictured above made of stone. You can turn your backyard into a “mountain retreat” with the right hardscaping design. Even in the middle of Columbia, SC.
A yard with a stunning rock retaining wall around a pond with a stone waterfall feature.
9. Water features/fountains
There is nothing like relaxing in the backyard with a beautiful water view whether it is the ocean, a lake, a pond, or a creek. If you don’t have access to a water view naturally, that’s okay. You can design your own water feature to provide the soothing sights and sounds of babbling water with a little creative hardscaping.
Whether you want to use a premade water fountain or design a pool or koi pond with a rock waterfall, you can have the hardscape of your dreams with the right planning and expertise.
A hardscape landscape worker sets bricks on a brick patio near a flower bed with short stone retaining wall.
How much does hardscaping cost?
For a national average range, you can expect hardscaping projects to run from $300 to $30,000 or more depending on what you have done.
Essentially, the more time a project takes, the pricier the materials, and the bigger the job size is, the more it will cost.
The best way to get an exact price for your project is to contact hardscaping contractors near you for a quote. Most places should be willing to give you a free estimate before you commit to anything. And that gives you plenty of time to ask questions and decide on your budget and priorities.
A small urban yard with luxurious hardscaping including a patio, garden retaining wall, and a wood privacy fence that complement the landscaping perfectly.
Does hardscaping add value to your home?
Wondering if hardscaping will increase your home value? Hardscaping that is well done can add a significant amount of value to your home.
People want outdoor living spaces today — and are generally willing to pay more for a home that has a gorgeous outdoor living area than for one that doesn’t. Many people also have pets or young children so they appreciate having beautiful fencing.
According to Angi, “Generally, you can expect to get 20% to 30% of your investment back when you choose the right hardscaping project.” Although, certain projects may give you up to 70% ROI.
Some of the ones that bring the greatest ROI (return on investment) include decks or patios, firepits, and fences. Essentially, anything that adds to the curb appeal and functionality of your yard tends to be a good investment.
In need of hardscaping near you in the Midlands of South Carolina?
If you want to beef up your hardscape in Columbia, SC, we can help. At Boots On Enterprises, we can install and repair concrete, asphalt, pavers, and stone walkways, driveways, and retaining walls. We can also install and repair wood fences and handle all your landscaping and tree service needs.
Contact us today for a FREE quote.
Phone: 803-521-4978
Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com
