Paving Permissions for My Garden – Do I need it?

It’s essential to understand which cases it’s necessary to obtain a paving permit. This question is a bit more complicated to answer as it depends significantly on your town or city’s ordinances. In many communities, you need to obtain a permit from the planning department to build paved areas on the house’s exterior.

Unincorporated towns are generally governed by a county permitting authority where codes aren’t as strict. In areas where there are environmental issues, protected aquifers, or special drainage restrictions, you’ll likely be required to submit a plan review, and a permit will need to be issued.

Although laws vary significantly throughout the United States, most municipalities deem it okay to pave without a permit if:

The surface of a patio or walkway isn’t more than 30 inches above grade

The surface of a concrete driveway or walk isn’t more than 18 inches above grade

Width is restricted to 18 feet (turnarounds are an exception to this rule)

The paved area isn’t being laid directly over a basement or other lower floor

A wall or fence measures between 2.5 to 6 feet (other factors such as soil type, property line, and climate may affect the requirements in this case)

A slab foundation for a shed, gazebo, greenhouse, or other outbuilding doesn’t exceed 120 square feet

In many cases, parking pads are illegal, so check with your regional authority if you’re planning on making one

Even if you meet the criteria above, don’t skip out on looking into the process as every town’s local building authority has its own rules that apply. Suppose you go ahead and build without knowing that you’re violating a code. In that case, you could end up with fines, a citation, retroactive permit costs, and even have difficulty insuring, financing, or selling your home Rules for Paving.

Besides checking your town’s ordinances, you must also check with your homeowner’s association if you’re part of one. Many homeowner’s associations have bylaws concerning such projects.

Pavers come in slabs and blocks and are made from various materials, including concrete, brick (clay), travertine, marble, porcelain, flagstone, and even rubber. You can use them to create walkways, driveways, patios, pool decks, and other areas around a home’s exterior. You can choose to lay slabs or use interlocking pavers for an eye-catching design.

When choosing a type of paver for your project, you’ll want to consider factors such as color, sheen, price, availability, porousness, and others. Here’s a rundown of some of the most popular paver types and for which jobs they’re best suited.

Brick is made of molded clay. It’s been used as a popular surfacing material for centuries due to its durability and classic look. Bricks allow for a range of patterns and color combinations and are an ideal alternative to concrete. They’re also an eco-friendly alternative as they’re made from natural materials. They should be laid on a high-quality mortar or sand base during installation. Brick is a porous surface that absorbs moisture quickly.

Cobblestone is most commonly made of basalt, sandstone, limestone, or granite. Like brick, cobblestone pavers have been used for centuries due to their durability and attractive aesthetic. These pavers require very little maintenance and can remain stable for decades as long as they’re correctly installed. Installation can be time-consuming, and cobblestone is one of the more expensive options. Still, many people find it worth the extra time and money for its low maintenance and excellent durability. When cobblestone is set in sand, it’s a highly porous paving option.

Concrete pavers are one of the most popular options for outdoor paving. One of the best things about concrete pavers is that they come in an array of sizes, colors, textures, and thicknesses, so you can customize them any way you want. It’s also a low-cost option that’s more durable than poured concrete, but it requires a lot of maintenance and is prone to cracking under extreme temperature changes. Concrete is a porous paving option.

Flagstone is a flat and smooth sedimentary rock. It comes in a wide range of colors, sizes, and shapes, making it a versatile landscaping option. Each piece has a unique shape, and they fit together like a puzzle. Its non-slip texture and durability make it perfect for flooring, but it’s much thinner than brick and concrete, so it isn’t suitable for driveways or other areas that will have heavy traffic. It’s ideal for gardens and patios. As flagstone is mined and transported straight from its natural source, it tends to have a slightly higher cost than other pavers. Flagstone is a highly porous paving option.

Marble is classically known for its elegant and luxurious appeal. Their smooth polished finish provides a more sophisticated look than most other pavers can achieve. Each piece is unique, so it creates an eye-catching look. Marble also adds value to the home and makes it more marketable. While marble is a durable natural stone, it requires a lot of maintenance. It also conducts heat and is prone to scratches and stains. While marble is a porous stone, water, and other liquid can cause it to darken or stain.

Travertine pavers are like marble in many ways. They’re made of a unique natural stone that provides versatility and can make a space look more elegant and sophisticated. It’s more durable and easier to source than marble, and they’re a more environmentally-friendly option. Travertine pavers are also naturally insulated, so they don’t get as hot as marble and some other pavers. Travertine is a very heavy stone, and it’s highly susceptible to acids, so you need to take care not to clean it with acidic formulas or vinegar as it will leave a stain.

Natural stone is mostly for large-scale building jobs and informal applications like government structures and places of worship. Also, it is a part of road construction and monuments. For home construction, brick and wood have been the customary choice. There has been an increasing trend recently in using natural stone for home construction projects and home renovations. Popular places in the home for natural stone applications are fireplaces, countertops, entryways, atriums, bathrooms, floors, and numerous other surfaces.

Natural stone tiles are vulnerable to staining and require sealing after installation. The reason for this is the fact that natural stone is porous. A sealer masks those pores, making the stone less prone to stains and simpler to clean.  While some sealers do last forever, the recommendation is to reseal every 12 to 24 months as part of your natural stone care schedule for an average sealer.

Natural stone delivers peacefulness, tranquility, and attractiveness. There are also several advantages to using natural stone in your residence. Natural stone products are sturdier than several artificial products, usually lasting for years with little maintenance. There aren’t any concerns regarding exposure to damaging chemicals in the house or discharged into the air during disposal or production with natural stone. Why put money and time into an imitation? Natural stone is the real thing that fake products try to copy.

Natural stone products are available in several types, including granite, slate, marble, travertine, onyx, quartzite, sandstone, and limestone.

For maintenance-free sturdiness and sophistication, there’s nothing better than granite. Its incredible density and strength make granite the ideal choice for substantial structural projects such as supports, walls, and monuments. Even though it’s the toughest of structural stones, the fantastic assortment of natural patterns and mineral-rich colors deliver an ornamental value too. Granite is perfect for natural stone countertops, flooring, exterior decorations, and vanities.

You’ll find granite in bridges, monuments, buildings, paving, and numerous other exterior jobs. Indoors use granite tiles for stair treads, flooring, countertops, and several other ornamental and everyday projects. Granite is a popular selection because it’s a reputable material used in jobs to create an impression of resilience, grace, and lasting quality.

Slate breaks naturally into gorgeous textured layers since it comes from hundreds of years of compression and sedimentary deposits.  The different shades of slate products like lavender, yellow, pink, brown, dark gray, and more could happen in the same stone piece. Stain-resistant and resilient, slate products are frequently in cladding, flooring, and landscaping.

Famous for its endless texture, gloss, and texture, as well as a rich assortment of gorgeous colors, marble could go anywhere in a living space. Available in veined varieties and solids, sculpted or carved marble comes in several forms, making it a very multipurpose stone. As a luxury symbol, current technology provides attractive marble products even to homeowners on a budget.

Marble, with its natural warmth, delivers a refined element to the installation or remodeling space. Its inherently random look, engineering features, and simplicity of care make it a top choice for wainscots, floors, vanity tops, wall claddings, and tabletops. Several types of marble are suitable for wet area installation, which encompasses this natural stone’s flexibility to include showers and tub decks.

Travertine brings unique, rich character to a host of outdoor and indoor building jobs. Many property owners appreciate travertine for its distressed, banded, pitted look. Hot spring water formed the veins and designs, permeating through underground limestone. For interior usage, filling travertine with grout, cement, or resin is frequently done. The last process is to seal the spot, making a stain-resistant, smooth surface.

Glittering and sparkling with little quartz crystals, quartz is a stone-like slate with tremendous strength and a moderate-grained texture. Different mineral content generates numerous color variants from the demure gray, beige, white to more daring shades of pink or purple.

Use quartz for stone wall tiles and natural stone veneers. The non-skid surface makes it an ideal contender for outdoor and indoor flooring, including places exposed to the elements and heavy traffic.

The soft, gentle tones of limestone are ideal for today’s comfortable and casual lifestyles. Available in shades of tan and soft beige, either honed or polished, limestone is perfect for fireplaces, bathrooms, flooring, and countertops.

Where to use Natural Stone?

While there are many factors to consider when buying a pool, first and foremost should be its appropriateness for the environment where it will be installed. Here’s a countdown of the best types of pools to build in the East Coast.

1.     Gunite Swimming Pool - Cement or gunite pools are the most time-consuming and most expensive to install and they require a great deal of attention — and especially careful winterizing — in order stay in good working order. Cracking is not uncommon and can require acid washing and replastering.

2.     Steel wall swimming pools - Steel wall pools are like polymer wall pools. They have a steel structure that supports a vinyl liner. The steel frame is strong and resistant to the environment. And while the liner will eventually have to be replaced, it will never crack or need repainting or replastering.

3.     Polymer wall swimming pools - Polymer wall pools are, along with steel wall swimming pools, referred to as “package pools” because you pick the features that are used to create your own unique design. The all-resin structural polymer is designed for strength and durability, but it also has a degree of “give” which allows it to flex in response to environmental changes. And the vinyl liner in the pool is highly flexible and will not crack.

4.     Fiber grass swimming pool - Fiberglass swimming pools are the best choice for cold climates. They are designed as one-piece inserts that can be installed in your backyard quickly and efficiently, which is helpful when the summer building season is short. And the flexural strength of fiberglass makes it very resistant to cracking even with repeated freezing/thawing cycles. Consequently, fiberglass pools are perfect for homes in Canada. In fact, fiberglass is a natural insulator, so pools constructed from it require less energy to heat.

Ask Italia Outdoor Living experts about building a gunite pool.

Types of pools: 101

How long will it take to finish your pool?

There are many steps to building a pool – including regulatory ones – so setting the right expectations can help you avoid weeks of frustration.

Once you begin the process, your builder will first need to draw up the pool designs for your new pool. Depending on your municipality, you may also be required to get permission from your HOA as well. “Most homeowners associations require that you give them at least 30 days to review”

Before you break ground on your new pool, your pool builder will also need to pull the necessary residential permits from the city offices. This can add weeks or even months to your timeline. “If you’re going to pull a permit through the City in NJ, you’re probably looking at anywhere from four to five weeks to have a permit in hand”

When it comes time to excavate and build, the unpredictable nature of East Coast weather can play a significant role in the final timeline. “God bless us in the East Coast, we need to figure out if it’s going to be winter one day or summer the next day.” The more complex the project – and the more varied the weather – the more this process can stretch out.

When you take each of these steps into consideration, the range of outcomes for new pool construction can be anywhere from 45 business days to four months.

Will I Need to Hire Additional Contractors?

A swimming pool might be the most substantial investment you make in your backyard, but is it the only investment you have in mind? If your long-term vision for an outdoor space involves more than a few bags of mulch and a portable barbecue, it’s crucial to think about the big picture before you start making permanent changes to your backyard.

The term “gunite” refers to the process through which concrete is transformed from a big old glob of thick gunk into a marvelous and useful swimming pool. 

The gunite pool isn’t always easy to work with. It involves a lot of concrete. It’s an industrial material that dries quickly and stays very solid for a very long time.

Most of the time, most concrete construction used removable forms or molds to create shaped concrete, or workers would use concrete as a form of mortar to bind other materials together or to strengthen their exteriors.

Gunite uses pressured air and pushes the dried concrete mix through a tube. This dry mix combines with water in a nozzle at the end of the hose, which shoots the now-mixed concrete onto whatever surfaces it’s pointed at.

Gunite results in a relatively thin layer of wet concrete, which is blasted at high speed and pressure onto any surface to which it can adhere.

The combination of high pressure and a last-second mixture of the dry concrete mix with water needs to be conducted just right, or the final mixture may be too dry or become too wet and not adhere properly to its intended final surface.

Building an in-ground pool can take up to several weeks and even months to complete depending on the size. One of the main advantages of gunite is that you can stop the application, return the next day, and continue spraying without creating cracks or odd-looking finishes.

Because gunite is dispensed at such a great force, the new will bond to the old without creating a cold joint.

Unlike fiberglass pools, gunite pools can be made on-site which allows for more flexibility and is easier to install.

Gunite pools are incredibly durable and do not require a liner. This allows the pool to look better and retain its shape over time.

One of the main disadvantages of a gunite pool is the time it takes to install the pool from start to finish.

Gunite pools that are not tiled can sometimes seem rough to young children and have been known to snag a swimsuit. The rough surface of an un-tiled gunite pool can also house algae, so additional algaecide is needed to keep the pool pristine. There are several pool finishes that can be applied to your pool that will vary in texture.

Choosing the right location for your pool is very important. Factors like underground lines and pipes, large tree roots, and slope must all be taken into consideration. It is imperative to choose a knowledgeable pool contractor so costly mistakes are not made.

Once the correct location has been chosen, it is time to dig out the area. In most cases, the dirt and rocks removed will need to be hauled off.

Once the area is excavated and the dirt smoothed, it is time to install the supports and install any plumbing.

A steel frame is installed next, covering the whole inside of the pool, and shaped accordingly. This steel frame acts as the base for the pool and allows the gunite to adhere. The gunite is then smoothed out before it dries.

The next step is to install any tiles or decorative basins for the pool. If the pool is not tiled, a layer of plastering in the color you chose will be added on top of the gunite.

The decorative edge or coping around the pool is actually very important. It not only provides a smooth surface for entering and exiting the pool, but it also provides a lip for the water to remain in the pool. The decorative edge can be made from a variety of materials such as shaped concrete, stone, tile, or brick.

Outside of the edge around the pool, the ground must be leveled and pathed. The size of the paved area outside of the pool will vary based on your preferences. Some people enjoy a large, paved area that acts as a patio to hold chairs, tables, and even fire pits.

Before the pool can be filled with water, the pump must be installed and all the plumbing and electrical hooked up. This is also the time when any additional water features and lighting will be installed.

By this point, the pool should be complete. The only remaining steps are to fill the pool and test the pump and any water features. You and your pool contractor can test chemical combinations and discuss any questions or issues about pool maintenance at this time.

Paving Permissions for My Garden – Do I need it?

Where to use Natural Stone?

Types of pools: 101

How long will it take to finish your pool?

What is a Gunite pool?