Paver patios and hardscaping in Rockland County, NY
Patios, walkways, driveways, and retaining walls built on a proper base by MDK, based in Valley Cottage. Mark owns MDK and works on job sites himself.
Rockland County License H-12382(A6)
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Insured
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Licensed H-12382(A6)
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CMHA Certified Paver Installer
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Rockland County Professional Landscapers Association
| Insured | Licensed H-12382(A6) | CMHA Certified Paver Installer | Rockland County Professional Landscapers Association
Hardscape work for Rockland homes, from the base up
MDK installs paver patios, walkways, driveways, retaining walls, steps, and landings for homeowners across Rockland County. The work runs from Valley Cottage, where MDK is based, out to New City, Nanuet, Orangeburg, and every other part of the county. Typical projects include a patio off the back door, a walkway from the driveway to the front steps, or a wall that turns a slope into a usable yard. Some are full driveway replacements where old asphalt or cracked concrete comes out and pavers go in. Every one of those jobs depends on what goes under the pavers. Rockland winters freeze and thaw the ground over and over, and a patio laid on a thin or poorly compacted base settles, heaves, and grows weeds in the joints within a few seasons. MDK digs out, builds and compacts the base in layers, sets edge restraint so the field cannot creep, and finishes the joints so the surface locks together. The part a homeowner sees on day one is the pavers. The part that decides how the patio looks years from now is the base.
What MDK installs
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Paver Patios
A patio is the paver job with the most choices: shape, size, color, pattern, and border. Marking out the footprint on site before digging lets the homeowner see the patio against the house and the yard. The base is sized to the soil and the use, whether that is a dining table, a grill, or a sitting area.
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Walkways
A walkway takes the most foot traffic of anything on the property, including in winter when it gets shoveled and salted. MDK builds walkways wide enough for two people side by side where the space allows, pitched so water runs off instead of freezing on the surface, and edged so the pavers stay in line.
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Driveways
A paver driveway carries the weight of cars and, in winter, a plow. That takes a deeper base than a patio and tighter compaction. MDK removes the old surface, builds the base for vehicle loads, and sets the pavers in a pattern suited to turning tires. A cracked paver can be lifted out and replaced without cutting the whole driveway.
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Retaining Walls
Many Rockland yards slope. A retaining wall turns that slope into level ground for a patio, a lawn, or planting beds. The wall needs a compacted footing, drainage behind it, and gravel backfill so water does not push it over time. Taller walls can involve permits and engineering, and MDK covers that on the site visit.
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Steps and Landings
Steps connect a patio to a back door, a deck, or a lower part of the yard. Each step needs the same rise so nobody trips, and a landing at the top that is deep enough to open a door without stepping back. Steps are built from wall block or solid caps set on a compacted base.
Materials we install
We install manufactured paver systems and natural stone. Product line named on every proposal.
How a paver job runs, start to finish
1. The call.
Call (845) 642-1980 and describe the project: what is there now, what should be there, and roughly where on the property. Mark will set up a time to see the yard.
2. The site visit.
Mark comes out himself. He walks the yard, measures, checks the grade and drainage, and talks through layout and materials. The estimate is free.
3. The written proposal.
The homeowner gets a written proposal that lists the work, names the materials, and gives the price, so quotes can be compared on equal terms.
4. Scheduling.
Once the proposal is signed, the job goes on the calendar.
5. The build.
The crew excavates, builds and compacts the base, sets the pavers, cuts the edges, and finishes the joints.
6. The final walkthrough.
The finished job gets a final walkthrough with the homeowner before the crew leaves the site.
Why hiring a licensed contractor matters
Rockland County requires anyone doing home improvement work, including patios, driveways, walkways, masonry, and landscaping, to hold a county home improvement license. The county's consumer protection office warns that unlicensed contractors may not carry liability or workers' compensation insurance, which can leave the homeowner financially responsible when something goes wrong. It also points out that licensed contractors can apply for building permits, so work that needs one gets reviewed by the town building department.
County law also requires home improvement contracts above a set dollar amount to be in writing and signed before the work begins. A handshake deal on a patio is not how it is supposed to work in Rockland.
MDK holds Rockland County License H-12382(A6) and is fully insured. Any homeowner can ask a contractor for its license number and check it with the county before signing anything.
Recent paver work in Rockland County
Patios, walkways, driveways, walls, and steps built by MDK.
The owner is on the job
Mark owns MDK and has run it since 2007. He comes out to every property himself before pricing a job, handles the billing, and works on the job sites alongside his own crew. MDK does not hand its work to subcontractors, so the people who show up are the people Mark hired.
Paver work across Rockland County
MDK is based in Valley Cottage and builds patios, walkways, driveways, and walls throughout the county. Each town has its own lots, slopes, and permit office, and the pages below cover what matters for paver work in each one.
Paver questions homeowners ask
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Size is the biggest factor, followed by the paver product, the pattern, and how much digging and base the site needs. A flat, open yard with easy access costs less per square foot than a sloped yard that needs a wall, or a backyard where every load has to go through a narrow side gate. Removing an old patio or concrete slab adds cost. Mark prices each job after seeing the property, and the estimate is free.
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It depends on the size of the job and the site. Driveways and jobs with retaining walls or steps take longer than a simple patio. Weather can push the schedule, since the base should not be built on saturated ground. The written proposal is the place to talk through timing for a specific project.
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It depends on the town and the job. In Rockland, permits are handled by the town building department, not the county, and the rules differ between towns. Retaining walls are the item most likely to need one, and any work that cuts into a town road for a driveway apron needs a highway permit. MDK checks the requirements for the specific address before work starts, and can pull the permit so the homeowner does not have to file with the town.
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Yes, as long as the ground is not frozen. The base has to be compacted on unfrozen soil, so work generally continues into late fall and stops once the ground freezes hard. MDK's paver season usually runs through about the end of November, with some room into December if the weather holds.
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The crew excavates below the finished height, lays geotextile fabric where the soil calls for it, then spreads and compacts crushed stone in layers. A thin bedding layer goes on top to set the pavers. Edge restraint holds the outside edge in place, and joint sand locks the pavers together. Skipping or rushing any of these steps is what causes sinking and heaving later.
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Poured concrete usually costs less up front. Pavers handle freeze and thaw better because the individual units flex slightly with the ground instead of cracking as one slab. When something does go wrong, a section of pavers can be lifted, the base fixed, and the same pavers relaid. A cracked slab has to be cut out and patched, and the patch rarely matches.
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Pavers do not have to be sealed. Some homeowners seal them to deepen the color or resist stains. Normal care is sweeping, rinsing, topping up joint sand every few years, and pulling any weeds that take root in the joints.
Call Mark to talk through the project and set up a site visit. Estimates are free. To write it out instead, use the estimate form.
Plan a patio, walkway, or wall with MDK
What to expect:
•A free on-site visit to look at your property and talk through what you want
•A written, itemized proposal with the price before any work starts
•A licensed and insured crew, and materials named on the proposal