Hiring someone to build a patio, wall or walkway means letting a crew and heavy equipment onto your property for days. Lowe's publishes a good list of 10 questions to ask a hardscape contractor. Below is each question with our answer, so you know where we stand before you call. Ask every contractor you're comparing the same questions, and compare the answers side by side.
1. Is your company insured?
Yes. We carry insurance in North Carolina, and we carry workers' compensation for our crew. That matters because if someone gets hurt on your property, workers' comp covers them, not your homeowner's policy. Ask any contractor for a certificate of insurance before work starts, and check that the dates are current.
2. Are you bonded?
No, we are not bonded. What protects you instead is how we bill: on larger jobs, payments are tied to stages of work that are finished, so you're never paying far ahead of what's been built (see question 10).
3. What's your experience with this type of work?
We started Southern Style Turf & Design in February 2023, and hardscape is a core part of what we do: paver patios, retaining walls, walkways and concrete flatwork.
The question behind this question is whether the contractor understands what goes under the surface. Around Lake Norman that usually means red clay that holds water and slopes that push runoff toward your patio or wall. Patios that sink and walls that lean usually come down to the base: not enough compacted gravel, no drainage behind a wall, or no geogrid where a wall needs it. Ask any contractor to explain their base for your project. If they can't, keep looking.
4. Do you have references from previous clients?
You can read our Google reviews and look through finished work on our projects page. Every photo on our site is from our own jobs. If you want to see something closer to your project, a wall of a similar height or a patio on a similar slope, ask us at the estimate and we'll show you what we've built.
5. What permits and inspections are required?
It depends on your town and the project. Taller retaining walls are the most common case that needs a permit, and rules differ between towns and counties around the lake. When a permit is needed, we pull it and schedule the inspections. We'll tell you at the estimate whether your project needs one, so it's built into the timeline from the start.
If you live in an HOA, check whether your HOA needs to approve the plan before work begins. That approval is separate from any town permit.
6. What will the project timeline be?
We talk through timing before you sign, including what can push it back. On hardscape jobs that's usually rain (wet clay can't be graded or compacted properly), permit inspections and material deliveries. If something changes once work starts, we tell you why and what it means for the finish date. Be wary of anyone who promises an exact finish date without mentioning weather.
7. What can I expect during the work?
Our own in-house crew does the work. We don't hand jobs to subcontractors, and Josh Solano, the owner, oversees every project. Depending on the job, expect a skid steer or excavator, deliveries of gravel, base and block or pavers, and an area set aside for staging materials. At the estimate we'll walk your property together and agree on where equipment comes in and where materials sit, so your driveway and lawn are protected.
8. What's the best way to keep in touch with you?
Call or text 704-460-2019, or email southernstyleturf@gmail.com. If you have a question or concern while we're working, reach out the same way and we'll get back to you.
9. Will you provide a written estimate?
Yes. Every estimate starts with a free visit to your property, with no trip fee, and you get a written scope and price before any work begins. A good hardscape estimate spells out what's being built and what's underneath it: base depth, drainage, materials and dimensions. For more on what a detailed quote should include, see how drainage and retaining wall quotes are calculated.
10. How will I handle payment?
On larger hardscape jobs, we use progress payments: a deposit when you sign, then payments at set stages of the work. The stages and amounts are written down before we start, so you always know what's due and what it's for. Don't pay the full amount up front to anyone.
Ready to ask us in person?
We come to your property for a free estimate, with no trip fee, anywhere in our service area around Lake Norman. Request an estimate or call 704-460-2019.
Want this looked at on your property?
We give free, no-pressure on-site estimates across Denver, Mooresville, Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville and Troutman.
