Paver Patio and Pergola Build in Lakeville, MN

The homeowner wanted a real outdoor space that could actually be used. Something solid, built right, and tied together with a pergola overhead. Here's how we made that happen.

The foundation work is where most patio jobs are won or lost. We laid down non-woven underlayment fabric across the full footprint, then packed in 8 inches of open graded base. That base depth is not something every contractor bothers with but in Minnesota, where freeze-thaw cycles beat up the ground hard every year, skipping it is how patios end up shifting and cracking within a few seasons. We also set four 12-inch diameter footings at 4 feet deep to anchor the pergola.

For the field pavers, we went with Unilock Beacon Hill XL in Opal. These are large-format pavers with a smooth, clean look that holds up great. The Unilock Copthorne in Basalt makes up the border - that darker edge creates a defined frame around the whole patio and gives it a finished, intentional look. Tight joints, clean lines, polymeric sand locked in throughout.

Once the patio was set, we assembled the Pergola with a privacy screen and anchored it directly to the footings we had already poured. The matte dark frame sits right against the house and ties into the Basalt border color without feeling like an afterthought. It's the kind of detail that makes the whole space feel like it was designed as one thing - not pieced together over time.

Around 270 square feet of finished patio space with a pergola overhead and steps built in. That's a yard that went from nothing to fully functional. We do this kind of work throughout Lakeville and the east metro, and the process is always the same - no shortcuts on the base, no rushing the details.