Driveway Pavers in Lake Elsinore CA - a level surface on a base you can check
Tired of a cracked, patched driveway? We'll build you a paver driveway from the base up and show you how deep we dig.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Is a paver driveway worth it for your Lake Elsinore home?
Driveway pavers in Lake Elsinore are interlocking concrete pavers set on a sand bed over a packed gravel base, and E&M Lake Elsinore Concrete & Masonry builds them so you can park on the new surface right after we finish installing it.
Most people who call me about pavers are looking at a cracked concrete driveway, or one that's too narrow for the cars they own now, and wondering whether to pour new or try something else. The price mostly comes down to the size in square feet, whether an old driveway has to be torn out and hauled off, how deep the base goes and the paver and pattern you pick. The schedule turns on the tear-out, on the weather while the base goes in and on whether the end near the street needs the city's sign-off first. I'll give you your own number once I've measured the driveway and looked at what's going on with it.
How do you know your driveway is ready for pavers?
Cracks that keep growing
A crack across your concrete that gets wider every year usually means the slab has moved over a base that settled or never had enough support. Patching hides it for a while, but water gets in through the crack, softens what's underneath and the next break comes sooner.
A low spot holding water
If the same spot puddles after rain or a hose-down, the base under it has usually sunk or washed out. Standing water keeps softening that base, so the dip spreads and gets deeper the longer you leave it.
Broken edge at the street
The end of the driveway where cars turn in often chips and crumbles first, because tires load that edge harder than the middle. Left alone, the damage works back into the slab, and that end can sit on city land, which changes the paperwork as we explain below.
How we build driveway pavers from the ground up
Before anything gets dug, I'll show you how deep we plan to go and how we'll build the base, because that's what decides how a paver driveway holds up, and it's the fairest thing to compare between bids. On the job, our crew gets the underground lines marked, digs out the old driveway and the soil under it, and lays the gravel base in layers, packing each one so it doesn't settle later. Then we level a thin bed of sand with a straight board, lay the pavers in your pattern, cut the edges clean and set a hard edge along the sides so the pavers can't creep outward. We run a plate compactor over the whole surface while we sweep sand into the joints, then clean up and haul off what we dug out.
Driveways rarely stand alone. When a wider drive means cutting into a slope, retaining wall construction holds that cut back so the hill stays off your new surface. And if the porch steps or a front wall beside the driveway are cracked or missing mortar, our masonry restoration work makes them sound again before they sit next to brand new pavers.
Herringbone pattern
The pavers sit at angles so each one locks against its neighbors in every direction, which holds up best where tires turn and brake. It takes more cuts at the edges and a bit more labor, but for most driveways it's the pattern I'd steer you toward.
Running bond or basket weave
These have simpler lines and fewer cuts, so they suit a straight driveway, lighter use or a look you want to match to the house. Under a lot of turning they can shift more over time, which is the trade-off for the cleaner look and lower labor.
Get a free on-site estimate for your paver driveway
Tell us the driveway's rough size and whether an old one has to come out. We reply within one business day, and I'll visit to give you a free estimate on site with no pressure to book.
(951) 579-7076- Based in
- Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
What happens after you call about a paver driveway?
Here's how a paver driveway goes with us, from your first call to the final walk-through, so you know who you'll be talking to at each step.
Call or send the form
We get back to you and set a time for me to come out. Tell us a little about the driveway and when you're usually home.
I measure and price it
I look at the driveway up close, measure it, check how water runs and where it meets the street, and ask what you've noticed. Your estimate spells out the base depth, the pavers and whether tearing out the old driveway is included, so there's no guessing what the number covers.
We permit, dig and build
Once you're ready, we sort out what the local office asks for at your address, and then our lead mason runs the crew from dig-out to the last swept joint. Wet weather can move the base work, because packing soaked gravel doesn't give you a solid base.
Walk the finished driveway together
I come back and walk it with you before we call the job done, so you can look at the edges, the joints and the drainage with me. If something isn't right, that's the time to say so.
Why Lake Elsinore homeowners call E&M for driveway pavers
The owner prices every driveway
I come out myself to measure, ask questions and give the estimate, and a lead mason runs our crew once the work starts. That way the person who explained the base to you is the one checking the finished driveway with you at the end.
In business since 2013
We've been doing this since 2013, and I grew up on a masonry crew mixing mortar and hauling block long before that. When a driveway keeps sinking in the same spot, I'd rather work out why than pave right over it.
Licensed and insured in California
We're fully licensed and insured. California's contractor license board puts paver installation under its concrete related services classification, which tells you the kind of license this work falls under when you compare contractors.
On a paver driveway, the part you can't see decides how long it lasts, so ask me to show you the base. Call (951) 579-7076 or use our contact form to set up a visit.
Driveway pavers, street edges and slopes in Lake Elsinore
The end of your driveway that meets the street is the part to look at closely here, because the City of Lake Elsinore requires an Encroachment Permit for work in the public right-of-way. The city counts that as the full width of land it owns or controls, and it asks whoever applies to confirm how far that strip runs from the road, so don't assume it stops at the curb. For work under that permit, the city wants a City of Lake Elsinore business license and a state Class A General Engineering contractor license, though it may accept other license classes depending on the type and scope of the work, and we settle that with the city before anything near the street starts. For the rest of the driveway, we find out which office covers your address, the city or the county, take care of the permit paperwork when the job needs it and plan the work around inspections.
A lot of the calls we get around here are for driveways on sloped lots or older concrete that's cracked through, and plenty of owners want the drive widened for another car or a trailer while we're at it. We're based in Lake Elsinore and work across the cities around it, and we build paver driveways the same way in Murrieta and Menifee, starting with how water moves across the lot.
Questions about driveway pavers in Lake Elsinore
How much does a paver driveway cost near Lake Elsinore?
A driveway of sand-set concrete pavers in the Riverside area usually runs about $16 to $20 per square foot, not counting removal of an existing driveway. That range is for a job with a 4-inch packed gravel base, while the paver trade group's guide says a home driveway on well-drained soil should have at least 6 inches, so ask each bidder how thick a base their number includes. Size, tear-out and the pattern you pick move your own figure, and I'll give it to you once I've measured.
Will pavers crack like a concrete driveway?
Pavers are less likely to crack the way a poured concrete or asphalt driveway does, because the joints between them help keep that kind of cracking from forming. The joints don't make up for a weak base, though, so if the ground under them moves you'll see pavers dip instead, which is why the base gets so much attention on our jobs.
How do I know if permeable pavers are a good fit for my driveway?
Permeable pavers, which let rainwater soak into the ground, are generally not used where groundwater sits within 2 feet of the bottom of the pavement, according to national paving guidance. Their most common upkeep issue is clogging, because dirt in the joints slows how fast water soaks through. If you're leaning that way, bring it up at the estimate and we'll talk through whether it makes sense for your driveway.
Can a paver driveway be repaired without tearing it out?
Yes, a paver driveway can usually be repaired by lifting the pavers over the problem and putting the same ones back. If a utility line underneath needs work or a spot in the base dips, the pavers come up, the problem gets fixed and the original pavers go back down, so nothing is wasted or hauled to the landfill.
What causes pavers to sink in a driveway?
Pavers usually sink because of what's under them, either a base that was too thin, a base that wasn't packed in layers or water working its way underneath. On clay or other slow-draining soil, paver construction guidance recommends drain pipes under driveways that carry cars, so water has somewhere to go besides into the base.
When does Lake Elsinore require an Encroachment Permit for a driveway?
The City of Lake Elsinore requires an Encroachment Permit for any work in the public right-of-way or in a public utility easement. On a driveway job, that can include the end that meets the street if it sits on city land, and we check that for your address before work starts.
Related services that often come with a new driveway
Retaining wall construction
When the ground beside your driveway sits higher than the pavers, a retaining wall keeps dirt and runoff from sliding onto them after every rain.
Masonry restoration
Old brick steps, a mailbox column or a planter beside the drive can be repointed and repaired, so the masonry around your pavers is sound too.
Service areas for paver driveways around Lake Elsinore
E&M Lake Elsinore Concrete & Masonry is based in Lake Elsinore, CA, and builds paver driveways across the 12 cities and communities listed below, including Wildomar and Temecula. These are the places with their own page, not the only ones we work in.
Lake Elsinore, CA
Get your paver driveway priced on site
Setting up the visit now gives us time to check whether the street end of your driveway needs a city permit before any digging starts.