BACKYARDPLANNINGGUIDE

THEULTIMATE

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FOLLOW THE PATH TOYOUR YARD-COME-TRUE

KNOW YOUR PURPOSE

01

PICK YOUR BUDGET BATTLES

05

MAKE YOUR WISHLIST

02

FIND THE RIGHT PRO

06

IDENTIFY CHALLENGES

03

CHOOSE YOUR PRODUCTS

07

BREAKDOWN YOUR BUDGET

04

START YOUR PROJECT

08

STEP 01 / KNOW YOUR PURPOSE >

01PLAY

RELAX

I WANT TO GET THE KIDS AND PETS OUTSIDE...

A playground, a dining room, a pool, a fire pit will have your patio door swinging open and closed all summer long. I WANT TO UNWIND AND RELAX...

Comfy seating, a fire pit or a water feature are enough to enjoy your morning coffee or curl up with a book.

KNOW YOUR PURPOSE

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I LOVE GREENERY AND GARDENING...

Vegetable gardens, florals & other plants require plenty of sun. Plan for approximately 6 hours of continuous sunlight to get the best out of your garden.

I LOVE HOSTING AND ENTERTAINING...

• Outdoor furniture, a fire pit and cooking features are the basics for outdoor living.

• A full outdoor kitchen will give you the capability of preparing family meals outdoors from start to finish.

• A seating/lounging area with a ground cover for stability and cleanliness are ideal for more formal dinner parties or entertaining.

STEP 02 / MAKE YOUR WISHLIST >

02☐ FIRE PIT

☐ OUTDOOR KITCHEN

☐ OUTDOOR BAR

☐ PIZZA OVEN

☐ WATER FOUNTAIN

☐ POOL

☐ WALKWAY

☐ GARDEN

☐ PLANTERS

☐ PATIO/EATING AREA

☐ SEATING OR LOUNGING AREA

☐ OUTDOOR STORAGE AREA

☐ PLAYGROUND AREA

☐ GRASS AREA

☐ FIREPLACE

☐ TREES

☐ SHADE LOUNGE

☐ SUN-PROOF DECK

☐ HOT TUB

☐ WATERFALL

☐ PRIVACY

Dare to dream! Select all the features you wish to have in your space. Later, we’ll figure out which ones match your budget.

MAKE YOUR WISHL IST

QUICK TIP:Be sure that your

choices include both your family’s needs

and the possibility of selling your home in the

future, for this project has the potential to

increase the value of your home.

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STEP 03 / FIND THE RIGHT PRO >

WHERE TO FIND A PROFESSIONAL INSTALLER:

• The Village: see photos of their work and find pre-screened and certified Techo-Pros at https://www.techo-bloc.com/find-an-installer/

• Referrals: friends, family, previous clients

• Search engines: these may not be the most trusted sources so make sure to verify their references

03FIND THE RIGHT PRO

THE OWNER-CONTRACTOR RELATIONSHIP WILL BE A DETERMINING FACTOR IN YOUR PROJECT'S SUCCESS. HERE ARE A FEW TIPS:

CHECKLIST: THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO ASK.

☐ Does the contractor’s previous work match your taste?

☐ How many years have they been in business?

☐ Can you get pictures or addresses of his previous work so you can visit?

☐ Can the contractor show his certificates? (Look for accreditations from the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) and the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA))

☐ When will be the start and the end date?

☐ What is his process from the beginning to the end of the project?

☐ What are the payment terms?

☐ Is he aware of the bylaws? (Tip: search online also and compare what he says.)

☐ What makes a good contractor?

☐ What should you look out for in his quote when comparing it for others (certain materials included in the price, bigger crew for faster completion, guarantee)

☐ What is your expected involvement as the client?

☐ Who will be foreman and what is his experience/background?

☐ Who will be your contact person? Ask for his number.

21

NEGOTIATE AND SIGN:

Ask for invoices of purchases and materials as records so you can keep proof of purchases for warranty .

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF:

• Impose a balance to be held until the project is completed to your satisfaction

• Due diligence: verify the contractor’s craftsmanship. Visit a project that's:

5 years old to see how the project ages. This will show any engineering/structural problems (parted surface becoming wavy due to faulty foundation, walls tipping, etc.)

3 years old to see how the project wears

1 year old to see if they follows the trends

COMPARE KEY POINTS BETWEEN CONTRACTORS:

• Previous work

• Begin and end date

• Payment terms (if attached to deliverables)

• Deposit: the initial deposit should cover the cost of materials plus a small retainer (typically does not exceed 50% of total price)

• Overall craftsmanship

• Communication

• Responsiveness/reliability

• Education (certificates)

STEP 04 / IDENTIFY YOUR CHALLENGES >

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Do a walk-around and consider things that might threaten the installation of your chosen features. Here are some ideas to overcome your design challenges:

CONSIDER EVERYTHING! SPACE. TREES & ROOTS. UTILITIES. FENCE HEIGHT.

04

GARDEN BASICS Plan for its location wherever the sun shines and near water access or irrigation.

IDENTIFY YOUR CHALLENGES

LIKE WOOD BUT NOT THE HASSLE? Consider using a wood imitation, like our Borealis collection. This splinter-free alternative has a low-maintenance advantage.

WANT A POOL BUT HAVE NO SPACE? Consider a dipping pool instead. Also, try playing with levels and bandings to separate areas in a smaller setting.

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DRAINAGE ISSUES? Permeable pavers were designed to allow for proper percolation of surface water into the ground; reducing the risk and severity of flooding, eliminating puddles, speeding up the melting process of snow, reducing winter hazards and cost-savings on de-icing salt and snow removal.

NEED SOME PRIVACY? Consider trellis or build down from your fence height into a sunken fire pit.

WHERE DO I PUT THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN? Make sure it is located near your patio door, making the back and forth from the indoor kitchen to the outdoor kitchen much easier.

WHAT KIND OF FIRE PIT SHOULD I CHOOSE? All Techo-Bloc fire pits are built in stone so they last and don’t rust. They are also designed to be converted for gas or fire wood to respect your city’s by-laws.

BUILDING A DECK? Wood rots over time and requires plenty of maintenance. Consider a raised patio instead.

STEP 05 / BREAKDOWN YOUR BUDGET >

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UNDERSTAND WHAT THINGS COST.

* Based on median market pricing ($). These prices depend on size of surface and grading. Pricing for labor also varies with local market rates

APPROXIMATE COST PACKAGES (including labor)

Feature Starting prices*

Side Walkway (paving stone without steps) $2 500 — $4 000

Patio – Sitting/dining area $5 000 — $8 000

Patio - Pool Area (Medium paver patio with larger spaces for entertaining) $9 000 — $13 000

Built-in BBQ/Kitchen/Bar (Mid-size outdoor kitchen with room for built-in BBQ) $8 000 — $10 000

Fireplace (Free-standing gas or wood-burning fireplace) $14 000 — $18 000

Fire Feature (Ready-made fire pit) $2 000

Swimming Pool (Mid-sized vinyl pool) $35 000

Pool Coping (Precast coping for an average-sized pool) $4 000 — $5 000

Pool Waterfall (Mid-sized stone wall) $4 000 — $5 000

Water Feature (Basalt columns or small pond) $4 000

Backyard Lighting (Lighting package with 15-20 LED fixtures) $2 500 — $3 000

Backyard Gardens (Small backyard with simple gardens, trees, etc.) $8 000

05BREAKDOWN YOUR BUDGET

QUICKFACT:

70-80%of your project’s cost

will be labor.

STEP 06 / PICK YOUR BUDGET BATTLES >

CHOOSE A FIRE PIT INSTEAD OF A FIREPLACE Fireplaces are significantly more expensive due to construction time and engineering requirements to comply with code whereas fire pits are a great alternative to save space and construction time.

CURVES ARE COSTLY Circular or Serpentine patterns are more expensive because they take longer to cut & build. Stick with rectangular or square designs if you’re budget is tight.

DO IT IN PHASES Talk to your contractor about prepping the site for future add-ons; plumbing, gas and electrical utilities before the paving work is done can save you time and money in the long run.

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF LEVELING THE LAND Is the slope of your land cutting away potential outdoor living space? Instead of leveling the land, consider building down into the slope (imagine steps down to an intimate fire pit or pool). This way, you can gain privacy and save your wallet.

A RAISED PATIO RAISES THE PRICE If your patio door is elevated from the ground, building a set of steps from the door to your backyard retreat will reduce construction costs and increase privacy.

06P ICK YOUR BUDGET BATTLES

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STEP 07 / CHOOSE YOUR PRODUCTS >

CHOOSING YOUR COLOR PALETTE

07CHOOSE YOUR PRODUCTS

STEP 01Match the primary

color of your landscape to the

primary color of your house.

STEP 04Bring home samples of the products that

catch your eye to see how the match with

your home.

STEP 02Select the undertones

you’d like to go with. Would you like

to add more reds, browns, beiges, grays, charcoals, or black to

your landscape?

STEP 03Go to the dealer to see the products live. Techo-bloc.com's store locator

feature is a directory to help find your local Techo-Bloc supplier.

Outdoor displays will give you ideas on the pattern and the color.

Indoor displays will give ideas in a comfortable setting with photos plus

the convenience being able to mix and match colors and textures.

SMOKED PINEHAZELNUT BRANDYSAUVIGNON OAK CHOCOLATE BROWN

GREY ONYX BLACKSHALE GREYGREYED NICKEL

HARVEST GOLDBAJA BEIGEBRAZILIAN SAND MOJAVE BEIGE

VICTORIA ROCK GARDEN BROWN AUTUMN RED RED & BLACK CHESTNUT BROWN

IVORY CORAL SANDSBEIGE CREAM

RIVIERASANDLEWOOD CHAMPLAIN GREY AZZURRO

TECHO-BLOC COLOR RANGE

1. OUR STONE PIECES ARE INSPIRED BY NATURE AND CRAFTED BY ARTISANS. Our artisans travel the world to curate the most beautiful stone pieces nature has to offer. Sculptors carve these stones to create the perfect shadows, enhancing the beauty of the stone’s textures.

2. OUR MODERN CONCRETE PRODUCTS ARE PRODUCED FOR CONSISTENT BEAUTY. They offer you natural beauty that is precise, color tones that are stable and pieces that are dimensionally consistent for superior installation.

3. WE USE ONLY THE HIGHEST GRADE INGREDIENTS THROUGHOUT EVERY STONE TO ENSURE STRENGTH AND DURABILITY. Fine aggregates create superior density compared to the subgrade coarse limestone used in competing products. This results in a finished product with much higher density, lower absorption, and incredible structural integrity for quality that lasts a lifetime.

4. WE USE FOOD INDUSTRY METHODOLOGIES FOR QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES AND RAW MATERIAL TESTING. We do stringent quality controls that set industry benchmark, surpassing ASTM, CSA & BNQ standards, one of the strictest standards in the world). We also do raw material testing for zero contaminants and consistent finesse modulus (FM). The quality control team at Techo Bloc is not just a department but involves every employee of every department. Superior quality is our way of life.

5. OUR PRODUCTS ARE ENGINEERED TO OVERCOME THE HARSHEST CLIMATE. We test our products to the freeze and thaw cycle by using saline tests rather than water tests. Techo-bloc dry-cast paving stones are de-icing salt resistant and engineered to withstand the harshest climates.

6. OUR PRODUCTS ARE DESIGNED TO CREATE SPECTACULAR LANDSCAPE DESIGN. Design aficionados at heart, we believe in style with substance. Our Techo-Bloc landscape design team works closely with our product development team to create products that push the boundaries of landscape design and set trends.

7 BENEFITS OF USING TECHO-BLOC’S PRODUCTS

7. WE OFFER LIFETIME WARRANTY.Our products are our pride and we go to great lengths to ensure that the purchase of our materials is a long-term sound investment providing enjoyment for years to come.

THE GOLDEN

RULE

NEVER COMPROMISE ON THE QUALITY OF YOUR MATERIALS.

No matter what type of project you’re looking to complete,

Concrete Hardscape products often represent as little as 20% of the

overall project costs. Take your time in hiring the right contractor, and

pick the products that look best to you, you’ll be happy you did

10 years from now.

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STEP 08 / START YOUR PROJECT >

DURING THE PROJECT, FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO AVOID SURPRISES.

08START YOUR PROJECT

TIP 04Help your contractor

respect the determined timeline by providing answers on time and

making quick, informed decisions.

TIP 01Check with your contractor

every day or two to see if the materials are what you ordered.

Catching mistakes before installation avoids

headaches, disagreements and ensures your

satisfaction.

TIP 05Touch base with your

contractor once a week to see the project’s progress.

TIP 02Verify the installation to make sure the color

distribution is not patchy and the lines/seams

between the stones run straight.

TIP 06Make sure your contractor

wraps and secures the material before leaving for the evening to avoid

damages due to bad weather conditions.

TIP 03Ask questions if

something doesn’t feel right.

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PAYATTENTIONTO DETAILS

YOU ARE YOUR BEST QUALITY CONTROL.

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PROFESSIONALSFIND CERTIFIED LOCAL OUTDOOR

AT TECHO-BLOC.COM/VILLAGE

Collect inspiration & solidify your vision by browsing our product collections.

Build your own project page.

Invite contractors to bid on your project.

Get quotes from contractors and select the right fit for the job.

get your project started andredefine the way you live.

IMAGINE.

SETUP.

INVITE.

CHOOSE.

BUILD.

techo-bloc.com/village

R E D E F I N I N G L A N D S C A P E P R O D U C T S

techo-bloc.com | 1 877-832-4625

Serving over 750 specialty landscape retailers throughout North America Visit techo-bloc.com to find the nearest one.

Request your Techo-Bloc design guide at: techo-bloc.com/collection/catalogs/

1001 landscapedesignideas