[mattattax]

My wife and I are taking the advice of this forum and having our patio professionally installed. We are not picky about any of the color (some kind of tan) or size (190-250 sq. ft.) of our patio. We simply know that we want a flagstone or random stone pattern.

We have about $3000 to spend but everyone we've talked to about pavers here in Houston does a minimum square footage that is far out of our price range. It's like pulling teeth to have someone come out and talk to us about our patio. I'm about to just call the concrete company out here and get a stamped patio.

1. Can someone recommend anyone in the Houston area for a 190 - 250 sq. ft. job? (flagstone or random stone pavers)

2. Which is better and why: mortared flagstone or stone set in sand/gravel?

Any and all help is appreciated as we are about to settle and one should never settle when spending a few grand.

[stonebear]

Are they not returning your calls, or are they just not interested in a "small job"? (Not small in my book).

We recently quoted a job for a flagstone patio and to me personally, it is a matter of personal preference, cost and safety.

Flagstone set in mortar can cost almost twice as much as stone set in sand due to the additional labor from a mason.

Safety - certainly the mortared stones aren't going anywhere. The main objection our client had with the sand bedding was the potential of a chair leg / shoe heel catching in a joint. Generally, it shouldn't be that much of an issue, but if in doubt, we try to err on the side of caution.

Hope you find someone who knows what they're doing.

[Forge]

Too bad I am 2k miles away...

[mattattax]

Most are not interested in a "small job." A couple places did not call us back and it's very frustrating. The stamped concrete guy said he could do 250-300 sq. ft. for under $2500. I would much rather have flagstone but it looks like we're gonna have to settle.

[stoneridge]

With your budget, I think you would be better off with the stamped concrete. I would be very skeptical of the quality of work that $3000 could get you with natural stone.

[LandArts]

A couple of things to consider with stamped concrete are 1) the skill of the installer and 2) when it cracks the illusion of the stamped effect will be ruined. Paver-on-sand is a nice option. Mid-range price, looks nice, easily repaired or added on to.

[Lanelle]

Look in your community newspaper for smaller, local companies who won't have to travel far and may be willing to do smaller jobs. Of course you will have to be diligent regarding their expertise and dedication to quality.
The main problem that I see is that you want to spend about $15/s.f. and in many areas, that won't afford natural stone.
You should be able to get concrete interlocking pavers for that price.
Good luck and keep looking.