Pasadena, California
Paver Driveways & Walkways in Pasadena, CA
Driveways, walkways and turf ribbon inlays, cut and laid so the pattern still lines up at the edges. Serving Pasadena and the surrounding San Gabriel Valley.
The short answer
Yes, MKW Homes builds paver driveways and walkways here in Pasadena, and the first thing worth knowing is local. Pasadena runs its own building department, so if your driveway or front walk faces the street in a landmark or historic district, the design can go through review. Back-yard paths and interior work are usually exempt. We handle the whole job, base to joint sand.
PermitsWho signs off in Pasadena.
Permits for Pasadena go through City of Pasadena Planning & Community Development.
Local detail
Parts of Pasadena sit inside landmark districts where exterior changes visible from the street go through design review. It does not stop a project, but it changes the drawings and the schedule.
Housing stockWhat we find in Pasadena.
Craftsman bungalows, Spanish Colonial Revival and mid century post and beam, much of it built between 1900 and 1940.
Neighborhoods we work in
The buildPaver Driveways & Walkways in Pasadena.
What actually decides the price
Square footage is only the start. The base is the real driver. A driveway carries a car, so it needs a deeper compacted base than a walkway, and that means more digging and more crushed rock. Then there is haul-off of your old concrete or asphalt, any slope and drainage work, and the pattern. A busy pattern with a turf ribbon or a curved border needs more cuts, and every cut is labor. Two driveways the same size can price very differently once you count the base depth and the cuts.
Concrete, clay, or porcelain
Concrete pavers are the workhorse: strong, many shapes, easy to source and easy to repair. Clay brick holds its color for decades and suits a Craftsman or Spanish home, but it comes in fewer sizes and costs more. Porcelain is dense and sharp-edged, lovely for a modern walkway, though it wants a skilled hand on a driveway. If runoff or drainage is a worry, permeable pavers let water pass through the joints into the base instead of sheeting toward the street. Each one changes the base and the price.
The Pasadena permit reality
The City of Pasadena Planning and Community Development Department is who you deal with here, and Pasadena is stricter than most because it runs its own building department with landmark and historic districts. A street-facing driveway or front walk in one of those districts, say in Bungalow Heaven or Madison Heights, can trigger design review. A back-yard path in San Rafael usually will not. The other catch is the apron: changing your curb cut means the public right of way, a separate approval. We confirm what your address needs before we dig.
How the work goes, step by step
We excavate to the depth the load needs, then build the base in lifts, compacting each layer so it cannot settle later. We screed a bedding sand flat, lay the field pattern, then cut the edges clean at the house, the apron, and any border. Edge restraint goes in along every open side, because that is what stops the pavers drifting apart under a tire. Then we compact the whole field and sweep joint sand or polymeric sand into the joints to lock it together. Done in that order, it stays tight.
How long it takes to live through
Most driveways run a handful of days, walkways less, but the number moves with size, demolition, and drainage. Expect noise and a working site: a saw for the cuts, a plate compactor, and a pile of base rock and old concrete for a day or two. The real thing to plan for is not parking on the new driveway. You lose the drive while we work, and fresh joint sand wants a short set before a car rolls over it. We give you a straight day count on the walk, once we have seen the base and the slope.
How long it lasts and what it needs
A properly based paver driveway lasts decades, and here is its best trick over poured concrete: it is repairable. If a paver cracks or a tree root lifts a corner, we pull that unit, fix the base, and reset it, and you cannot see the repair. Concrete cannot be patched invisibly. Upkeep is light: sweep fresh joint sand into the joints every few years as it works out, and seal the surface now and then if you want the color to stay rich. That is most of it.
The mistake that sinks a driveway
Nearly every failure we get called to fix is the same thing: a base or edge problem, not a bad paver. Someone laid a driveway on a patio-thin base, or skipped the edge restraint to save a day, and a year later the pavers rock, sink in the wheel tracks, or spread apart at the sides. You cannot see the base once the job is done, which is exactly why it gets cheated. The fix is to build it right the first time and never let anyone talk you out of the deeper base a car needs.
What to ask before you hire
Ask how deep the base will be and whether it is rated for vehicles, not just how the top looks. Ask what edge restraint they use and where. Ask to see the CSLB license, ours is 1074934, and a real local driveway they built a few years back so you can see how it aged. Ask who pulls the permit and handles the apron if your curb cut changes. And ask what happens if a paver settles later. A builder who answers all of that plainly knows base work is the job.
QuestionsPaver Driveways & Walkways in Pasadena.
Do I need a permit for a paver driveway in Pasadena?
It depends on your address. Pasadena runs its own building department, and a street-facing driveway or front walk in a landmark or historic district can go through design review. Back-yard paths are usually exempt. Changing the curb cut involves the public right of way. We confirm exactly what yours needs before starting.
Are pavers better than poured concrete for a driveway?
For most Pasadena homes, yes, mainly because pavers are repairable. If one cracks or a root lifts it, we reset that unit and the fix disappears. Concrete cannot be patched invisibly and it cracks along its control joints. Pavers cost a little more up front and earn it back over the years.
Why do paver driveways sink or come apart?
Almost always the base or the edge, not the paver. A driveway carries a car, so it needs a deeper compacted base and firmer edge restraint than a walkway. Skip either and the pavers rock or spread in the wheel tracks within a year or two. Built on the right base, they stay tight for decades.
Which pavers suit a Craftsman or Spanish home?
Clay brick suits older Pasadena homes and holds its color for decades, which is why it looks right on Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival streets like Bungalow Heaven. Concrete pavers give you more shapes and cost less. On the walk we match either to your house and your district.
How long does a paver driveway take to install?
Most run a handful of days, walkways less, but size, demolition of the old surface, and any drainage work move the number. You lose use of the drive while we work, and fresh joint sand wants a short set before a car rolls over it. We give you a real day count once we have seen the site.
Can permeable pavers help with drainage or runoff rules?
Yes. Permeable pavers let rain pass through the joints into the base instead of running off toward the street, which helps where drainage or runoff matters. They need a different base built to hold and drain water, so we plan them from the start rather than swapping them in late.
See it builtReal paver driveways & walkways we finished.
ReviewsWhat clients say.
Hired Mike and his crew to redo our entire backyard and driveway. Removal of the asphalt and existing landscaping, running water lines and electrical, artificial grass, plant borders, a paver driveway, raised the patio gazebo, added a paver patio, landscaped borders, irrigation and outdoor lighting.
Teri CraftLocal Guide · 33 reviewsFrom start to finish the job was handled with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail. What stood out most was their communication. Mr. Ward kept me informed every step of the way.
Angela Adams5 reviewsMKW Homes just painted our home. We are very satisfied with the work. During the process everything was clean and organized.
Jake Baloian3 reviewsMike and his crew were great. They did a wonderful job on the stucco patching and painting, and we were very pleased with the results.
Jen B1 reviewHired Mike and his crew to redo our entire backyard and driveway. Removal of the asphalt and existing landscaping, running water lines and electrical, artificial grass, plant borders, a paver driveway, raised the patio gazebo, added a paver patio, landscaped borders, irrigation and outdoor lighting.
Teri CraftLocal Guide · 33 reviewsFrom start to finish the job was handled with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail. What stood out most was their communication. Mr. Ward kept me informed every step of the way.
Angela Adams5 reviewsMKW Homes just painted our home. We are very satisfied with the work. During the process everything was clean and organized.
Jake Baloian3 reviewsMike and his crew were great. They did a wonderful job on the stucco patching and painting, and we were very pleased with the results.
Jen B1 reviewNearby citiesPaver Driveways & Walkways near Pasadena.
Free estimatesIn Pasadena.
Michael usually gets to the property the same week.