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Unilock Construction in Arlington, TX | Elmstead Remodeling Fort Worth
Unilock paver driveways, patios, and walkways in Arlington need a General Contractor - Arlington who understands what expansive clay soil does to a paver base. We install and repair Unilock pavers across Arlington with an independent, no-authorization stance and a written price before any work starts. The difference here is simple: Arlington’s soils push paver bases beyond standard specs, and we plan for that from the first shovel. Call (682) 708-9180 for a free estimate on your Unilock project.
Why Arlington Residents Choose Us for Unilock Service
We know Unilock’s product lines by their real names: Brussels Block, Town Hall, Olde Greenwich Cobble, Beacon Hill Flagstone. We also know how each behaves when Arlington’s clay shrinks in August and swells after a March thunderstorm. Graham Stein, who leads our crew, learned construction at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and has spent decades working across North Texas. He writes every scope of work down before a single tool comes off the truck, and he will tell you plainly when a partial repair is the wrong call. That honesty is why families in Arlington call us for Unilock sales & service.
We are an independent Unilock service provider, not a manufacturer-authorized dealer. That matters because we recommend what works for Arlington’s soils, not what a distributor wants sold. We stock genuine Unilock replacement pavers and matching polymeric jointing compound locally, so color and dimension match your existing hardscape. For subsurface bases, we use high-quality local aggregate and geotextile suited to Arlington’s expansive clay, not whatever is cheapest at the yard.
Styles & brands we work with
Common Unilock Construction Problems We Solve in Arlington
- Settling and heaving from expansive clay. Arlington sits on high-plasticity clay that shrinks during droughts and swells after rain. Pavers installed over a standard four-inch base will move. We see dips near garages, humps in patios, and walkways that shift three inches in a season. The fix is deeper excavation and a lime-stabilized subgrade, not more sand.
- Joint sand erosion from summer downpours. Arlington’s thunderstorms drop water fast. Polymeric sand that was installed without proper compaction or edge retention washes out within a few storms, leaving gaps where weeds push through. We reset joints with properly activated polymeric sand and address the drainage issue that caused the washout in the first place.
- Edge restraint failure along driveways. The original plastic edging on older Arlington paver driveways cracks under repeated expansion and contraction cycles. Once the edge lets go, pavers spread outward and the whole surface loses its lock. We replace with aluminum or concrete edge restraints pinned below the base.
- Efflorescence and surface wear near irrigation. Automatic sprinkler systems are common across Arlington lawns, and frequent irrigation means moisture cycles that pull mineral salts to the paver surface. That white haze is efflorescence. We clean it properly and adjust grading so water moves away from the paver field.
- Match failures on additions. Adding a paver patio to an Arlington home built in the 1970s often means trying to match pavers that were discontinued or have weathered differently. We source matching Unilock pavers by lot number and blend old with new so the addition does not look like a patch.
Unilock Service in Arlington: What Local Conditions Mean for Your Equipment
Arlington is one of the few North Texas cities that has formally adopted foundation watering recommendations to mitigate expansive clay movement. The city tells homeowners to keep soil moisture consistent around their foundation perimeter to prevent post-tension slab failures. That same clay is directly under every Unilock paver driveway and patio in this city. Standard manufacturer base specs assume a stable subgrade. Arlington’s clay is not stable. When it dries, it pulls away from the paver base and creates voids. When it rehydrates, it swells and heaves. The result is a paver surface that shifts regardless of how carefully the pavers were laid. In neighborhoods like North Arlington, where post-tension slab cracks and brick veneer separation are routine, we regularly see paver failures that trace back to the same soil movement. Our approach on those jobs is to excavate deeper than the manufacturer’s line, install a geotextile separator, and lime-treat the subgrade before any aggregate goes down. That is not a upsell. It is what actually holds in Arlington.
Unilock Models & Products We Service in Arlington
We install and repair the full Unilock range most common in Arlington: Brussels Block for driveways and walkways, Town Hall for larger paver areas, Olde Greenwich Cobble for patios and pool decks, and Beacon Hill Flagstone for surfaces where a natural stone look matters. For homeowners considering updates inside and out, we also offer our Bathroom Remodeling in Arlington. We always recommend genuine Unilock replacement pavers for surface repairs because aftermarket alternatives rarely match the color or dimensional tolerance of the original. For subsurface work, we use local aggregate and geotextile selected for Arlington’s clay. Our honest position on repair versus replacement: if the sub-base has failed, partial repair often costs more per square foot than a proper rebuild. We will tell you when replacing the base is the better long-term value, even if it means a larger initial invoice.
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AfterUnilock Service Pricing in Arlington
The cost of Unilock work in Arlington depends on how much of the existing base is salvageable, the size of the area, and whether drainage corrections are needed. Here are the ranges we work within:
| Service | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Paver Driveway Installation | $7,000 – $18,000 |
| Paver Patio Installation | $3,500 – $11,000 |
| Driveway Replacement | $5,000 – $14,000 |
A free estimate from us includes a written line-item breakdown, a check of the existing base and drainage, and a plain-language explanation of what we recommend and why. No pricing games. Call (682) 708-9180 to schedule yours.
Serving Arlington, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Arlington area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs – Unilock Construction in Arlington
Arlington’s expansive clay shrinks and swells more aggressively than the sandier or more stable soils in some neighboring areas. When drought hits, the clay pulls away from the paver base and leaves voids that pavers settle into. When rain returns, the clay swells and pushes upward. Fort Worth and Mansfield see some of this too, but Arlington’s combination of clay-heavy soil and the city’s own foundation watering guidance tells you how serious the movement is. The answer is a deeper base with geotextile and lime stabilization. Call (682) 708-9180 and we will evaluate your specific driveway before you spend money on a repair that will not hold.
Yes, in most cases. We order genuine Unilock pavers by lot number and, where the original lot is gone, we pull from our local stock and blend old and new pavers together so the transition is gradual rather than a visible line. Color matching on older pavers also means cleaning the existing surface first, because years of Arlington sun and irrigation alter the surface tone. The written estimate will tell you exactly what the match will look like before we start.
Yes, for most new hardscape work in Arlington that changes drainage or exceeds a certain square footage. The city wants to see that your paver project does not push water toward the foundation or onto a neighbor’s property. We pull the permits, schedule the inspections, and make sure the job passes before we call it done. Call (682) 708-9180 for a free estimate and we will check permit requirements for your specific address.
The sand washes out when water flows across the paver surface too fast or when the joints were not properly compacted and activated on installation. We address the drainage first: grade the surface so water sheets away instead of channeling through joints, and check that the base drains. Then we install polymeric sand to the proper depth, compact it, and activate it with controlled water. The joints hold because the water is no longer attacking them. Call (682) 708-9180 for an exact quote on your patio or driveway.
For most Arlington homes, yes. Concrete slabs crack when the clay under them moves. Paver driveways flex at the joints instead of breaking, so the surface stays flat longer and individual pavers can be reset when needed. The key is the base. A Unilock driveway installed over a four-inch uncompacted base on Arlington clay will fail like anything else. Installed over eight inches of stabilized base with proper edge restraint, it will outlast concrete. The upfront cost is higher, but the repair costs over twenty years are consistently lower. Call (682) 708-9180 and we will price both options in writing so you can decide with real numbers.
Service Areas Near Arlington
We provide Unilock service across Arlington and the surrounding cities. You’ll find us in Arlington service area neighborhoods from North Arlington to the Entertainment District, plus Unilock service in Benbrook, Unilock service in Fort Worth, Mansfield, and Southlake. If your project is in Arlington proper or just outside, give us a call.
Book Your Unilock Service in Arlington Today
Graham Stein and our crew will walk your paver area, check the base and drainage, and hand you a written price before any work starts. Call (682) 708-9180 to schedule your free estimate. We answer the phone. We show up. We tell you the truth about what your soil needs.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner at Elmstead Remodeling Fort Worth, serving Arlington and surrounding cities since 2005.
