How European Paver Roads, Patios & Courtyards Last? Our Legacy Method

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    A Chance Meeting and A Question

    We’re known for our own construction process called “The Legacy Method”, but we’ve never shared how and why we build the way we do. Our clients benefit from “The Legacy Method” because they have the peace of mind of a project crafted correctly the first time. We’d like to tell the story of how we created a hardscape construction process that results in a craftsmanship and longevity that is unmatched. Literally.

    Several years ago, as a young college student, I met a couple gentleman at a national educational event in Louisville, KY. It was the ANLA management clinic and I attended to learn from some of the most “cutting-edge” educators of the time.

    During dinner, I was seated at a table with a group of strangers, who I noticed, had accents. Unbeknownst to me, I was eating dinner with the European Landscape Contractor Association’s President and Vice-President. Their names were Antionne Berger and Nicco Wissing.

    We visited about the differences between how landscape and hardscape elements are created in America versus how they’re created in Europe.

    “Why Do European Paver Roads, Patios, and Courtyards Last for decades, but they fall apart after a few short years in America?”, I asked.

    Although I didn’t know it yet, their answer was a turning point in my future career.

    They explained that things are done differently in Europe because they are EXPECTED to last. It is simply unacceptable to build things by cutting corners. They don’t believe gardens and patios/paths/drives are disposable.

    I grappled with this information and the unsaid opposite, which was: “Much of what is built in America isn’t created with the same standards”. It’s rare to find decades old patios or brick projects here. In Kansas City, I often find patios less than FIVE YEARS OLD that are already settling or separating.

    This sent me on a mission to discover the differences of how patios are built to last in Europe and how I could improve that process to accommodate our clay soils of Kansas City.

    The Legacy Method is Born

    Over the next few years, I relied on their information, the experience of a local contractor, and extensive research to understand how things are constructed differently in Europe. Once I was clear on that, we took things a step further and consulted with soil scientists to understand how we could strengthen those processes to handle our clay soils. (Clay soils shrink and swell significantly, and can make any pavement, concrete, or asphalt crack, settling, or separate.)

    We took the lasting construction methods from the European style and combined it with the stabilizing methods needed from the soil science side and created our own construction process: The Legacy Method.

    Nobody Builds Like We Do

    The result of “The Legacy Method” is a patio or driveway that withstands the test of time better than concrete, asphalt, or conventionally built paver patios/drives. “The Legacy Method” provides people the peace of mind that comes from doing things right the first time and protecting their investment with longevity and style. Since we created the process, nobody else provides the same quality.

    Not the Cheapest, But the Best

    Dollar for dollar, “The Legacy Method” will be a larger initial investment due to the deeper base, double re-enforced edge, and additional materials. However, the investment provides more value over time because it lasts for decades. This process is recommended for people who intend to use and enjoy their spaces for years and don’t want to have to redo the space every five or so years. If you’re not intending to use the space that long, or won’t be in the home that long, this process may not be for you. It’s intended for people who value craftsmanship, spending wisely by doing things right the first time, and those who don’t skimp on quality. There is no other process on this continent created to provide more longevity and value.

    If you’re someone who values craftsmanship and spending wisely over the long-term give us a call today to help with your patio, courtyard, driveway, or path.

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    About The Author

    Robyn is a 2009 Graduate of the Kansas State University Department of Horticulture. She grew up in South East Kansas where she graduated from Humboldt High School. She was a Kansas State University Leadership Scholar and President of the Horticulture Club. She married Bret in 2009 and they have a daughter Ellie, born in 2021. Their family is completed by three adopted dogs.

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