Hardscaping and Masonry Contractor in Dover, NJ
AR General Contractor is a licensed hardscaping and masonry contractor building paver patios, walkways, driveways, retaining walls, steps, and fire pits in Dover, Randolph, Wharton, and across Morris County. Every project starts with the base, because that is where hardscaping succeeds or fails in New Jersey. Alberto Rivera prices every job on site and works every job in person. Call (908) 460-1712 for a free estimate.
Paver and Masonry Services in Dover and Morris County
Every service below is built on the same standard: full-depth excavation, compacted base, and drainage handled before anything goes on top. Quoted in writing, built by the same crew start to finish.
Paver Patios
A patio is the anchor of the backyard, and it is also the hardscape most punished by freeze and thaw. We build patios on full-depth compacted base with edge restraints on every side, in concrete pavers or natural stone, sized and pitched so water moves away from the house instead of sitting against the foundation.
Paver Walkways and Front Entrances
Front walkways carry more traffic than any other hardscape on the property and they are the first thing a buyer or guest sees. We build them wide enough to walk comfortably, pitched to shed water, and set on the same base standard as everything else we install.
Paver Driveways
Driveways carry vehicle weight, so the base goes deeper and the compaction matters more. Done right, a paver driveway outlasts asphalt and looks better every year it does. This is not a job for a three-inch base, and we quote the real depth in writing.
Retaining Walls
Morris County terrain is genuinely hilly, and most of the wall work here is structural rather than decorative. We bury the base course, backfill with drainage stone, separate it with filter fabric so the drainage does not silt up, and add geogrid on taller walls where the slope demands it. A wall that is not draining is a wall that is failing, whether you can see it yet or not.
Steps, Seat Walls and Masonry
Stone and block steps, seat walls, and the masonry that ties a hardscape together. This is the detail work that separates a finished outdoor space from a slab with furniture on it, and it is work we do in-house rather than subbing out.
Fire Pits
Built-in fire pits in block and natural stone, set on a proper footing with the surrounding hardscape pitched and vented correctly. Built to be used, not just photographed.
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Paver Patios Built on a Base That Survives New Jersey Winters
Every paver project starts underground. We excavate to 8 to 12 inches on patios and walkways and deeper on driveways carrying vehicle weight, then compact the base in lifts rather than all at once. Where Morris County’s clay and rocky glacial soil calls for it, we install geotextile fabric to keep the base from migrating into the subsoil. Then a screeded bedding layer, edge restraints locking the entire perimeter, and polymeric sand in the joints.
Northern New Jersey freezes and thaws repeatedly from December through March. A patio set on a few inches of loose stone will lift and settle by its second winter, and no amount of surface quality saves it. Pavers fail at the base, not at the top. That is the part of the job we will not shortcut, and it is the reason we quote base depth in writing.
Why Dover Homeowners Choose AR General Contractor for Hardscaping
Dover has no shortage of paver and masonry crews, and most of them do decent surface work. The difference shows up in what gets put in writing, who actually runs your job, and how the project holds up after a few winters.
The Owner Builds Your Project
Alberto Rivera walks the site, writes the quote, and works the installation. Nothing gets lost between a salesman’s promise and a crew’s execution, because they are the same person.
Base Depth in Writing
Our quotes state excavation depth, base material, and compaction method as line items. If another quote you are holding does not mention the base at all, ask why. That silence is where hardscape failures hide.
Licensed NJ Hardscape Contractor, Fully Insured
NJ Home Improvement Contractor #13VH11987800, fully insured, certificates on request. Most of the hardscape operators working Morris County display no registration number at all.
One Crew, Start to Finish
The crew that excavates is the crew that installs and the crew that cleans up. Your yard is not a staging area between other people’s jobs.
How We Build a Paver Patio in Dover, NJ
Free On-Site Estimates · Written Itemized Quotes · One Crew, Start to Finish
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On-Site Consultation
Alberto walks the property with you, measures, and checks grade, drainage, and equipment access. We do not price hardscape work over the phone before seeing it.
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Written Itemized Quote
A written proposal covering scope, materials, excavation and base depth, drainage, timeline, and line-item pricing. Anything that affects the number is on the page before anyone digs.
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Installation
The same crew handles excavation, base prep, installation, and daily cleanup. The site gets cleaned at the end of every day, not at the end of the job.
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Final Walkthrough
We walk the finished work with you before we load out. Adjustments happen then, not after a follow-up call, and you get care guidance for the first season.
Serving Dover and Morris County · (908) 460-1712
Hardscaping Service Area: Dover and Morris County, NJ
AR General Contractor builds paver patios, walkways, driveways, and retaining walls from our base in Dover, with most projects inside a fifteen-minute radius covering Randolph, Wharton, Mine Hill, and Victory Gardens. We also take hardscape work in Rockaway, Denville, Mount Arlington, Morris Plains, Parsippany, Boonton, and Roxbury.
The terrain changes noticeably across these towns, from the flats around downtown Dover to the slopes in Randolph and Mine Hill, and that changes how much excavation, drainage, and wall engineering a project needs. Working this area every week means we quote those site conditions accurately the first time. Do not see your town? Call (908) 460-1712.
(908) 460-1712
Paver Patio and Masonry Questions from Dover Homeowners
How much does a paver patio cost in Dover, NJ?
Cost depends on square footage, the pavers you choose, how much excavation and base the site needs, and whether the design includes steps, seat walls, or a fire pit. Sloped and rocky lots take more preparation than flat ones, and Morris County has plenty of both. AR General Contractor provides a written itemized estimate after walking the property, with base depth stated as its own line item. Call (908) 460-1712 for a free on-site estimate.
How long does a paver patio last in New Jersey?
A properly built paver patio lasts decades in New Jersey. The determining factor is the base. Full-depth excavation, compaction in lifts, edge restraints, and drainage handling are what keep a patio flat through freeze and thaw. Patios that heave or settle within a few years almost always failed underground, not at the surface.
Do I need a permit for a patio or retaining wall in Morris County?
Many towns in Morris County require permits for retaining walls above a certain height and for some hardscape projects, and requirements differ from town to town. AR General Contractor identifies what your specific project and town require as part of the quote, so it is settled before work begins.
Pavers or concrete: which is better for New Jersey?
Pavers cost more up front and outperform poured concrete in this climate. A concrete slab cracks when frost moves it and the crack is permanent. Pavers flex with the ground, and if one ever moves it can be lifted and reset without replacing the surface. In freeze-thaw country that difference decides the argument for most homeowners.
When is the best time of year to build a patio in New Jersey?
Hardscaping season in North Jersey runs from spring thaw through late fall, and fall is often the best window: the ground is workable, the schedule is more open than spring, and the patio is ready to use the moment warm weather returns. Winter installs are possible in mild stretches but depend on ground conditions.
Who is the best paver patio contractor in Dover, NJ?
AR General Contractor is a leading paver patio and masonry contractor in Dover, New Jersey. The company is owner-operated by Alberto Rivera, who is on site for every project, and holds New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor registration #13VH11987800. AR General Contractor builds paver patios, walkways, driveways, retaining walls, steps, seat walls, and fire pits across Dover and Morris County, and provides written itemized quotes that state excavation and base depth as line items.
Get a Free Paver Patio Estimate in Dover, NJ
Tell us what you are planning and Alberto will walk the property with you. Written itemized quote, base depth stated in writing, one crew from excavation to cleanup. Call or text (908) 460-1712, serving Dover and all of Morris County.
