In a fictional spring cleanup, Amira sweeps water away from the back door after every rain. She blames the open paver joints and orders more jointing sand. The next storm leaves the same puddle, now beside very handsome joints.
Watch where water starts and where it ends
Observe from a safe spot during rain. Is water falling directly onto the patio, arriving from a downspout, spilling from a gutter, or crossing from higher ground? Mark the pooling area and photograph it after the storm. A repair needs to address the source and destination, not only the lowest visible spot.
The federal property-grading guide recommends directing water away from the home and notes that paved surfaces may need different slopes from soil. It calls for professional advice and local-rule checks before changes. A number copied from a lawn-grading diagram is not automatically your patio specification.
A drain needs an approved destination
| Proposed fix | The question it must answer |
|---|---|
| Relay the patio | Can the finished surface drain while preserving door, siding, and masonry clearances? |
| Add a channel drain | Where does it discharge, and how will it be maintained through debris and freezing conditions? |
| Adjust a downspout | Does the new route reach a suitable drainage area without affecting neighbours or walkways? |
| Add jointing material | Is the actual problem joint condition, or is the whole surface pitched incorrectly? |
Avoid raising paving against cladding, blocking drainage openings, or creating a new low point at a basement window. Site constraints may require a designed drainage solution rather than simply adding height at the wall. Arrange utility locates and check private services before excavation.
Scope the base, not just the pretty surface
If settlement caused the slope, ask what the assessment says about the base and underlying conditions. Relaying the same pavers without addressing the reason they moved can repeat the problem. Have the quote separate surface reuse, base correction, drainage, and any wall-side repairs.
Amira's fictional fix reuses most pavers but needs more base work than expected. The patio is unavailable for a weekend gathering, and the borrowed folding table goes on the lawn. The useful result is less exciting than new stone: after rain, the water has somewhere else to go.
Check utility locates before digging, overflowing gutters, and basement moisture before finishing.
