Resources

Congratulations on choosing to add a professionally designed and installed outdoor living space to your home!

At Penn Stone we work closely with many local hardscaping designers and contractors, and can guide you to the best local professional for your project.

Start by contacting us to request a list of recommended professionals for your project. Select two or three professionals from this list, and schedule an appointment with them. We encourage landscape contractors to be prompt when replying to prospective clients. During the spring and summer months, many landscape contractors get extremely busy, but you should expect a return call within 48 hours.

At your initial appointment, discuss the goals for your project and ask some of our suggested questions below. It’s also a good idea to share your budget at this time, to avoid discovering later that their design costs more than you are prepared to invest.

General information questions

• How long has your company been in business?
• How many years experience do you have installing hardscaping?

Questions about your potential project

• Is the size and scope of our project the kind of work you specialize in?
• How many people will be working on our project?
• Will you perform all work with your own employees?
• When are you able to start?
• How long will our project last?
• Do you usually finish projects on schedule?
• How will you enter and exit our property?
• Can you describe your routine when you finish working at our house each day
• Can you supply me with references to past projects and satisfied clients
• What guarantee or warranty do you provide on your work?

Other important questions

• Are you a registered Home Improvement Contractor in Pennsylvania?
• Do you carry liability insurance?
• Do you carry workers compensation insurance?
• What industry training have you or members of your team participated in?

As you talk with the contractors you’re considering, listen carefully to get a feel for your confidence in their expertise and your level of comfort with each company. These should be the most important factors you consider. You are making a significant investment in your home, and the company you select will be working at your home for many days or weeks, and it is critical to hire someone you trust and feel comfortable talking to.

If the proposal from the company you like best exceeds your budget, tell them this, and ask if there are changes that they can recommend to reduce the cost – most contractors will welcome this conversation, and can often make suggestions for ways to make a project more affordable.

At the end of this process, hopefully you will find a company that you will be excited to work with, and can start work on creating your new outdoor living space!

Installation Information

Hardscaping Installation Guides

Click the link above for EP Henry’s Technical Installation Guide with information on proper techniques for installing concrete pavers and constructing retaining walls.

Click the link above for the Brick Institute’s Clay Paver Installation Guide

Click the link above for Unilock’s Natural Flagstone Installation Guide

Click the link above for Unilock’s Porcelain Landscape Tile Installation Guide

Catalog & Literature Download

Hardscaping Catalogs

Click the link above to download EP Henry’s 2018 Hardscaping Catalog

Click the link above to download Unilock’s 2018 Hardscaping Catalog

Outdoor Furniture Catalogs

Click the link above to download Brown Jordan’s 2018 Outdoor Furniture Catalog

Click the link above to download Gloster’s 2018 Outdoor Furniture Catalog

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you install the products you sell?  No, we do not – we work closely with many local construction professionals, and welcome the opportunity to recommend several of these companies to help you find the right contractor for your project.