Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
CGI Driveway & Pavers: The Houston Owner’s Guide
We stock and install CGI-compatible driveway and paver components throughout Houston, and a typical paver driveway installation runs $7,000 to $18,000 depending on square footage, base prep, and drainage work. Most Houston owners discover they need a new part the way the driveway tells them: a paver sinks near the garage apron after heavy rain, or a section of the border row shifts and leaves a gap that catches the car tire. The written price comes before any work starts, so you’ll know the number before a single paver is lifted.
CGI manufactures concrete pavers and driveway-compatible slab systems built for climate stress, and Houston’s clay soil plus summer heat plus sudden downpours tests every layer of that system. What fails here is rarely the paver itself. It’s usually what’s underneath: the sand bed, the edge restraint, or a base that was never compacted for our soil.
Which CGI Models This Applies To
CGI’s driveway and paver lines include interlocking concrete pavers in multiple thicknesses and finishes, with the 60mm and 80mm units being the ones Houston driveways actually need when vehicles park on them. Thinner paver profiles are meant for foot traffic and get crushed under repeated vehicle weight on a Houston clay base. The compatibility gotcha to check is the paver thickness stamped or printed on the pallet label; if you’re replacing a section, matching thickness is non-negotiable because a thin paver next to a thick paver creates a trip edge and a stress point.
We match OEM CGI pavers where the original product line is still available, and for discontinued lines we work with quality aftermarket equivalents that match the dimensions, color range, and compressive strength. Elmstead Remodeling Houston is an independent service provider, not affiliated with CGI. We also work with named-brand materials from KraftMaid, Cambria, and Silestone on interior projects, but for the driveway, the priority is matching what’s already laid so the repair blends in.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your CGI Driveway & Pavers Is Failing
- Pavers sinking or dipping near the garage apron. Houston’s clay soil expands and contracts with moisture, and if the base was not compacted with that movement in mind, it settles unevenly. Water pools in the low spot, which accelerates the problem.
- Border pavers spreading outward. The edge restraint has failed or was never installed correctly. Once the edge lets go, the whole field can shift one paver at a time until the driveway looks like it’s crawling toward the lawn.
- Sand washing out between joints after rain. Houston downpours are sudden and heavy. If the joint sand keeps disappearing, water is getting under the pavers, and the base is eroding from below.
- A single cracked or chipped paver in a traffic path. Usually impact damage or a point load issue, like a car parked with weight concentrated on one wheel. One bad paver can be swapped, but if cracks multiply, the base is flexing.
- White haze or surface flaking on the pavers. Houston’s heat and humidity accelerate efflorescence and surface wear on pavers that were not sealed or were sealed with the wrong product for this climate.
See the difference
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After
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After
Before
AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
A full CGI paver driveway installation in Houston runs $7,000 to $18,000. A partial repair, where we lift a settled section and recompact the base, typically comes in at the lower end of that range depending on square footage. A full replacement with new base material, edge restraint, sand, and matching pavers trends toward the higher end. The two variables that move the price most are the amount of base excavation needed and whether drainage work, like a channel drain or regraded slope, has to be added to stop the same failure from returning.
Every quote is a written price before work starts. That price includes the parts, the labor, the base work, shoe covers and drop cloths where our crew walks through the house, and a photo of the clean-up before we leave. Graham Stein has been managing Houston-area projects from Meyerland kitchens to garage conversions near the Energy Corridor, and the standard on our job sites is simple: a written scope before a tool comes out of the truck, and no surprises at the end of the day.
DIY or Call Us?
There are a few things a Houston homeowner can safely check before calling anyone. Look at whether the edge restraint is visible at the border of the driveway. If it’s popped out or missing, the paver movement is a structural issue, not cosmetic. Check whether water drains away from the garage or toward it after a hard rain. Those observations are useful to us when we come out, and they cost you nothing.
What we would not attempt as a DIY repair is lifting and recompacting a settled section. The pavers themselves are heavy, and the real work is underneath: getting the base to the right depth and density for Houston’s clay soil. If the base is wrong, you’ll redo the same repair in two years. Our crew brings the plate compactor, the right base material, and the written price for the whole job, not just the visible part. Call (254) 272-5240 and we’ll take a look.
FAQs
With a properly compacted base and edge restraint, CGI concrete pavers on a Houston driveway typically last 25 to 30 years before major base work is needed, though surface sealing may need refresh every 3 to 5 years in our heat and humidity. The pavers outlast the base in most cases. Call (254) 272-5240 and we’ll tell you exactly what’s failing on your driveway.
A single cracked paver can be swapped if the crack is isolated, but if multiple pavers are cracking in the same area, the base is moving and a patch will fail again. We’ll tell you which situation you have after we look at it. Estimates are free at (254) 272-5240.
A small settled section repair typically takes one to two days including base recompaction and paver reset. A full driveway replacement usually runs three to five working days depending on access and drainage work. We’ll give you a written timeline with your written price.
We keep common CGI-compatible paver profiles and colors on hand for repair work, and we order discontinued or specific color lots when matching an existing driveway exactly. Either way, the price is set before we start. Call (254) 272-5240 to schedule your free estimate.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner, Elmstead Remodeling Houston at Elmstead Remodeling Houston, serving Houston and nearby areas.
