Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Why Houston Homeowners Choose Unilock Construction
We provide Unilock repair in Houston as an independent construction service – hardscape repair and installation for Brussels Block, Richcliff, Hollandstone, and Estate Wall systems without factory authorization, just field-tested diagnostics and compatible materials matched to each job. Houston’s expansive clay soils, flash flooding, and year-round humidity punish paver systems, and most failures we repair trace back to the base beneath the stones, not the stones themselves. That is the work we do: pull up the surface, fix the drainage and compaction layer properly, reset the pavers so they stay put through a cycle of Houston summers.
Elmstead Remodeling Houston is an independent Unilock service provider, not an authorized Unilock dealer. That matters because it means our recommendations are driven by what repairs hold up in local soil conditions, not by what a manufacturer inventory sheet says to promote. If you are looking for honest Unilock repair, replacement, or new installation across Houston – and a written price before any tool leaves the truck – call (254) 272-5240 to set up a free estimate.
Why Trust Elmstead Remodeling Houston for Your Unilock Construction?
Our crews have rebuilt Unilock paver failures across Houston’s clay-heavy neighborhoods for years – from Brussels Block driveways that drifted apart in Meyerland to Richcliff patios flooded by Brays Bayou overflows. Graham Stein, the owner, brought hands-on trade training from Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and nearly two decades of running crews across Southern California before taking on Houston work from Meyerland kitchens to garage conversions near the Energy Corridor. He has seen how clay soil moves under a paver base, and he runs the kind of site where drop cloths go down before cutting starts and a written scope is on the table before any work begins. “A written price and a covered floor before any work begins – that is where the trust starts.”
Every Unilock service call gets the same treatment: shoe covers at the door, quiet tools during rest hours where possible, and pet-safe product choices where available. We document the clean-up with a photo before the crew leaves. And because every project falls under our 365-Day Done Right Promise, if something shifts or settles in the year after we finish, we make it right – no charge, no argument.
Styles & brands we work with
Common Unilock Construction Problems We Fix in Houston
- Paver driveway edge drift and gap widening – Brussels Block. The most common call we get in Houston. The original install either omitted edge restraints or used weak plastic edging that separated from the compacted base. Once the restraint fails, the outer rows of Brussels Block begin to drift outward with vehicle load and clay heave cycles. We fix this by pulling the border rows, installing aluminum or steel restraint staked into the base, and resetting the pattern tight to the edge so the whole driveway structural unit works as one plane.
- Polymeric sand washout from paver joints – Richcliff patios. Houston’s stormwater hits hard and fast. The sand between Richcliff joints washes out when the drainage pitch underneath is not carrying water away quickly enough. Weeds move in, stones loosen, and eventually the base erodes from water intrusion. We remove the remaining sand, check the base grade, and re-apply polymeric sand only after the underlying drainage is corrected – otherwise it just washes out again next storm season.
- Efflorescence blooming across Hollandstone pavers. White chalky residue on Hollandstone is efflorescence – a salt deposit pushed upward by moisture migrating through the paver. In Houston’s high humidity and clay conditions, it is usually a sign of too much moisture trapped beneath the paver bed. We identify the water source, address the drainage issue, and clean or treat the surface so the bloom does not immediately return. If the source is uncorrected, every treatment is temporary.
- Retaining wall cracking and bond-line separation – Estate Wall. Estate Wall blocks crack or separate at the bond line when the wall was built without proper geogrid layering, without adequate drainage rock or weep holes, or without enough burial for the bottom course. In Houston, clay expansion and heavy rain both push on retaining walls hard. We need to see the back of the wall and the drainage pattern before recommending any fix; surface repair that does not address the hydrostatic pressure will fail again.
- Sunken paver areas and standing-water pooling on driveways and patios. Houston’s clay soils shrink and swell with every drought-to-soak cycle. Without adequate base depth – ideally 6-8 inches of crushed limestone compacted in lifts – the pavers follow the movement and develop low spots that trap water after every rain. We lift the affected section, re-cut and re-compact the base, re-set the pavers on fresh bedding sand, then match the joints with the correct sand. A low spot is never fixed by sand alone; the base is always the actual problem.
Unilock Parts & Our Repair-vs-Replace Approach
We use genuine Unilock pavers and compatible polymeric sand for structural repairs whenever a paver is being removed and reset or replaced. For the accessory materials – geotextile fabric, edge restraints, bedding sand – we use quality aftermarket products selected for Houston’s soil and drainage conditions. Factory accessory lines change or get discontinued, and the aftermarket alternatives we use are often the better-specified product for local clay and flood conditions anyway.
On the repair-vs-replace decision, we will not patch what should be re-laid. If a Brussels Block driveway shows extensive sun-fade across the entire surface, or freeze-thaw spalling has degraded a wide area, piecemeal replacement leaves a mix of old and new color that looks worse than the original problem. In those cases we recommend a full section re-lay over the existing base if it is structurally sound, or a new base if it is not. We would rather explain an honest recommendation than sell a repair that will be visibly wrong in six months. If you have questions about which path fits your project, call (254) 272-5240 and we will walk you through it.
Our Unilock Service Process – Step by Step
- 1
Diagnosis on site. We walk the entire paver area, check edge restraints, test compaction, inspect the drainage path, and look for water pooling or low points. We identify whether the issue is the setting bed, the base, the edges, or the drainage – usually it is more than one. This is where Unilock-specific experience matters: we know what Brussels Block installations from the 2010s tend to fail on, and what 2000s Richcliff patios often lacked.
- 2
Written scope and price before work begins. After diagnosis, you get a written line-item price for the repair or installation. No crew arrives with a tool before you have the number in writing. If the work involves moving furniture, plants, or outdoor fixtures, we ask first.
- 3
Repair or installation. We pull the affected pavers, re-cut and re-compact the base as needed, set geotextile where the soil conditions call for it, re-bed, and re-set the pavers. Edge restraints get installed or replaced. Polymeric sand is applied, swept, and activated. For retaining wall work, we address drainage and geogrid at the same time – structural walls are repaired as structural systems, not as cosmetic block work.
- 4
Clean-up and photo documentation. Before the crew leaves, we document the clean-up with a photo – proof the site was left the way we said it would be. That is standard on every job, not an optional add-on.
- 5
365-Day Done Right Promise. Every Unilock service we perform is backed by our promise: if it is not done right after the job is complete, we make it right for a full year. If a paver settles or a joint opens in that window, you call us and we return.
See the difference
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AfterUnilock Products We Service & Install in Houston
Our crews work across the Unilock product families most common in Houston hardscaping: Brussels Block driveways and walkways, Richcliff patios and pool surrounds in both the standard and XL formats, Hollandstone paths and small hardscape sections, and Estate Wall retaining walls and low garden walls. We service both existing installations in need of repair and new projects where the base, drainage, and restraint details will be built right from day one. We keep a rolling stock of common Unilock pavers, polymeric sand, edge restraints, and geotextile fabric so most repairs do not wait on a special order. For specific color matches on older discontinued lines, we work with local Unilock distributors to find the closest available match.
We Also Service These Brands
Hardscape work often sits alongside other remodeling needs, and Elmstead Remodeling Houston offers General Contractor services as a full remodeling contractor, not a single-brand specialist. We also install and service KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinets, Cambria and Silestone countertops, and Kohler fixtures. If your paver patio project touches a kitchen window, an outdoor grill surround, or a side door entrance, we can handle the whole scope under one written price. The 365-Day Done Right Promise applies to every part of that work.
FAQs – Unilock Construction Service in Houston
We lift the sunken pavers, remove the failed bedding, re-cut and re-compact the base with crushed limestone where required, install or repair the edge restraint, and re-set the pavers on fresh sand so the surface level returns to grade. The base is almost always the problem, not the pavers themselves, so we treat the repair as a base and drainage fix first and a paver reset second. Call (254) 272-5240 if you want a written price for the repair.
Yes. We replace the damaged pavers with matching units and re-bed the area. When the spalling is widespread across many stones, we will likely recommend a section re-lay instead of patching individual blocks; the color and finish difference between old and new across a broad area often looks worse than the original damage. The honest recommendation is based on what your driveway will look like in five years, not what sells the fastest now.
The sand is washing out because surface water is moving across the patio faster than the drainage below can absorb it. Polymeric sand stays in the joints when the pitch and base drainage keep water from pooling and channeling. If the base has settled or the original grade is off, the water flow through the joints will keep pulling the sand out. We always inspect and correct the grade before re-applying the sand; otherwise the joint will fail again next storm season.
Yes, we do full and partial retaining wall rebuilds using Estate Wall and compatible Unilock block. The important part is diagnosing why the wall failed – often missing or improperly installed geogrid, no drainage rock behind the block, or a missing weep system. If the wall has bulged or separated, the repair involves removing the block, re-excavating, correcting the drain and reinforcement, then rebuilding. A surface patch that does not address the pressure behind the wall will fail. Call us at (254) 272-5240 for a wall inspection and written scope.
Sometimes, through local Unilock distributor current stock and close-match neighboring colors. When an exact match is not available, we will show you the closest options and let you decide based on how visible the match will be after installation. If you are open to a banded or bordered design that intentionally uses the difference, we can often make the repair look intentional rather than an awkward patch.
Unilock paver work in Houston depends on the scope, the base condition underneath, and the paver line selected. Here are the price ranges we write into our Houston estimates:
| Unilock Paver Service | Houston Price Range |
|---|---|
| Paver Patio Installation (Richcliff) | $3,500 – $11,000 |
| Paver Driveway Installation (Brussels Block) | $7,000 – $18,000 |
| Emergency Storm Damage Base Repair (paver area) | $500 – $2,500 |
These ranges cover typical Houston residential projects, but your exact price depends on drainage work, base rebuilds, paver selection, and area size. Schedule a free estimate and you get a written price before any work starts. Call (254) 272-5240 for your exact quote.
Book Your Unilock Service in Houston, TX
If your Unilock pavers have shifted, your retaining wall is bulging, or you are planning a new paver installation in Houston, call (254) 272-5240 to schedule a free estimate. We will send a crew that treats your property with care, writes the price down before starting, and stands behind the finished job with the 365-Day Done Right Promise.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner at Elmstead Remodeling Houston, serving Houston and surrounding communities.
