All good projects start with a good plan.
A patio we did for the neighbors may not be the patio that is best for you. Your taste, style and ideas are incorporated with our experiences and artistic vision to create the patio which captures your desired aesthetics'.
Every job starts with an initial site assessment in which we evaluate soil conditions, elevation changes, drainage issues and other common concerns. Our goal is to provide you with the custom design that meets your individual needs and budget.
Once we understand your desires we will provide recommendations on color, shape, pattern, location and additional structure elements. A patio is a permanent structure and it is our responsibility to help you in the planning process.
With a staff of specialists, we have the ability to look at the entire area and provide you with a total vision. You may only choose to install the patio now, but with our design you will have a well thought out plan for now and the future. You would not travel to California by car with a map that takes you half way, and then purchase a map that takes you the rest of the way would you?
We can not only design and install your patio, but create a complete outdoor living area from deck accents, covered patios, and Pergolas.
Be sure your project is seen at night with outdoor lighting, that will illuminate and showcase your new outdoor patio area.
We also work with many pool and landscape companies and can incorporate a pool, hot tub, or landscape into your design as well.
We will provide you with the menu; you choose what suites your appetite.
Here are the topics that are typically discussed in an initial design meeting: designs below are an example of what you will receive after our first meeting with you.
overhangs the riser of the step. This style 
of step requires additional forming time and special form liners, this is why most contractors will not mention them to you. Compare this style of stamped concrete steps to regular stamped concrete steps and it is like comparing a Lexus to a Yugo. Not only is this style step more attractive, but it is also much safer. The tread of the step is colored and textured to slightly accent the color of the patio (see photo). The contrast helps distinguish each step, especially in low light conditions.
wall sides or "wrap-style". Wrap-style steps are nice if you only need 2-3 steps or less than 2' of total rise. This style step allows you to walk down anywhere. You are not limited to the front. They are called "wrap-style" because each step "wraps" around the one above it. For example, your top steps may be 6' wide, the next step 8' then third step 10'. These are especially nice if you have small children because they can not fall off the side. Often times, homeowners place potted plants on the wrap part of the steps. Also with this style, step railings are not needed. Keep in mind, not all applications are a good candidate for this. Here are a few reasons when a "wrap-style" step may not be good for you:
First step. We always recommend having your first step out of your door as a step down, not at the same level as your indoor floor. Typically this step has a larger tread (24") so you can comfortably step out of your door without being on the edge of the step. Also, having this first step as a step down and not flush with your interior floor will save you patio space (requires one less step).
Steps Overview: Don't discount the steps, they are often overlooked and not talked about with other contractors. A nice set of steps will take longer to do than the entire patio. Whether you use our service or another contractor, make sure the steps are a topic, you will be happy in the long run.
When talking about this topic it is so important to not only think about your immediate needs but also your future needs. It will cost much less now for the extra 100 sq. ft. then a year or two down the road for a small 100 sq. ft. add-on.
Surprisingly, this is usually the easiest decision. Our coloring method is unique from any other contractor. With Finishing Edge, Inc., you choose what you want the base color to be: Tan or Gray. This is the first color, we will call the "base color". This becomes one of the shades of the final product. This color is the canvas of the artwork (your patio). Adly, this is where the coloring process stops with most other stamped concrete contractors. Here at Finishing Edge it is just the beginning of the coloring process. If you selected earth tones (most popular) we will then broadcast other earth tone shades to the slab just after the concrete has been poured. 
Broadcast colors provide better surface wear, and doubles your surface strength compared to regular concrete.
The hardest decision when it comes to your patio is often which pattern to choose. If you are having trouble choosing a pattern we recommend that you consider the size of the patio first to help minimize the number of choices. If you are having a large patio installed, often times putting a smaller pattern, such as a cobblestone, is too busy looking for some. Also, if your house is small brick, we would recommend a slate pattern instead of a small cobblestone. It is also a good idea to think about what type of patio furniture you will be putting on your patio. Some patterns, such as our slates, have a less aggressive texture to the tops and have less impression lines so they will have less areas where a chair or table may wobble. Often customers ask us, "Will I see the control joints that are cut into my patio?" This is a good question. We do have two patterns that you will NOT see the control joints. These are Keystone and Texture Skin.
Here are a few helpful hints when it comes to picking a pattern or color:
Now that we have went over the "nuts and bolts" of your project (the patio area), let's convert your project from patio to your outdoor retreat. Let's take it from "nice" to "wow". The following are a list of popular options to consider that will take your project to the next level:
Design Overview: We pride ourselves on finding the correct patio for your needs. There is a lot more involved in a stamped concrete patio than just giving you a price. Hopefully the above outline will help you in the thought process.
