Hardscaping covers the built, non-plant parts of a yard: interlocking driveways and walkways, patios, retaining walls, steps, and pool decks. In Markham, where clay-heavy soil and freeze-thaw winters put real stress on outdoor surfaces, the difference between a job that lasts fifteen years and one that heaves and shifts within three usually comes down to what happens under the pavers, not the pattern on top. That means proper excavation depth, compacted granular base, geotextile fabric where drainage is a concern, and edge restraints installed correctly. We track 16 businesses in this category, ranging from small crews focused on residential walkways to larger outfits that handle full driveway replacements and segmental retaining walls.
What to look for before you hire
Ask about base depth and material for your specific application (driveways need a deeper base than a garden path), whether they use polymeric sand in joints to resist weed growth and ant activity, and how they handle grading around your house foundation. Get a written scope that specifies square footage, paver product and supplier, and what happens to existing concrete or asphalt being removed. Insurance and WSIB coverage matter here more than in most trades, since crews work with excavation equipment and cutting tools on your property.
How we score contractors
Our ranking weighs review consistency, responsiveness, and how specific past customers get about workmanship and cleanup, not just star averages. See the full methodology for how we weight each factor, and check the ranked guide to Markham landscapers for the complete list across all service types.
