The simple answer to this question is NO. Sometimes the costs shown on these sites are extremely low, and sometimes they’re astronomically high. In recent years, websites like Home Advisor and Angie’s List have funneled homeowners into their sites regarding home renovation projects. The sites are meant to connect homeowners with local, trusted contractors for various projects. Although the intention is good, there is a vast amount of misinformation floating around the sites. Paver patios in Kalamazoo may not reflect the cost of those in another region of the country, and the articles shown on these sites do not take location into account.
Their articles aren’t written by industry experts:
When a homeowner researches paver patio costs in Kalamazoo, he or she will be shown a number of pages from various websites claiming to have cost estimates for those types of projects. Oftentimes, a blog will pop up from one of these sites talking about how much landscape or hardscape projects cost. Typically, the blogs aren’t written by an industry professional, nor do they have references.
The articles are usually written by someone who works for the site and has done their own minimal research on project cost estimates. There are numerous factors that could dramatically affect the cost of a project, and the writers are normally unaware of these.
The writer might be located on the west coast, and he or she may have called a local landscape supplier to get pricing on pavers or fire pits. Product prices can vary widely depending on one’s location, and they will also fluctuate based on the actual product itself. Some pavers cost four or five times the amount of others on a square foot basis, so it’s incredibly difficult to display accurate information in a generic article that is advertised nationwide.
The articles might be outdated:
Costs of outdoor renovation projects in 2005 are generally going to be much lower than in 2021. Articles that are written on these websites may not show when they were written, and this can cause a great deal of confusion for homeowners. Concrete products (pavers, retaining wall blocks, fire pits, etc.) typically increase about 3-4% per year in cost, and labor rates normally increase with inflation. Taking our 2005 to 2021 example, the purchasing power of $100 in 2005 is equivalent to about $133 in 2021. Inflation has risen approximately 33% in this 16 year period! When discussing a $10,000, $20,000, or $50,000+ project, an article written over a decade ago is not going to provide accurate information for homeowners searching for cost estimates.
The best way to get an accurate estimate for your project is to call Kalamazoo Hardscape!
When considering an outdoor kitchen, fireplace, or patio project for your home, the only way to know the cost for certain is to have an expert examine your property and gather proper measurements of the space. Sometimes, a patio is not structurally feasible without a retaining wall. A drainage system might be required to move water away from the space if there is no reasonable slope of the land already. We will cover all the bases for your landscape design needs in Kalamazoo, so you can be positive your cost estimate is accurate and reflects your actual property.
Contact us now to get started!
