Stone & Hardscape

What we build

A lot of stonework starts with a front bed. A stone border turns a loose edge of mulch and grass into a defined bed that stays put, and it’s one of the most visible changes you can make to the front of a house. We build them straight or curved, a single course high or raised a few courses to give the plants more soil.

Tree rings work the same way on a smaller scale: a raised circle of stone around a trunk, filled with soil and seasonal color or groundcover, so the mower never has to get close to the bark.

Our gallery shows the range: chopped stone tree rings in front yards, raised planter borders filled with river rock, a curved white stone wall wrapping a bed with fresh sod in front, and an Austin stone mailbox rebuilt from a broken brick one.

Why clay soil matters for stone

Collin County sits on blackland prairie clay. It swells after a wet spring, shrinks and cracks in an August drought, and moves the whole time. Stone and mortar don’t flex, so a border set straight on that soil will lean, crack and drift out of line within a few seasons.

What holds stone in place is what’s underneath it: a trench dug below the soft topsoil, a compacted base, and room for water to get away instead of soaking the clay behind the wall. That prep work is the part you never see, and it’s the difference between a border that looks good for a year and one that still looks good in ten.

Mailboxes

Brick mailboxes in many neighborhoods were built quickly and take a beating from cars, trailers and settling soil. A rebuild in Austin stone, sometimes with planter boxes built into the base, gives the front of the house a more finished look. Before a rebuild, check your HOA’s mailbox rules and the USPS height and setback guidance.

Paths, rock and pavers

Narrow side yards between houses are where grass goes to die: too much shade, too much foot traffic, and downspouts emptying right onto them. A path of large pavers set in river gravel, like the side yard in our gallery, stays clean, drains well and needs almost no upkeep. Gravel, decomposed granite and stepping stones work anywhere you want a walking surface without pouring concrete.

Homes and businesses

We do stone and hardscape work for residential and commercial properties. If water is part of the problem, such as a bed that floods or a side yard that never dries, our French drain and drainage work often goes in alongside the stone.