Start with everyday use
List who will use the space and what they will do there: dinner for two, family gatherings, a grill, reading, or a clear route into the garden. Measure your furniture and leave room to move around it.
Record the site
Photograph the house connection, changes in level, gates, downspouts, and access for equipment. Note when the space is sunny and whether water collects there. Ask the contractor to explain how the proposal handles drainage and installation conditions.
Compare the same scope
- Ask each contractor to specify materials, preparation, drainage work, and what is excluded.
- Discuss access, disruption, cleanup, proposed timing, and how changes are priced.
- Ask who will confirm local requirements and utility marking before work begins.
- Request examples of similar projects and an explanation of maintenance.
Think beyond the paving
Allow space for planting, shade, lighting, and comfortable access. Share a budget range if you have one, and ask which elements could be phased. A written brief makes the first conversation more productive; it does not replace a site visit or quote.