Modern backyard patio with large-format concrete pavers, lounge seating, fire pit, and outdoor dining area designed for contemporary outdoor living.

The Backyard Planning Guide

This guide breaks down the steps to a well-planned & successful backyard. We will help you make a wishlist, find the right contractor, breakdown your budget and much more. Learn the questions you should be asking, what to watch out for and the tips that will make you an educated customer.

Step 1

Know Your Purpose

Backyard patio with pool, lounge chairs, and paved pool deck designed for family outdoor living.

Family

A playground, a dining room, a pool, and a fire pit will have your patio door swinging open and closed all summer long.

Modern home driveway with concrete pavers creating clean lines and enhanced curb appeal.

Add Curb Appeal

Use unique and modern pavers to create a stunning driveway or walkway to add value to your home.

Outdoor entertaining space with patterned concrete pavers, seating area, and fire pit for gatherings.

Home Entertaining

Outdoor furniture, a fire pit, and cooking features are the basics for outdoor living.

Cozy backyard seating area with concrete pavers and fire pit designed for relaxation and unwinding.

Relax and Unwind

Comfy seating, a fire pit or a water feature are enough to enjoy your morning coffee or curl up outdoors with a book.

Backyard patio design with concrete pavers and fire pit displayed on a tablet, representing an outdoor project budget estimation tool.

Step 2

Estimate Your Budget

Enter your address to begin your journey with our landscaping project estimation tool and get a preliminary price range for your backyard.

Quick Fact: 70-80% of your project’s cost will be labor.

Step 3

Find Your Contractor

Choosing a Techo-Pro means working with an elite team of pre-screened installers that are certified by Techo-Bloc. With over 1,000 Techo-Pros across North America, we can help connect you with your perfect match. See photos of their work and find pre-screened and certified.

Connect with a Techo-Pro
Professional landscape contractors installing concrete pavers in a residential driveway using precision tools.

The Right Questions to Ask

How to Protect Yourself

  • ✔︎Impose a balance to be held until the project is completed to your satisfaction.
  • ✔︎Due diligence: verify the contractor’s craftsmanship.
  • ✔︎Ask for invoices of material purchases to keep in your records.
  • ✔︎Proof of purchases are important for warranties.

Visit a Project That’s:

5 years old
to see how the project ages
3 years old
to see how the project wears
1 year old
to see if they follow the trends

Take a Look at Our Checklist of Essential Questions to Ask a Contractor

Download the Checklist

Step 4

Identify Your Challenges

Consider Everything! Space. Trees and Roots. Utilities. Fence Height.

Do a walk-around and consider things that might threaten the installation of your chosen features. Here are some ideas to overcome your design challenges.

Want a pool but have no space?

Consider a dipping pool instead. Also, try playing with levels and bandings to separate areas in a smaller setting.

What kind of fire pit should you choose?

All Techo-Bloc fire pits are built in stone so they last and don’t rust. They are also designed to be converted to gas or firewood to respect your city’s by-laws.

Where should you put the outdoor kitchen?

Make sure it is located near your patio door, making the back and forth from the indoor kitchen to the outdoor kitchen much easier.

Dealing with drainage issues?

Permeable pavers reduce flooding, eliminate puddles, and save money on snow removal by letting water soak into the ground.

Need some privacy?

Consider trellis or build down from your fence height to create a sunken fire pit.

What can affect the price of my landscape project?

Each project is different, and so is the cost. Factors like materials, features, difficulty, labor, climate, time of year, access, and soil type can affect the price.

Aerial view of a backyard with a custom-shaped pool, concrete paver patio, and landscaped areas illustrating space and layout challenges.

Step 5

Pick Your Budget Battles

  • Do your project in phases.
  • Stick with rectangular or square designs if your budget is tight.
  • Choose a fire pit instead of a fireplace.
  • Keep things on the ground. Raised patios are more expensive.
  • Instead of leveling the land, consider building down into the slope.
Outdoor patio with concrete pavers, compact fire pit seating area, and simple layout illustrating cost-effective backyard design choices.
Modern backyard seating area with concrete pavers and landscaped pathways, representing financial planning for an outdoor living project.

Get Approved For Financing

Once you have an estimated project cost, get pre-approved for a loan at your local bank so you can start your project without delays. Some of our certified Techo-Pro contractors also offer financing options—be sure to ask about it.

Get a Quote From a Landscape Pro

Step 6

Choose Your Products

Shapes and colors. Scales and proportions. Materials and finishes. This is where every element comes to play in a perfectly orchestrated game of style mastery.

Explore Now
Driveway and patio made with concrete pavers in a modular pattern, showcasing texture, color, and layout options.
Large-format concrete slabs used for a modern patio with steps and clean architectural lines.
Outdoor seating area with concrete pavers, built-in fire pit, and modern furniture for outdoor living.
Concrete retaining wall with layered stone texture supporting a landscaped terrace.
Smooth concrete wall caps providing a clean, finished edge for a retaining wall.
Concrete edging separating pavers from planted areas for a clean and defined landscape border.
Concrete outdoor steps with clean lines and integrated lighting connecting a patio to a paved walkway.

View in Space

Can’t Go to a Store or Don’t Have a Dealer Near You?

Experience the future of shopping with our view in space augmented reality (AR) feature.

Try View in Space
Outdoor dining area with a large table set on patterned concrete pavers, showcasing decorative textures and design versatility.

Fallen in Love with a Techo-Bloc Product?

Find an authorized dealer in your area through our website to see and touch the products that caught your attention. The expertise of our dealers will guide you to find the perfect products for your landscaping project!

Find a Dealer

Benefits of Choosing Techo-Bloc

We have worked hard to maintain our reputation as one of the leading hardscape manufacturers in the world so you can have peace of mind.

Advanced Technology

Experience landscape products redefined with HD2 technology. Our pavers are 1.5 times stronger than industry standards, boasting smooth fusion texture and Klean-Bloc for easy cleaning and long-lasting color.

Design Trends for Your Dream Project

Looking for a little inspiration on how to make your landscape renovation stand out from the crowd? Our look book is sure to keep you ahead of the design curve.

Environmentally Friendly

We give new meaning to “environmentally conscious” with permeable pavers that are as eye-catching as they are eco-friendly. An easy way to elevate your home while staying mindful of the environment.

We Help You at Every Step of the Process

Planning a landscape renovation but don’t know where to start? Let us guide you through the process with tips from how to choose the right professional all the way to breaking down your budget.

Contractors You Can Trust

We wouldn’t choose just anyone to install our products. Why should you? With over 1,000 Techo-Pros across the United States and Canada, we can help connect you with the perfect match.

Designed for Commercial Use

When design needs durability. With over 35 international patents, we offer the widest selection of commercial grade products, permeable pavement, and retaining walls.

We Offer Lifetime Warranty

Our products are our pride and we go to great lengths to ensure that the purchase of our materials is a long-term and sound investment that will provide enjoyment for years to come.

Endless Design Possibilities

Our products are designed to express your style and are built on four key pillars. Mix and match color, scale, texture, and shape to create unique outdoor spaces.

Step 7

Start your project

Now that you're feeling confident about your project's, contact a contractor near you to get started!

Find a Techo-Pro Download this guide
Professional landscape contractors installing concrete pavers at a residential property, marking the start of an outdoor project.