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Alternative landscaping materials similar to pea gravel include wood chips, decomposed granite, crushed stone, and pebbles. You can also invest in specialty landscape rocks such as quartz, river rock, lava rock, and Mexican beach pebble. While many of these stones will cost more than pea gravel, some are more ideal for designing an attractive garden bed or managing drainage.

It is generally cheaper to build a concrete patio versus a brick patio. Basic concrete costs around $8 to $15 per square foot, while a brick patio typically ranges from $10 to $20 per square foot. The cost difference comes down to both materials and labor—pouring and finishing concrete is faster than placing each brick by hand. Brick pavers look great and last long, but they’ll cost more up front. If you’re looking to keep your budget in check without sacrificing function, concrete is usually the more cost-effective choice.

Cement companies often charge a per-cubic-yard cost for concrete, which averages around $130. In most cases, you can also expect to pay for leveling, surfacing, and add-on services, like stamping concrete. Here are some typical prices for common concrete projects for which you may hire a cement company.

• Walkway: $1,800

• Driveway: $2,800

• Standard patio: $3,300

• Stamped concrete patio: $4,000

• Concrete steps: $3,500

• Colored concrete: $3,800

You might also need to budget for removing your old concrete or additional land prep before your professional can pour concrete.

A properly installed 6-inch concrete slab, mixed and cured under the right conditions, can support about 3,000 pounds concentrated over a single square foot without buckling. Conversely, concrete pavers can handle around 8,000 pounds per square inch when laid over a solid, well-compacted base.