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FenceFree written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Why Bloomington Homeowners Choose Unilock Construction
We’re an independent Unilock repair in Bloomington, handling paver driveway and patio installation, repair, and full replacement for homeowners across the 92316 ZIP code. Most Unilock failures we see in Bloomington don’t come from the paver itself – they come from what’s underneath it: thin base layers, missing edge restraint, and joint sand that was installed wrong. Our crew rebuilds those layers correctly, using Unilock OEM pavers and factory-matched materials so the fix lasts. Call (833) 467-7020 for a free estimate on any Unilock project.
Unilock is one of the strongest paver brands on the market, and we specify it regularly alongside Belgard and Techo-Bloc for Unilock in Fontana driveways, patios, and walkways. Their dense-face products like Brussels Block and Beacon Hill hold up well to Inland Empire sun, but they demand proper base prep on Bloomington’s expansive clay soils. Alder Contractors is not authorized by or affiliated with Unilock – we’re an independent contractor with deep hands-on experience installing and repairing their systems, and we say so plainly because you deserve to know exactly who’s standing behind the work.
Why Trust Alder Contractors for Your Unilock Construction?
Nelson Ibarra, our owner, spent his early construction years working homes across Unilock in Rialto and the surrounding San Bernardino County communities – the same soil conditions, the same heat, the same permitting headaches you deal with in Bloomington. His father was a drywall finisher who dragged him to job sites on weekends, and that’s where he learned the difference between work that looks fine for a year and work that’s still flat a decade later. Nelson’s rule is simple: do it right the first time – the callback always costs more than the extra hour up front.
That rule drives how we handle Unilock systems. We don’t cut base depth to save a day. We don’t skip edge restraint on a driveway that’s going to take daily vehicle traffic. And we don’t swap in a different manufacturer’s block on a visible patch just because it’s what we had on the truck. When you hire Alder Contractors, you get a crew that has installed and repaired Brussels Block, Beacon Hill, and Yorkville pavers on Bloomington lots with all the clay, heat, and drainage quirks that come with them. We stock Unilock OEM edge restraint, factory-matched polymeric sand, and we know which base depths actually hold on this subgrade.
Styles & brands we work with







Common Unilock Construction Problems We Fix in Bloomington
- Paver settling and lippage along driveway aprons. This is the number one Unilock failure we see in Bloomington, especially where driveways meet the street. The original installer compacted the base over uncompacted clay or settled for 2 inches of aggregate when the soil needed 6. After a wet winter, the clay shifts and pavers rock underfoot. We pull the affected field, rebuild the base to spec, re-set the original block, and re-sand the joints. Done once, it stays done.
- Edge restraint pull-out on driveway and patio perimeters. Short spikes in loose subgrade let the perimeter course drift outward over time, opening gaps that invite weeds and washout. We see it constantly on Brussels Block driveways where the installer used 8-inch spikes in sandy soil. We re-set the edge with longer spikes driven into compacted material and anchor the restraint properly before reinstalling the border course.
- Efflorescence blooming on Brussels Block and Beacon Hill dense-face pavers. That white powder isn’t a paver defect. It’s mineral salts wicking to the surface when polymeric sand is over-wetted during installation or when drainage pushes moisture up through the joints. We diagnose the moisture source, replace oxidized joint sand where it’s failing, and install proper drainage so the bloom doesn’t come back. Cleaning efflorescence without fixing the moisture is a temporary cosmetic fix.
- Joint sand washout and weed intrusion in older Unilock patios. Polymeric sand has a lifespan. In Bloomington’s heat, the polymer oxidizes, loses flexibility, and turns brittle. Rain then washes it out joint by joint, and weeds take root. We re-sand with fresh polymeric sand matched to your paver color and compact it properly, which restores both the look and the structural lock of the patio.
- Garage apron heave after rainy seasons on Valley Boulevard corridor lots. Homes in this part of Bloomington were often built on expansive clay that swells dramatically when wet. A paver driveway installed over that clay without a proper crushed stone buffer will heave, pinch, and crack at the apron. Our rebuilds include the base depth and compaction that this specific soil demands, and we’ve kept Brussels Block driveways flat through multiple wet seasons as a result.
Unilock Parts & Our Repair-vs-Replace Approach
We use Unilock OEM pavers, edge restraint, and polymeric sand for every repair. The reason is straightforward: Unilock’s color blends and dimensional tolerances are tightly controlled, and a visible repair needs to match the surrounding field exactly. We will not substitute a different manufacturer’s block on a patch you’re going to look at every day. That’s a compromise that shows, and it’s not one we’re willing to make on your driveway or patio.
For parts we stock locally, we keep Unilock edge restraint in multiple profiles, factory-matched polymeric sand in the common Unilock color blends, and we can source matching Brussels Block, Beacon Hill, and Yorkville pavers quickly through our supply network. When does a repair stop making sense? If more than roughly a third of your paver field is heaved, cracked, or structurally compromised, we’ll tell you to replace rather than chase patch after patch. A patchwork quilt of repairs costs more over three years than one correct rebuild, and it never looks right. Call (833) 467-7020 if you’re trying to make that call – we’ll give you an honest answer, not a sales pitch.
Our Unilock Service Process – Step by Step
- 1
Diagnosis and base evaluation. We start by walking your driveway or patio with you, checking for lippage, edge movement, joint sand failure, and drainage patterns. On Bloomington lots, we’re specifically looking at base depth and subgrade condition, because that’s where most failures start. We’ll probe compaction and check whether the original install matched Unilock’s base requirements for your soil type.
- 2
Repair or installation plan with a written line-item quote. You get the scope in writing before we touch anything: base depth, edge restraint type, paver product and color, sand specification, and the total price. No change orders later because we found a problem – we find problems during the walk and they’re in the quote from day one.
- 3
Excavation, base build, and paver installation. For new Unilock driveways and patios, we excavate to proper depth, compact the subgrade, and build the crushed stone base in lifts – typically 6 inches of compacted Class II road base for driveways on Bloomington clay. Then we set edge restraint, screed the bedding sand, lay pavers in the specified pattern, and compact the field. For repairs, we remove only what’s necessary, match the existing pattern precisely, and rebuild the base correctly before re-setting the block.
- 4
Joint sanding and final compaction. We apply Unilock’s specified polymeric sand, sweep it into the joints, and compact the field again before the final light water activation. This step is where amateur installs go wrong – too much water ruins the sand, too little doesn’t activate it. We control that process carefully and clean the surface so no haze remains.
- 5
Final walk-through and workmanship warranty. We walk the finished project with you, check every edge and joint, and confirm drainage is working. Our workmanship warranty covers installation defects, and we document what we did in the base so future repairs are straightforward. If anything shifts later, call the same number and we’ll come back.
See the difference
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AfterUnilock Products We Service & Install in Bloomington
We install and repair the full range of Unilock products commonly used on Bloomington residential properties. That includes Brussels Block, the most popular Unilock paver for driveways and patios in this market, with its tumbled, weathered look and dense-face durability. We also work with Beacon Hill, known for its clean rectangular lines and tighter joints, and Yorkville, a larger-format paver that suits modern patio designs and pool decks. For any of these, we can source OEM matching pavers, edge restraint, and polymeric sand. If you’re comparing Unilock against Techo-Bloc for a new project, we can walk you through the practical differences – both are solid, and the right choice depends on your specific Bloomington site conditions and design goals.
We Also Service These Brands
Unilock is a brand we know deeply, but it’s one of many we work with. Alder Contractors is a whole-home remodeling contractor with access to 50+ brands across every trade, from KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinets to Cambria and Silestone countertops, Kohler and Grohe plumbing fixtures, GAF and CertainTeed roofing, PGT windows, and Belgard hardscaping. One contractor. Every phase. From the roofline to the backyard.
FAQs – Unilock Construction Service in Bloomington
Yes, and this is exactly why we insist on OEM. Unilock’s color blends are factory-controlled, and we order from the same production family as your existing field. Color match is never 100% perfect on an older paver because the original surface has weathered and the new paver hasn’t, but an OEM Brussels Block paver in the same color blend is as close as the material allows. Once the patch is sanded and the surface weathers in for a season, the difference becomes nearly invisible. Call (833) 467-7020 with your paver color code and we’ll verify what’s available.
Efflorescence on Brussels Block or Beacon Hill pavers is mineral salts migrating to the surface, typically because the polymeric sand was over-wetted at install or moisture is moving up through the base and joints. The fix starts with identifying the moisture source. If it’s a drainage issue, we correct that first. Then we replace oxidized joint sand where needed and treat the surface to remove the bloom. Cleaning alone without addressing moisture means the powder comes back after the next rain. For an exact diagnosis and quote, call (833) 467-7020.
We use Unilock’s factory-specified polymeric sand for Unilock installations and repairs. The reason is that Unilock’s sand is formulated to work with their paver dimensions and joint tolerances, and using a generic brand risks joint failure that could affect your warranty position. In some cases, where Unilock’s sand isn’t the best choice for a specific condition, we’ll explain why and recommend an alternative – but the default is factory-specified material, and we never substitute without telling you
Usually yes. A sinking apron typically means the base was undercompacted or too thin at that section, not that the entire driveway is compromised. We pull the affected field, excavate to proper depth, rebuild the base with compacted Class II aggregate, reset the original pavers, and restore edge restraint. If more than about a third of the driveway is involved, full replacement starts to make more financial sense, and we’ll tell you that plainly. Call (833) 467-7020 for a site evaluation and a written line-item quote.
We generally don’t recommend it in Bloomington. Overlaying pavers on existing concrete means the concrete slab becomes your base, and if that slab is cracked, heaving, or poorly sloped, those problems transfer directly into the paver surface. In some specific cases – a sound slab that’s perfectly flat with good drainage – an overlay can work, and we’ll assess that honestly. Most Bloomington driveways with paver aspirations need full base reconstruction on this expansive clay soil to stay flat through wet winters. For a straight answer on your particular slab, call (833) 467-7020.
For planning purposes, Unilock paver driveway installation in Bloomington typically falls between $7,000 and $18,000 depending on driveway size, base depth required for your soil, and paver product. Paver patio installation usually runs $3,500 to $11,000. Full driveway replacement with proper base rebuild starts around $5,000 and goes up to $14,000. Here’s the breakdown:
| Unilock Service | Bloomington Price Range |
|---|---|
| Paver Driveway Installation | $7,000 – $18,000 |
| Paver Patio Installation | $3,500 – $11,000 |
| Driveway Replacement | $5,000 – $14,000 |
Your exact price depends on square footage, access, and how much base reconstruction your lot requires. Call (833) 467-7020 to schedule a free estimate – we’ll walk your property and give you a written, line-item quote.
Book Your Unilock Service in Bloomington, CA
If your Unilock driveway or patio is settling, washing out, or just looking tired, call Alder Contractors at (833) 467-7020. We’ll walk the site, explain what’s actually going on in the base, and quote you a fixed price with no change orders. Free estimates, written line-item quotes, and work that stays flat.
Written by Nelson Ibarra, Owner at Alder Contractors, serving Bloomington and the Inland Empire since his earliest days on the job site.