Frequently Asked Questions

We are fully insured but we are not bonded.

Bonded is typically reserved for public or government money.  Bonds are not common in the private sector.  For this reason, we require a 40% down payment to begin, a 30% show up payment, and a 30% final payment when the job is complete. 

BBL will pull permits for all jobs unless you are located within the St. Louis City limits.  If you are within the City limits you must obtain your own permits.

  There is a fee of $350 for permits.  That includes your drawings for the county, permits, and all correspondence with the county.

Hose off surfaces frequently to remove build up. Do not use a power washer on surfaces!  Always have a protective mat near your grill station to avoid grease stains. Never use salt on your patio. You should seal your patio with Techniseal sealer after 90 days of the install.  Every 5 years have polymer joints touched up and surface sealed.

Hose off surfaces to remove build up.  Always have a protective mat near your grill station to avoid grease stains.  Never use salt on your concrete. 

Hose down every few months and check that the caps are secured firmly.  Do not use a power washer on blocks. Check rear and base of wall to make sure ground slopes away from wall.

We offer a 1-year warranty on walls, patios, and drainage. When we talk about warranty on drainage work you must remember that all downspout and buried lines must be maintained by homeowner and kept free of debris.

There is no warranty on plants or sod.

Yes, we have an engineer that designs our larger scale walls.

Yes, there is a fee.  The fee depends on the size of the wall, usually ranges from $1,000-$2,000 per project.

Yes, CAD drawings are available for most projects.

CAD drawings are free of charge and part of your proposal.

Yes, we will provide a free estimate on most projects.

Poured concrete is typically around 3,000-4,000 PSI on average, whereas pavers are 8,000 PSI or greater. Pavers are significantly stronger than concrete and more resistant to the effects of freeze-thaw cycles. If something happens with a single paver, it can easily be replaced.  If something happens on a section of concrete, you must replace the entire slab.  Pavers offer a much larger selection of color and style options as well.  Pavers offer a 1-year warranty. There is no warranty on concrete.

• Dry creek beds, are shallow trenches lined with landscape fabric and filled with varying sizes of rocks and boulders. This option is the most visible but most effective option.
• Swales are trenches built to direct and slow the flow of rainwater so that it has a chance to sink into the soil or empty into a filed or storm sewer. These trenches are top coated with sod. The swale would be the second most visible option.
• A French drain is a trench filled with gravel or rock or containing a perforated pipe that redirects surface water and groundwater away from an area. Most French drains are top coated with sod. The French drain is the least visible option of the three drainage solutions.

LED landscape lighting can save up to 80% in outdoor lighting energy costs.  LED Lamp replacement is almost nonexistent. This reduces the lighting maintenance costs to almost zero. LED landscape lamps can last up to 40,000 hours.  Another plus to LED lights is the fact they do not attract bugs like tradition lighting.  That is huge on summer nights enjoying your patio.