A guy at the Roseville Home Depot talked me out of a $400 paver patio kit in 10 minutes
He showed me his phone photos of the same kit lifting and cracking after one winter freeze, and pointed at my cart's 60 bags of base rock saying the prep would eat my whole weekend. Now I'm second guessing the whole plan, has anyone here actually had pavers hold up through 5+ winters without heaving?
Tbh this is just how every big box store works now. They sell you the dream in one cart and the reality hits you six months later when the ground moves and your nice flat patio turns into a bumpy mess. That guy probably saved you from becoming another "before" photo on a landscaping forum. Real talk though, pavers can last if you dig deep enough and pack the base right, but most people skip that part because it's boring and takes forever.