Patio Pavers

Wilhelm Landscapes, Northern Michigan’s leader in design/build lake front landscaping, can walk you through the many options when choosing a patio paver.

There are many options to consider when choosing a material for a patio or walkway. Cost can often be a major reason to select one paver over another. But there are many other reasons to consider different options.

Natural or Manufactured Pavers

The biggest difference in choosing natural over manufactured pavers is cost. Wilhelm landscapes is well versed in both applications. While natural offers beautiful color variation and surfaces, manufactured have really progressed in aesthetic value and durability. High Format is one company Wilhelm Landscapes has worked with for many years. Their products are formed of concrete and other additives to make them stronger and lighter. The result can often be mistaken for natural. The cost reduction from natural can be significant especially with larger patios or walks.

Dimensional or Irregular

Often, if a project already has pavers that are dimensional or irregular, it is usually best to carry through that design. However, with a clean slate, generally, irregular is a little more rustic or less formal. Dimensional pavers can be uniform in size, over vary from large to medium to small pavers. Beyond that, the options for layouts can vary as well. Wilhelm Landscapes has experienced installers that understand the process. Patterns are usually pretty straight forward but can vary from paver selected.

Including a border is another consideration. Rectangular shaped pavers when used as a border, can be perpendicular (soldier course) or parallel to the field of the patio or walk. The theme of the design can often dictate the appropriate border. For example, they can be the same color of the field, or a sharp contrasting value that creates interest.

Modern Design

Occasionally, local jurisdictions may require a design that addresses runoff from a patio or walk. Design can play a part in satisfying these ordinances. Permeable pavers describe a design that allows rain runoff to soak into the ground between the pavers. Some nice modern designs include pavers spaced by grass or stones which can also be considered permeable.

 At any design consultation with Wilhelm Landscapes, we will go over all of the options for paving. After understanding your cost priorities, we can suggest the best solution for your patio or walk.

Contact Wilhelm Landscapes for all of your paver project questions. We look forward to making your landscaping dreams come true.

Wilhelm Landscapes can prepare and apply for all permits needed for your project.

If your project contains shoreline protection, you will need to obtain a number of permits. Environment, Great Lakes and Energy is the agency that oversees shoreline protection. This agency reviews the design and activities. on any body of water in Michigan. This process can often involve additional design drawings. This process can be somewhat difficult and also can change in it’s requirements. Wilhelm Landscapes can obtain this and all required permits to assure the compliance of your shoreline protection. Shoreline protection on the Great Lakes, including Grand Traverse Bays, are subject to a permit from the Army Corp. of Engineers.

Bio-Engineered Shoreline Protection

EGLE has recently looked favorably on shoreline protection that has specific natural elements to soften the impact to natural shorelines. Wilhelm Landscapes has built many of these Bio-Engineered designs.

The term Seawall is no longer used to describe rocks or slabs to protect the shoreline. It is still used to describe vinyl or steel panels which are mostly used in commercial projects such as marinas.

All projects within 500 feet of water will also need a soil erosion permit. These are issued by the county. It mostly insures there will be erosion prevention on projects so that run off into the water from activity is minimized.

Your specific township may also require a Land Use Permit. Depending on your township, the application process for these permits can be extensive. Wilhelm will follow up on any and all necessary drawings and applications.

Contact Wilhelm Landscapes with your shoreline protection project. EGLE and Army Corp. permits can take up to 6 month to obtain. It is best to get these applications in as soon as possible. Contact us with any questions.

Wilhelm Landscapes Design Service

Wilhelm design service offers you the personal touch to show you a conceptual design of your landscaping project.

Wilhelm is Northern Lower Michigan’s premiere design service landscaping company. We visit your site, discuss options with you and send you the appropriate conceptual design illustrations to convey our intention to employ our expertise to make your project exactly what you would hope for.

Wilhelm prides itself on delivering the most professional design service to assure you of the peace of mind in going forward with a design installation.

Contact Wilhelm Landscapes to set up a site visit. The design fee is refunded from your signed contract.

Contact us today to get the whole process started.

Wilhelm Landscapes Announces Barge Service

Some lakeshore properties contain challenging access. Whether it is a considerable slope, extreme growth or simply a desire to maintain an existing condition; creating an access from the land can be problematic. Often, the solution can be to access the shoreline from the water.

Wilhelm announces our investment in two barges which can be used to deliver equipment and materials direct to your shoreline from the water. 

These barges can be used together or separate. It can be a practical solution to a complex access site.

Local ordinances vary from lake to lake. Ask Wilhelm about the availability of such a service for your location. Wilhelm Landscape is the leader in shoreline protection in Northwest Lower Michigan. We continue to grow as a reliable experienced. installer of all types of shoreline protection. We look forward to working with you to create a beautiful and functional design you can count on. Protect your investment, contact Wilhelm Landscapes today. 

Landscape Design

Check out some of our most recent designs. Wilhelm meets with you on site. Discusses your needs and options. And can then create a beautiful full color design to illustrate your particular project features.

Call us today or go online to request a site visit.

 

Wilhelm Landscapes Fire Pits | Kits and Custom HIGH FORMAT® we like to make things easy for you. With that being said, we’ve created three fire pit kits with all the components needed for a hassle free installation, including a steel liner.  Round Belvedere Fire Pit Square Dimensional Fire Pit Square Kodah Fire Pit But, let’s say you want to create something entirely different in size or shape. Here, we have some inspirational photos to help you generate ideas. All of these fire pit installations utilize our HIGH FORMAT® products. Take a look. Above: Custom fire pit using Kodah Wall and Natural Stone Silverek Splitface Coping (gas and liner by others).

Claremont Wall blocks for a custom gas fire pit (liner by others).

Dimensional Wall blocks and Dimensional Coping (liner by others).

Belvedere Wall and Coping with square fire pit liner

Our Kodah Fire Pit Kit enhanced with an additional layer of Kodah Wall blocks for increased height, installed with gas conversion

Dimensional Wall blocks for a custom gas fire pit (liner by others)

Belvedere Wall and Coping to create a half circle custom gas fire pit (liner by others)

 

If you sign with us for a shoreline project by March 1st 2021, you will receive a EGLE DEQ shoreline permit at no cost. Protect your investment with rip rap shoreline protection. We also install limestone slabs and steel or vinyl. Any work on a shoreline requires approval from the DEQ. Sign up now and we will apply for the permit for free, if signed before March 1st.

Wilhelm Landscapes, Northern Michigan’s premiere builder of natural boulder shoreline protection, is a leading design/build landscaping company. We have designed and built hundreds of beautiful landscaping projects across most counties in Northwest Lower Michigan.

Your property is a valuable investment. Creating a design for your landscaping should be a collaborative effort. Often owners have an idea of what they want. But not always the best way to integrate those ideas into a functional design. It starts with “we should do something with the yard”. It ends with an asset to your lifestyle. 

When you contact Wilhelm Landscape for a design, most often it is Robert Wilhelm who will come to your site to meet with you personally. He will walk the site and describe options based on your desires. He then employs his vision and experience to the particular circumstances of the land. Next the design is formalized as a conceptual full color illustration so that you can visualize the design and see how the elements work together.

Whether it’s that patio you’ve always wanted for entertaining or a fire pit for those chilly evenings on the lake, Wilhelm Landscapes Design team is here to make your dreams come true.

Wilhelm Landscapes is Northern Michigan’s premiere builders of seawalls on the Great Lakes and inland lakes. Although we install most all forms of shoreline protection from vinyl to environmentally conscience designs, Wilhelm Landscapes mostly uses our Northern Michigan boulders.

The Department of Environmental Quality defines the use of this type of material as rip rap. Rip rap shoreline protection is a process that is permitted separately from other types of seawalls. Rip rap is another way of saying “boulders”

Rip rap shoreline protection generally is installed against the height of the banks along the shoreline. The size of the rip rap can vary depending on what body of water your Northern Michigan property is on. It can also depend on which side of an inland lake your property is on.

Often one side of any lake, usually the east side, will experience more significant wave action because of prevailing winds. The DEQ has standards for most inland lakes that determine the diameter permitted. Lake Michigan has experience significant level increases in the past few years. Installing larger rip rap material can break up the wave action that has claimed valuable shoreline property.

Installing rip rap shoreline protection as a seawall option is as much an art form as it is functional. Our crews piece together appropriate sizes and shapes to create a beautiful, natural looking addition to your Northern Michigan shoreline. It really does take a creative mind to fit together just the right boulders into just the right spot. This allows the seawall to maintain its condition and function against the wave action on your Northern Michigan lakeside property. 

Wilhelm Landscapes Crew Working Through Winter

With the many project we have on Grand Traverse Bay, our crews will be out working through the season to protect the shorelines from the high water and destructive waves. Wilhelm Landscapes is the premiere builder of seawalls and rip rap shoreline protection in Northern Michigan. Our staff is the hardest working group around. It takes a special type of person to gear up and go get into Lake Michigan every day and we could not be prouder of their efforts. If you happen to see one of our crews give them a shout out, they deserve our praise.

Now is the time to sign up for next years projects. If you sign an estimate before 3/31/2020, we will wave the fee for one of the designated permits when you mention this ad.

From our family at Wilhelm Landscapes to yours.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!